Mark Coughlan is Richmond’s next Homecoming Hero in season 2024.

The Tigers will pay tribute to Coughlan in the lead-up to Sunday’s twilight clash with Carlton at the MCG.

Coughlan will walk to the Punt Road end, where he’s bound to be warmly received by the Tiger Army.

He’ll then kick a ceremonial goal, while highlights of his playing career will be shown on the MCG’s screens.

Richmond recruited Coughlan from West Australian club Perth in the 2000 AFL national draft. He was taken by the Tigers with their second pick (No.25 overall).

The talented, strong inside midfielder made his senior debut with Richmond in Round 9 of the 2001 season against Geelong at Kardinia Park, picking up 12 disposals, six contested possessions and three clearances in an encouraging performance.

Coughlan made five senior appearances all-up in his first season of AFL football but the following year he established himself as a regular member of the Tigers’ main line-up.

He averaged 18.2 disposals per match for the season and finished fifth in the Club’s Best and Fairest award.

In 2003, Coughlan took his game to an impressively high level, averaging 23.4 disposals per match, polling 16 Brownlow Medal votes and winning the Jack Dyer Medal.

At just 21 years of age, Coughlan was regarded as one of the top midfielders in the competition and appeared destined for greatness.

Unfortunately, however, a bout of osteitis pubis restricted him to just seven games for the 2004 season.

He did bounce back strongly in 2005, averaging 22.1 disposals per match, polling 10 Brownlow votes and finishing fifth in the Best and Fairest.

In Round 7 that season, Coughlan had an AFL career-high 38 disposals in a thumping 85-point win by Richmond against Carlton at the MCG.

Coughlan played the first 11 games of the 2006 season, but then suffered a severe setback when he ruptured an ACL early in the Tigers’ Round 12 clash with Hawthorn at Launceston.

In typically tenacious style, he worked diligently on his rehabilitation, only to suffer a recurrence of the major knee injury during the 2007 pre-season period.

He missed the entire 2007 season and didn’t play any football at senior level for Richmond in 2008 due to persistent hamstring trouble.

Further injury problems surfaced during the 2009 pre-season, when Coughlan underwent surgery for cartilage damage in his knee.

Finally, in Round 5 of the 2009 season, Coughlan returned to senior action with the Tigers.

He lined up against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium – his first senior game for nearly three years.

Coughlan managed another eight games in Richmond’s senior side that year but couldn’t quite recapture his best form after all the injury issues he had dealt with.

His time at Tigerland came to an end at the completion of the 2009 season.

All-up, he played 92 games, kicked 39 goals and averaged 19.6 disposals, 8.5 contested possessions, 4.3 marks, 3.5 clearances, 3.0 inside-50s and 3.7 tackles in his AFL career with Richmond.

To this day, Yellow and Black barrackers ponder what might have been for Coughlan had he not copped such a raw deal on the injury front.

He was very much a fan favourite of the Tiger Army because of the tough, uncompromising way he went about his football, combined with plenty of skill.

Richmond is proud to have welcomed back Motorola as partner of our Homecoming Heroes. Motorola is the official smartphone partner of the Richmond Football Club.

Mark Coughlan profile

Born: April 20, 1982

Height: 186cm

Playing weight: 86kg

Recruited to Richmond from: Perth (WAFL)

Guernsey numbers at Richmond: No. 24

Debut at Richmond: Round 9, 2001 v Geelong, Kardinia Park

Games at Richmond (2001-2009): 92

Goals at Richmond: 39

Honours at Richmond: 2003 Jack Dyer Medal

Richmond's Homecoming Heroes since 2014...