RESURGENT Tiger Jayden Short refuses to feel safe in the reigning premiers' senior side as he inches towards redemption after last year's heartbreak of missing out.
The 22-year-old former carpenter made his finals debut in Richmond's dominant 31-point dismissal of Hawthorn at the MCG on Thursday night.
It was barely 12 months ago that Short, after playing 16 straight matches, lost his spot to fellow defender Bachar Houli – and he never muscled his way back in.
Brandon Ellis might be that player this year, with Kane Lambert's return from an ankle injury for the qualifying final bumping the premiership-winning backman into the VFL.
Short was part of the 2017 Grand Final parade as an emergency and watched some of his closest friends, including housemate Lambert, end the Tigers' 37-year flag drought.
"It was obviously hard not being there," Short told AFL.com.au in Richmond's euphoric rooms after the win over the Hawks.
"There were parts of my game I needed to improve and I set myself for the pre-season to improve those things.
"I wanted to play AFL football – I didn't come here to play VFL – so I set myself a task to play in the senior team and I've done it this year."
Among the areas Short needed to work on, and did, were his fitness, winning more of his own football, his consistency within games and backing his strengths more.
There is no bigger weapon in his arsenal than his trusty right boot, which has helped him comfortably lead the AFL in both metres gained and effective metres gained this season.
Short was back at it again on Thursday night, racking up 376 of his 537 metres gained in the opening half when Hawthorn challenged the Tigers most.
"It's something the boys have a joke about," he said of his status as the competition's metres-gained king.
"But I might need to start lowering my eyes a little. I don't mind kicking the ball, so I kick it when I can – I don't really like handballing."
Coach Damien Hardwick did not hide his satisfaction post-game at Short being able to feature in a finals triumph after all he went through last year.
"There are always stories about players who could quite easily play, and Jayden was one of those guys. I think he played 16 games last year and misses out," Hardwick said.
"That's the disappointing thing about our game. We want to reward every player, and we did that last year with guys who played one game or whatever it was.
"It is pleasing that he's really taken his chance this year. He's been such a pivotal player for us; the way he wins the ball and uses the ball is so highly regarded."
Short plans to be in Port Melbourne on Saturday to watch Richmond's VFL side face Essendon, where Ellis and others will have the chance to audition for an AFL preliminary final place.
"It's an industry you never really feel safe in," he said.
"You watch our VFL team; there's another 20 blokes putting their hands up to play in the AFL team, so us 22 (in the seniors) need to show up every week and put our best foot forward.
"Our VFL boys are kicking the door down and they want to be here as well."
