RICHMOND'S Robin Nahas, Tyrone Vickery and Alex Rance are three players casual observers may have wondered about going into 2011.
No longer. This season, all three laid the foundations for successful careers with the Tigers. With 141 games between them and a fourth pre-season around the corner, they are well placed to improve further, as they must.
Nahas burst out of the blocks in round one and has been relatively consistent all year. He has taken up what is emerging as a specialist role in football: someone who can pinch-hit around stoppages, using his agility and quick legs to create space out of congestion.
He can also sit forward and apply pressure and snag the odd goal. He has kicked 24 this season, as well as contributing in the middle.
Vickery has been a revelation in 2011, kicking 35 goals and becoming that ruckman-forward every club is seeking. You could argue the theory that if Vickery plays well, the Tigers win. On four occasions this year, he kicked three goals and Richmond won each time.
Alex Rance missed three of the first four games because of suspension but since then has held down a key defensive post. He must improve his consistency, but he has shown he has the ability to perform at AFL level.
Coach Damien Hardwick had every right post-match last Sunday to point to those players as indicators as to how the team has progressed, knowing that premiership contenders take time to develop.
"The development of players is probably the one area we have been really, really happy with this year," Hardwick said.
Throw in Dylan Grimes and Ben Griffiths who showed their potential before injury struck; the continued progress of Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin from good to very good players; and the reshaping of Jack Riewoldt, who has not only kicked 59 goals but also contributed 29 goal assists (with still room to become better defensively), and there is reason for confidence.
It's not all glee, though. The Tigers conceded too many points. They struggled to clear the ball from defence cleanly enough and even struggled with the basics at times, such as when and how to rush behinds. And they lost many more first quarters than they won.
They struggled to gain enough centre clearances and their ruckwork needs to improve.
But they are problems a settled list can overcome in time with the stable direction they have now.
The Tigers have rebounded from a mid-season slump that saw them lose six consecutive games to win three on the trot and they defeated two top-eight teams in 2011.
Although coming off a lower base and with expansion clubs commandeering early draft picks, the Tigers have followed a similar path to the Hawks of 2005-06 in terms of wins and development. (Hardwick was an assistant coach with the Hawks from 2005-09.)
With stable administration, quality coaching and growing experience, the platform is being set for the Tigers to contend—with some luck—for the finals next season.
