The Saints made one of the great errors in rejecting Thorp, who went to Richmond in 1910. In its early seasons in the VFL, Richmond frantically turned over dozens of players looking for a combination that could compete with the best in the competition.
The Saints erred gravely by dismissing Thorp, who joined Richmond in 1910. During Richmond's initial seasons in the VFL, the team frequently swapped numerous players, hoping to assemble a group capable of challenging the top teams.