By Jonty Ralphsmith
Berwick interceptor Riak Andrew was selected by Sydney on the second night of the AFL Draft last week.
The Stingrays 19-year-old showed strong improvement throughout 2024, showcasing his athleticism and lockdown ability across different stages of the year.
Tied to Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player and having been listed with the Dees’ VFL affiliate, Casey, he was overlooked by the club which had the opportunity to match Sydney’s bid.
“He’s had some injuries but really persisted,” Sydney recruiter Chris Keane said.
“He was on our radar from the midseason and from that point on we kept tracking him and with our need for a developing key back which we wanted to address if we could, that was of high importance and we were really happy to bring him in.
“Riak’s a different player to his brother and we saw that rate of development from Riak throughout the year.”
The brother of Gold Coast emerging star Mac spoke to the Pakenham Gazette prior to the draft about what he gained from his brother that will transfer onto an AFL list.
“What I’ve learned from him is the professionalism it takes to be an AFL footballer,” Andrew told the Gazette last month.
“He’s had his problems in the first couple of years as an AFL footballer and he’s learned and matured from that.
“If you’re good enough, you’ll get there, but the hard work starts day one when you arrive at an AFL club, you can’t just get drafted and think you’ve made it.
“We’re fairly similar, both being fairly tall, skinny and athletic so I’ve just tried to model my game off him – sag off, not initiate body contact, run and jump and use my athleticism.
“He’s been huge for me just giving me tips about how to be an AFL footballer.
“He’s (told me) first impressions are everything so if I land on an AFL list, then I’ll try to earn the respect of senior players and showcase why this club picked me.”
Riak Andrew
Junior Club: Berwick
Pick: 55
Club: Sydney
Position: Defender
