In her regular column, Richmond President Peggy O’Neal answers questions sent through by members and supporters.

Dear members and supporters,

Can I start by thanking the Richmond members that took the time to attend our recent Annual General Meeting. These are important nights for member-based organisations and it was a wonderful opportunity for the Club to honour its new life members Alex Rance, Dustin Martin and Trevor Poole. The AGM was also a great occasion to properly recognise our newest patron Ken Grenda, AM, as well as our most recent Brownlow Medallist Trent Cotchin.

Thank you for the questions sent through following my last column. I will again endeavour to get to as many as possible and I encourage you to keep sending in your questions.

Why has the reserved seat process changed at Etihad Stadium?

We have made some changes to the way we ticket reserved seats for Etihad Stadium. Our member show rates at Etihad are substantially lower than at the MCG. Lower bowl seating is also significantly smaller than at the MCG. In summary, it means that many of our fans purchasing seats are being pushed to level three seating at Etihad while large amounts of lower bowl seating is unused. 

As a result, we have established a process which requires each member to register online to acquire their reserved seat. This process is free of charge. Whilst this change will create some logistical issues for both members and the Club, we felt the benefits far outweigh the disruption.

 The three key benefits are:

• The consolidation of unused seats means on average members will sit in better quality seats, moving closer to the ground and further around the wing
• We have added functionality for members to purchase guest passes to bring friends and family along with them, which has not previously been possible for reserved seat members
• Our reserved seat rental fee to Etihad and Ticketmaster costs will be substantially reduced

Does RFC have a sports psychologist? What do we do to create a positive mindset?

Yes, the Club has a number of people who work with the players in this area. Some players find it more useful than others but, clearly, the mental side of the game is important and the Club invests heavily because it is so critical.

I would like to know if the faded jumper issue will be fixed for the 2017 season?

I know some supporters were concerned by the colours of our jumper in recent seasons. I can assure you that our new apparel partner Puma will provide our players and fans with a vibrant yellow and black jumper for the 2017 season and beyond.

What does the Club do in terms of player welfare?

We have a number of staff who support the players away from football. This support includes everything from psychological support through to education and vocational training to prepare them for life after football (and everything in between). Beyond the Club's support, the players have access to many services provided through the AFL Players’ Association. The Club and the AFLPA try to coordinate their efforts so as to complement and not to duplicate services

Our ground often looks more like a rubbish tip, particularly the Brunton Avenue end of the ground. What is being done about it?

Your question is timely as we have some work being done on that part of the ground this week to tidy it up. More broadly, we are working to develop a more permanent solution as part of our Punt Road Oval masterplan deliberations. 

We need to ensure that the Punt Rd Oval precinct remains fully functional well into the future in the way it supports the entire club. However, aesthetics are also important. The Punt Rd Oval should be a very impressive eastern gateway to the Yarra Park, MCG precinct.  

Was due diligence applied to the recruiting of Chris Yarran? How much, in monetary terms, did Chris Yarran cost us?

Naturally, the Club did a significant amount of work before we recruited Chris. We were aware of some of the issues he was dealing with but, equally, we felt that the Club was well-placed to help him get him back playing his best football.

There is a risk / reward assessment when it comes to recruiting any player. With a player of Chris’s talent and what he could bring to our program, all things considered we felt it was a risk worth taking.

Once we became aware of the full extent of Chris’ illness his health and welfare became the priority ahead of football – as it should, and we wish him well for the future.

Given we released Chris, we will not be paying the remainder of his contract. We did however pay Chris a relatively small sum of money to assist him in getting his life back on track.

With Dusty becoming a free agent next year what are we doing to ensure he stays at our beloved Club?

Dustin is an extremely valuable member of our team and we want him to remain a Richmond player. Equally, he has reflected on how much this Club means to him and how much he appreciates the support it has provided him throughout his career. Neil Balme and Dan Richardson are in discussions with his management and we remain very confident he will be with the Tigers long-term.

I’m disappointed with the fixture. Why have Richmond games become decidedly unfriendly to families in 2017?

Each family’s situation is different but most of the feedback from our supporters is that this season’s fixture is decidedly family friendly. We have four Saturday afternoon games and eight Sunday afternoon games – a mix of home and away - which are generally more suitable for families.  

Did you get annoyed by the behaviour of some members at the AGM?

We operate in a very emotive environment and the passion of our supporters is a great strength. While members might sometimes differ on how we achieve success, there is no doubt that all of us - staff, fans, players and the Board - want the same thing: a premiership.  I wasn't annoyed at all but it was the longest AGM that I have ever attended!

Can I finish by wishing all our members and supporters a safe and enjoyable holiday season. I know that we all look forward to the 2017 season with great optimism and the fighting Tiger spirit. As always, if you have any questions, please send them to president@richmondfc.com.au