New VFL recruit Jaryd Cachia has been named captain of Richmond’s VFL team for the 2015 season.
Cachia arrived via Carlton at the end of last year, and was voted in as captain via a player vote this week.
He replaces Ross Young, who was skipper in the Club’s inaugural season as a standalone VFL side, but departed in the off-season due to work commitments.
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Cachia played 14 AFL games for the Blues in 2013, and was a rookie-listed player last season. He was also on Carlton’s rookie list for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
“Jaryd’s been fantastic, with the way that he’s gone about training so far,” Richmond VFL coach Tim Clarke told Roar Vision.
“He’s got experience at both AFL level and VFL. He knows what to expect - he knows the frustrations that some of the AFL boys are going through as well.
“He’ll be able to work with them, help lead them and teach them, while he’s also going about his footy his own way.
Check out the 2015 VFL home-and-away fixture
“We’re really excited to have him on board. Hopefully he can grow with his leadership, and improve some of the things that saw him spat out of the AFL system, because I still think he’s an AFL player.”
Richmond’s VFL scouts have had a busy summer trying to beef up their playing stocks, as they aim to improve on their 2014 tally of six wins, 11 losses and a draw.
“There’s always naturally going to a lot of turnover with your VFL players,” Clarke said.
“We lost two or three players who had to move on through relocation and work, and they’re going to be missed.
“We had to look at areas we needed to develop in, to be able to make our side stronger.
“It’s difficult, because you’re never sure what the recruiters are going to draft into the AFL team.
“We had a strategy just to go out and get as many strong, solid midfielders as we could, to be able to support our team this year.”
Richmond’s VFL list will be finalised in the coming weeks, with the team’s first pre-season practice match scheduled for March 21.
The 2015 home-and-away season kicks off with a trip to play Coburg on Saturday, April 18.
