AFL Team Profile: Richmond

After a period of great success it is time for Richmond to go through a rebuild under new head coach Adem Yze.

The Tigers dominated when winning the premiership in 2017, 2018 and 2020 under the leadership of then head coach Damien Hardwick.

Hardwick moved on midway through last season, believing the club needed a new leader and that job has been handed to Yze.

A number of experienced players have also moved on, but the Tigers still have some exciting players on their list and the future could be a bright one.

2024 could be a bit too soon for them however and they are priced at 5.00 to make the top eight and play finals.

The rebuild starts now for the Tigers, and their members will not be expecting too much in the season ahead.

End of an era in 2023

The 2023 season marked the end of an era for the Tigers as three-time premiership winning coach Hardwick stepped away from the job.

Following their last premiership win in 2020, the Tigers missed finals the season after, and struggled to reproduce the form that made them the kings of the AFL between 2017 and 2020.

It resulted in Hardwick claiming he needed to take a break from the game, and the Tigers players needed new leadership.

Andrew McQualter was handed the job on an interim basis for the rest of the season and Richmond went on to finish in 13th position.

They picked up a total of 10 wins from 23 games to finish eight points away from the top eight.

The Tigers suffered some heavy defeats following the departure of Hardwick and the wins they did pick up were against sides below them on the ladder.

However, 2023 is now consigned to the history books and for the Tigers it is all about looking to the future with Yze as their new leader.

Richmond are 13.00 to suffer most losses in 2024, with only Hawthorn, West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne a shorter price.

That suggests the Tigers could be in for a tough campaign, but there is still a lot to be hopeful about.

Key players

The Tigers have lost some influential players ahead of the 2024 campaign with Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin both moving on.

However, there is still a lot to like about the Richmond list, which has a blend of some experience and plenty of youth.

Dustin Martin is still on board and had an outstanding second half of the season in 2023. He will be supported by Shai Bolton in midfield, while the Tigers also have Tim Taranto and Dion Prestia.

There are also plenty of young talented players in the camp, with Josh Gibcus, Noah Balta and Tylar Young all expected to stand out.

Joint-captain Toby Nankervis will be key in the ruck and, when it comes to kicking goals, a lot of the pressure will fall on the shoulders of Tom Lynch.

Lynch could be in the running for the Coleman Medal, which is awarded to the player who boots most goals in the AFL regular season.

He is priced at 11.00 to take the award.

Early Hardwick reunion

Hardwick’s break from the game was a short one after he was appointed as the new head coach of the Gold Coast Suns.

And an early reunion is on the cards, as the Tigers begin their season with a trip to the Gold Coast on Saturday 9th March.

The Tigers can be backed at 2.55 to pick up the win, while the Suns are available at 1.52.