Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has identified the progression of the Tigers’ middle-tier players as a major reason behind the team’s rise up the ladder this year.

And, Cotchin believes the continued growth of that group of players will be a vital factor in Richmond’s on-going quest for sustained success.

“To see the development of some of those younger guys, who have been in the system for two or three years now, starting to play a lot more consistent footy, obviously takes the pressure off our leaders, and that’s what you see with the Sydneys and Geelongs,” Cotchin said on 6PR.

“Their middle-tier players are the ones that are stepping up now.

“As a general rule, you expect your leaders to perform consistently well, and as long as you can drag as many of those middle-tier guys along, that’s going to make your job easier and lead to team success.”

Notwithstanding Richmond’s significantly better ladder position this season, Cotchin is convinced there’s scope for considerable improvement within the team.

“There are a lot of areas where we can still improve, which is exciting for us as a group, but it’s also exciting for our supporters,” he said.

“We’ve got our highest membership number this season that we’ve ever had, which is fantastic . . .

“There’s a real air of confidence with our group and the way we play.

“It’s just a matter of turning up on game day and playing those four quarters consistently.”