While Richmond is striving to play finals this season, the Tigers also have their sights set on next year and beyond, as coach Damien Hardwick explained in his weekly press conference yesterday.
“We’re doing two things at once. We’re trying to contend, and we’re also trying to regenerate or rejuvenate at the same time,” Hardwick said.
“We had four first-year players in the side (v North Melbourne) on the weekend . . . we have done that over the course of the year.
“That itself is a challenge. But the fact of the matter is I think we’re going to have a longer period of window (of opportunity), so to speak, than we do if we go the other way.
“The challenge for us as a club is to remain competitive like the very best sides have over a long period of time . . .
“We’re giving ourselves our best chance of success, not only this year, but years moving forward as well.”
Richmond has had five AFL debutants this season – Josh Gibcus, Bigoa Nyuon, Judson Clarke, Noah Cumberland and Tyler Sonsie. Last year, seven players debuted at senior level with the Tigers – Riley Collier-Dawkins, Rhyan Mansell, Will Martyn, Ben Miller, Hugo Ralphsmith, Maurice Rioli Jr and Samson Ryan.
