Richmond has appointed Craig McRae as its VFL coach for 2016.

McRae, a triple premiership player at Brisbane, returns to Tigerland where he worked as a development coach from 2007-09.

After leaving Richmond, he had one year back with the Lions as a development coach, before joining Collingwood as development manager.

He enhanced his reputation for cultivating young football talent throughout a five-year stint with the Magpies, winning the AFL Coaches Association’s inaugural Development Coach of the Year Award in 2014.  This award recognises outstanding commitment, service and innovation in developing and preparing young players for AFL football.

McRae, who also is a qualified school teacher, finished at Collingwood at the end of the 2015 season, and Richmond is delighted to have someone of his football experience and expertise overseeing its VFL program, as a replacement for Tim Clarke, who has joined Carlton as an assistant coach.

In further coaching news from Tigerland, former Melbourne player Ryan Ferguson will be stepping up to a full-time role as a development coach with the Club, having been involved in a part-time capacity over the past year.

Ferguson, also a qualified teacher, will continue to work alongside Richmond’s backline coach Ben Rutten in developing the Tigers’ defenders.

He replaces Max Bailey, who spent two years as a development coach with Richmond, after playing in Hawthorn’s 2013 premiership side.

Bailey has left the Club to go and work with an organisation called Future Warriors.

He will be teaching sport in the African village of Kitenden, which is situated near the border of Tanzania and Kenya.