We are quite a bit removed from the glory days of the Richmond Football Club. They’re not so far in the rearview mirror that the glow of three premierships in four years is completely diminished, but enough time has passed that the yellow and black army are now focused on what happens next, whilst still finding the time to smile, as they remember what has passed.
The playing list is unrecognisable from the halcyon days of those premiership teams, with just eight premiership players remaining on the list. The departures of Shai Bolton, Jack Graham, and Liam Baker, have left the club without that core group of mid-age players to drive the next era, and that places a hell of a lot of pressure on the young blokes coming through to improve rapidly.
With Adem Yze now in his second season of calling the shots, and the nucleus of the golden era having retired or moved on, what does the current group possess to give Richmond supporters hope?
The health of Tom Lynch, the massive draft haul hitting the park, a return to form from Jacob Hopper, and a bit of luck going the way of Josh Gibcus – if the Tigers are able to put it all together, the question is whether they can defy those who are already labelling them as a team that may go winless? And if they do, can they fast-track a return to success over the next few years?
In my experience, nothing lights a fire under someone like knowing people don’t believe in them. It forms a chip on their shoulder, and gives a team a real “us versus the world” attitude. A team with nothing to lose can be very dangerous. When harnessed, that “us versus everyone” feeling can drive a group. Not all the time, but there will be times when the Tigers really look to stick it to those who deride them.
Can the Tigers of 2025 make people eat their words? Can the kids perform above expectations sooner rather than later? Can some veterans remain healthy and provide the leadership this team desperately needs them to offer? There are a lot of questions about this club and their list.
And that’s where The Mongrel comes in.
It’s that time of year, already.
The break after Christmas and New Year is over. The holidays are finished for AFL players, and the hard stuff starts now. Yes, the teams had been training for well over a month prior to Christmas, but as we head into 2025, the stakes are raised, and the intensity increases.
This is where premierships are won and lost. This is where improvements are made and lists come together. New faces, new colours, old heads with renewed passion… so much feeds into the making of a contender, or the formation of the next generation of stars. And as the days tick down toward the intra-club clashes, practice games, and eventually the real stuff, questions are raised about each team and how they’re going to perform in this new season.
This is where HB starts his season previews.
We don’t do things by halves here, at The Mongrel Punt. When we do a season preview, we go all out to make sure it is the best, most comprehensive coverage you’ll receive. We pride ourselves on it. If you are going to read one season preview for your team, or any team, this series will provide it.
The way it works is as follows.
Each club has a minimum of 15 questions asked about the upcoming season, their coaches, their players, and their expectations. The answers are not glossed over. We dive deep on each and every one of them – some singular answers would normally be long enough for an entire column. The first four or five questions/answers are free for you to consume. The next 10-15 for each club are for our members, including a special appearance from Mrs Mongrel to throw her two cents in the mix.
Isn’t it a bit early for a season preview? Well, I suppose, but do you know how long it takes to write 18 previews that are seven-to-nine thousand words? That’s 18 x 8,000… gets out the calculator… that’s 144,000 words. The average novel is about 85,000 words, so buckle the hell up with these previews. I’m going deep… as the vicar said to the parishioner.
Also, if there are any issues that arise after the publication of the preview for any team, they will be covered in standalone articles to act as additions to this preview.
You will not read a deeper season preview than this – I guarantee it. This is where we start the run to the new season, and believe me – nobody does it better than The Mongrel.
This season, we’re starting in reverse ladder position. Tigers… you’re up.
Enjoy.
1 – HOW QUICKLY CAN RICHMOND REBUILD?
This is not going to be popular, but I have to preach patience for Tiger fans.
I know the most recent glory years have whet the appetite for a lot more of the same, but we’re talking about a team of cubs at the moment. They’re not skilled hunters just yet.
