Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has identified player development as a key factor in the Tigers’ improved showing this year.

With players such as Reece Conca, Brandon Ellis, Daniel Jackson, Steven Morris, Alex Rance, Dustin Martin, Bachar Houli, Ty Vickery and Matthew White taking their overall performance to another level in 2013, along with the instant impacts that experienced defender Troy Chaplin and talented newcomer Nick Vlastuin were able to have, Richmond was able to ease the pressure on star performers Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio and Jack Riewoldt.

As a result, the Tigers won 15 games and were part of the finals action for the first time in 12 years.

“Probably the one area we’ve put an incredible amount of work into is the development of our players,” Hardwick said.

“We knew that we did have the talent here.  It was just a matter of harnessing that, building on it, and getting them to play to their potential.

“We still feel like we’ve got an enormous upside with a lot of these players coming through.

“I’ve got a really great group of coaches here that certainly develop talent and the proof’s in the pudding . . .”