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Taj Hotton

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Taj Hotton
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-06-17) 17 June 2006 (age 19)
Original team(s) Sandringham Dragons (Talent League)
Hampton Rovers (SMJFL)
Draft No. 12, 2024 AFL draft
Debut Round 18, 2025, Richmond vs. Essendon, at MCG
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current club Richmond
Number 24
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2025– Richmond 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 18, 2025.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Taj Hotton (born 17 June 2006) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A dynamic forward and midfielder, Hotton was drafted in the first round of the 2024 AFL draft and made his debut late in the 2025 season.

Early life and junior football

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Hotton was raised in Melbourne's bayside south eastern suburbs and played junior football with Hampton Rovers Football Club in the South Metro Junior Football League.[1]

In 2023 Hotton made his top-level junior representative debut for the Sandringham Dragons in the Talent League.[2] He played seven matches across the season, kicking six goals and averaging 11 disposals per game.[2] That same year he earned selection to represent the Victoria Metropolitan region at the 2023 AFL Under 18 Championships, one of a select group to do so a year before their final junior season.[3] He also won an Associated Public Schools of Victoria football championship with Haileybury College in 2023, where he attended for high school studies.[4]

Hotton started his final year of junior football in strong form, named best afield by the Herald Sun with 27 disposals and three goals in each of the opening two rounds of Haileybury's APS season.[5] He recorded 32 disposals, 10 marks and kicked four goals in a Talent League game against the Oakleigh Chargers around the same time, which earned him a late call up to the AFL Academy's showcase exhibition game against VFL side Coburg in April.[6][7][8] Hotton again made a stand-out contribution in that game, kicking two goals along with 18 disposals.[9] In the first week of May, Hotton was named among the players to represent Victoria Metro at the 2024 AFL Under 18 Championships.[10] Soon after however, he suffered an ACL tear in his knee while training with Haileybury, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.[11][12][13] He acted as an assistant midfield coach during Sandringham's premiership win later that year.[14]

AFL career

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Hotton was drafted by Richmond with the club's third selection and the 12th pick overall in the 2024 AFL draft.[15]

He spent the early months of his season continuing rehabilitation for the knee injury he suffered the previous year.[16] He returned to competitive football with limited match time with the club's reserves side in the VFL in June.[17] After a further two matches on limited minutes in the reserves including a 24 disposal and one goal game, Hotton was selected to make his AFL debut in a round 18 win over Essendon at the MCG where he kicked one goal and recorded 10 disposals.[18][19][20]

Player profile

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Hotton plays as a forward and midfielder.[21][22] Prior to his draft selection, Hotton's playing style was compared to Harry Sheezel and Shai Bolton by ESPN and Fox Footy, respectively.[9][23]

Personal life

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His father Trent Hotton played 17 matches with Collingwood between 1994 and 1996 and 61 games with Carlton between 2000 and 2002.[24] His older brother Olli Hotton was drafted by St Kilda with the 35th overall pick in 2022 and was de-listed by the club at the end of 2024 without having made an AFL debut.[25][26]

References

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  1. ^ Bennett, Jason (22 November 2024). "Doggie delight for VAFA youngsters at the AFL Draft". VAFA. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b Alvaro, Michael (9 January 202). "PROFILED 2024 Vic Metro Talent Hub". Rookie Me Central. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  3. ^ "2024 Vic Metro U18 Boys squad announced". Play AFL. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  4. ^ Lewis, Tyler (1 August 2023). "The 10 players who performed on the APS' biggest stage". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  5. ^ Batten, Dan; Lewis, Tyler (1 May 2024). "APS footy: The standouts from the second round of 2024". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  6. ^ Forrest, Matthew (1 April 2024). "Coates Talent League: The top 50 ranked players from round 2". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  7. ^ Alvarro, Michael (1 April 2024). "2024 Coates Talent League: Round 2 POTW". Rookie Me Central. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Marsh AFL National Academy Boys to represent Australia this weekend". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  9. ^ a b Waterworth, Ben. "Powerful young gun who could fill legendary Tigers' shoes: Draft prospects ranked 1-50". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  10. ^ "2024 Vic Metro U18 Boys squad announced". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  11. ^ Bolch, Dylan (2 November 2024). "'Went in slow motion': Top draft prospect opens up on the injury that changed his year". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  12. ^ Twomey, Callum (27 October 2024). "The 'slow motion' moment that changed top prospect's year". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  13. ^ McGowan, Marc (4 June 2024). "A 50-disposal gun, an almost flawless prospect and Cripps 2.0: AFL draft hopefuls to watch". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  14. ^ "#30 Taj Hotton". RookieMeCentral. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Taj Hotton bound for the Swinburne Centre". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  16. ^ Pavlou, Anna (19 June 2025). "Hotton set for VFL debut". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  17. ^ Milic, Henry (23 June 2025). "Hotton hits the ground running". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  18. ^ Greenberg, Tony (13 July 2025). "Hotton lives up to the hype on debut". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Hotton headlines five changes for Bombers". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Tigers excited to unleash 'special talent' for AFL debut". AFL Media. Telstra Media. AAP. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  21. ^ Tracy, Lincoln (19 November 2024). "How clubs assess injury risk at the AFL draft and why certain players slip down the pecking order". ABC News. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  22. ^ McEvoy, Simon (14 March 2024). "Sandringham Dragons 2024 Coates Talent League Boys list breakdown". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  23. ^ Chellappah, Jasper (18 September 2024). "September 2024 Draft Power Rankings: New No. 1 as finals bolters shake up order". ESPN. Disney. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  24. ^ Twomey, Callum (27 October 2024). "The 'slow motion' moment that changed top prospect's year". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Saints welcome talented trio in second night of 2022 Draft". St Kilda FC. Telstra Media. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Saints confirm further list changes". St Kilda FC. Telstra Media. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
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