Richmond VFL coach, Tim Clarke, is expecting the Club’s inaugural standalone team to have a uniting effect in 2014, and beyond.

Clarke, along with new Richmond development coaches Max Bailey and Andrew McQualter, and VFL strategy manager Wayne Campbell, are putting the finishing touches on the team’s VFL playing list.

A number of player announcements are expected in the coming weeks, as the Club finalises its squad ahead of its first season in Victoria’s second-tier competition.

Clarke coached the Coburg Tigers in the final year of their alignment with Richmond in 2013, and believes the new VFL team will amalgamate the Tigers’ senior, development and VFL programs.

“We can go and recruit players to help our players’ development, rather than go and align ourselves with another club, and they’re focussed on their players,” Clarke told Matthew Richardson on Roar Vision.

“We want to try and create a one-club feel.  We want the players that are on our VFL list, as much as possible, to come and train with our guys over the pre-season.

“It might be once or twice a month, so they get to know each other.

“The more we can incorporate our players to train together, the better the team is going to play, and the better the environment will be.”

Richmond’s decision to facilitate its own standalone VFL team, which was made possible through contributions to the Club’s Fighting Tiger Fund, also presented the possibility of playing games at the ME Bank Centre.

However, the Club’s ability to schedule matches at the venue is dependent on its capacity to raise funds to complete the interface around the oval.

Richmond fans can help bring competitive games back to Punt Road Oval by giving 110% when they sign up for the 2014 season.  To find out more, visit the Fighting Tiger Fund page.


Richmond’s VFL team is supported by the Club’s development partners, SCF Group and Jeep.