Tambling had been tipped to go in the two selections after Brett Deledio at no. 1.
But when Hawthorn pulled a surprise and took Jarryd Roughead at 2 and the Bulldogs took Ryan Griffen at three, Tambling fell in to Richmond’s lap.
But it was the man that was drafted immediately after Tambling, Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin, who has developed quicker than any of his peers and now seems destined for greatness.
Tambling has been frustrated but has learned to ignore the constant comparisons with Franklin that have followed him for more than three years.
“It did go away for a bit. It’s not too bad, the first couple of times I got pretty upset about it and it affected me quite a lot but ever since last year I threw that out of my mind,” Tambling said.
“I can’t control the way Lance Franklin plays, I can only control the way I play so that’s what I’m focusing on.”
Contempt for external expectations and pressures seems a common theme at Punt Rd, which suits Tambling just fine.
“We did a whole lot of work on the team being united at the start of the year. I think that helped us a lot just sticking together. We don’t really care what anyone thinks but us,” he said.
“If we think we’re not going well then we’re the only ones that are going to punish ourselves. We try to block everything out and do the best we can week after week.”
Tambling, 21, has played 55 AFL matches mainly as a small forward with cameos in the midfield.
But his fourth season on Richmond’s list could be the making of him as a key part of the Tigers’ midfield.
“Coming off last year I had little stints in the middle. Terry [Wallace] challenged me in the pre-season and said I have to do a certain amount of work and told me the blokes I had to match to get in the midfield,” he said.
“My role in the midfield has been defined for me so I know what I have to do in there. I have a set position there to play. It’s sort of more understandable so it gives me more confidence in what I do.”
Tambling has been working closely with midfield coach Brian Royal and has been following the example set by Nathan Foley.
Foley and Tambling have followed contrasting paths to the AFL system, Tambling the gifted top five draft pick and Foley the undersized midfielder who had to earn a spot through the rookie list.
Tambling said Foley had become a role model to many at Richmond.
“For where he’s gotten to it is down to hard work and the extras every day that got him to where he is. We all respect him for that and look up to him because he is such a hard worker,” Tambling said.
But far from being handed an AFL career on a platter, Tambling says it took some adjusting for a Darwin native to settle in to the hustle and bustle of Melbourne life and the discipline of the AFL world.
He says it wasn’t that he missed his hometown, but more the people in it, with a then six-year-old brother one of the hardest to farewell. Since then he has made an extra effort to welcome young indigenous players who like him had to travel thousands of kilometres to follow their AFL dream.
“Last year Carl Peterson was with us and I thought because we had a similar background that I could help him out a lot,” Tambling said.
“This year Clayton Collard’s here from Perth and we have a similar background and personality. I get around and try to make the other boys feel comfortable as best I can.”
Tambling is settled in his Preston home with partner Amy and two-year-old son Tyson. He says whenever he has doubts about himself as a senior football or has just heard another Lance Franklin comparison, it all disappears as soon as he walks in the front door.
“No matter how bad your day’s going, you go home and Tyson says something cheeky or smiles at you and you’re all better again.”
