Richmond will bring a debutant to Saturday's Opening Round against Gold Coast at Heritage Bank Stadium, blooding exciting forward Seth Campbell.

The 19-year-old was taken by the Tigers with pick No. 12 in the 2022 Rookie Draft, before putting pen to paper on a one-year contract extension in September last year.

Campbell endured a testing first year in the system, playing just five VFL games in 2023 as he recovered from groin and leg issues.

But, patience and positivity has paid off for the Tasmanian Tiger, who put together a strong block of work over the pre-season to earn his first game. 

Campbell's running ability has been a feature of his past few months, drawing big praise from teammate Dion Prestia.

"I've really liked Seth Campbell's pre-season," Prestia said.

"He played in the Collingwood game last week and I think he's had an amazing pre-season, doing most of the running with Tim Taranto, who's one of the best in the competition.

"For a second-year player to come in and be able to do that and really take his game to the next level... Seth's one that I'm really excited to see." 

The 182cm Tiger showcased those traits in Richmond's recent practice games, also impressing with his goal sense and evasiveness.

Development coach Kane Lambert, who surprised Campbell with the good news, said it was a well-deserved opportunity for the young cub. 

"We all know how hard you've worked. From the moment you walked in the door, we knew there was something about you" Lambert said.

"Last year didn't transpire the way you would have liked... but you have a lot of confidence in your body and we're just so excited to see you go out and play footy."