Talented ‘tall’ Ty Vickery shapes as a player with the capacity to take the Tigers to the next level in season 2014.

Vickery, who made a solid return from a severe shoulder injury last season, to kick 27 goals, has displayed impressive form throughout the pre-season.

He kicked three goals in Richmond’s opening pre-season challenge match against Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, and followed that up with a strong four-goal performance in last Saturday’s victory over Collingwood at Wangaratta.

The 23-year-old, who now has 75 games under his belt in five years of league football, with a season-high return of 36 goals in 2011, figures prominently in Tiger coach Damien Hardwick’s plans for 2014.

“Ty is a guy who just makes contests.  He didn’t get outmarked today,” Hardwick said in his press conference after last Saturday’s match.

“He’s just such a tall target and we’re finding, I think, with the way the game’s going, those guys are getting really hard to beat one-on-one.”