Great Southern star Jacob Blight makes immediate impact in first VFL match since being drafted by Richmond

Recently drafted Great Southern star Jacob Blight made an immediate impact for his new AFL club, with an impressive debut for Richmond’s VFL side at the weekend. The Railways product was selected with the Tigers’ No.2 pick at Wednesday’s mid-season draft before flying across to his new home at Punt Road on Thursday and travelling to Geelong to play his first match for the club. Back in his familiar Tigers colours, the 22-year-old was a standout performer in his side’s 8.12 (60) to 11.11 (77) loss against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, gathering 20 disposals, nine marks and eight intercepts. “It was great, it was very good fun and it was a different style but I think it will definitely suit me going forward so very excited about what is to come,” Blight said. “I had a good game in the end, I had a lot of intercepts so it was a really good day out to be honest considering I had zero preparation.” Drafted out of Peel Thunder in the WAFL, Blight said the grounds were different to what he played on in WA but believed it would serve his game style well. “The oval dimensions are a little different from the WAFL and I think it is going to really suit my game a lot, having more impact and more contests and defensive positioning and things like that,” he said. “I’m very much looking forward to playing more VFL footy and if all goes well hopefully AFL by the end of the year. “But I’ll take it as it comes, I have no real expectations and I’m just going to try and find my feet and just enjoy the experience of it all.” Blight lined up for the Tigers reserves alongside fellow mid-season draftees Campbell Gray (2024) and James Trezise (2023) and West Australian Steely Green, who made his AFL debut the previous week.