Newly-promoted Richmond assistant coach Andrew McQualter has given a glowing endorsement to the Tigers’ mature-age, midfield recruits Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy.

McQualter was a playing teammate of both Prestia and Caddy at the Gold Coast Suns in the final season of his AFL career and during the early stages of their time at the game’s highest level.

He believes the pair will be excellent acquisitions to Richmond’s playing group, after joining the Club during the AFL’s recent trade period.

“I spent a year on the Gold Coast in 2012 and Josh and Dion were both pretty young then.  It seems like a lifetime ago now, but one of the things I remember most about both of them is just their work-rate,” McQualter told ‘Roar Vision’.

“I remember, especially off the field, how hard they both worked.

“They’re good people . . . They’ve both proven over the last few years that they’re really capable AFL players, so I think they’ll be a great addition for us.”

McQualter also was full of praise for the Tigers’ new development coach, his former St Kilda teammate Xavier Clarke.

“’X’ and I spent about five years together at St Kilda . . . we were close mates,” McQualter said.

“He’s had a fantastic coaching record for the last three or four years at the Northern Territory and I think he’ll be awesome for our footy club.”