You ever seen a documentary about Tigers, and the cubs are just annoying the parent, attacking it’s tail, and generally making a nuisance of themselves? That’s the stage of development SOME of the Tigers at at right now, at Punt Road. Yes, there are still some fully grown Tigers in the pride, but the collective is not as fearsome as it once was. Dusty is now a very pleasant memory, Shai Bolton has taken his highlight show to WA, and Liam Baker’s mongrel is out that way, as well. In their place is a host of kids coming into the system – highly-talented, and with time on their side. The plan is that the Tigers will have just drafted the nucleus of their next successful era.
Whilst the dream is that this draft haul will replicate the results of 2007 (Cotchin/Rance), or 2009 (Dusty/Astbury/Grimes) in terms of importance to the structure of the club, we have to remember it took the best part of a decade for those 2007 and 2009 cubs to start roaring in a manner that resulted in flags.
A quick fix is not on the cards.
That said, there is cause for excitement, inasmuch as you get to ride the bumps with these youngsters as they learn, develop, and grow a bond together. There will be moments where the oak trees are evident in the acorns, and you can sit back and smile, knowing that you have the foundation of what could be another very solid unit to build around.
The reality is that you just need two of Hotton, Smillie, Lalor, Faull, Armstrong, or Trainor to hit their stride and become legitimate players in this league to kick start this rebuild and fast track it a year or two. But saying that, there’ll be ups and downs, no matter how good they are. We all know there will – it’s no use pining for a rebuild to happen quicker.
The Tigers have done exceptionally well to pry the first round selection away from North Melbourne for 2025; likely a top three pick, and as such, will have another stacked draft hand come the end of 2025, but at that stage, what Richmond start to do in terms of mature players will become important.
We’re going to see Lynch, Prestia, Nankervis, Broad, and Vlastuin depart before Richmond hits the pointy end of the ladder again. By this time, the kids mentioned will be still in their early 20s, and will require some hardened bodies to ease the strain on them, so how the Tigers manage the influx of kids with the acquisition of high-quality mature bodies will be a telling factor in just how quickly this team becomes a force, once more.
Gun to my head, I would say we’re looking at 2027 before the corner is well and truly turned. I know that is not the opinion many want to hear, but I am not here to blow smoke up your arse. This draft was incredibly important – Richmond selected well and invested in next year’s draft, as well. They will have a heap of kids to watch and admire.
But they’re going to need more. And it is going to require some astute list management to make sure the correct balance is struck over the next couple of seasons.
2 – WHERE SHOULD NOAH BALTA PLAY?
Aaaand cue the comments about him playing for the Pentridge firsts…
Not the ideal start to 2025 for Noah, but let’s keep our commentary to onfield stuff… leave the gossip and click mongering to sites who do that garbage.
A fair bit depends on the health of Tom Lynch in regard to this question.
With Lynch fit, the need for a big body coming out of the goal square is not as desperate. Whilst their spearhead has been rendered relatively useless (harsh, I know) by injury over the past two seasons (he’s played just eight games, so not too harsh, I suppose), his ability to out-muscle an opponent and clunk a contested grab is amongst the best in the competition.
To emphasise this, in 2022, Lynch ranked first in the league, taking 3.26 per game. No player has averaged over three, other than Lynch, since 2011 (Travis Cloke). The bloke is an absolute monster, and if Richmond can get him playing in any semblance of form, it means that Balta can head back to defence to shore up a backline that needs his power and athleticism.
Of course, the issue is that Lynch is likely to go down at some stage. He has not played over 20 games since 2019, and unless he has found the fountain of youth, or the fountain of preventing soft-tissue injuries, it will likely force the Tigers to compensate with Balta. I hope for the best with Big Tom, but I am also a realist, and he is likely to sustain something that sits him down for a period of time in 2025, right?
If only they had two of Noah Balta.
Sadly, Balta’s greatest strength is also his biggest weakness. He is often drawn to the contest, and whilst he can crash and bash with the best of them, his penchant for keeping his eye on the footy often means that his opponent, particularly a crafty forward, can sneak out the back, or hit the contest front and centre, to pick up the pieces of the aerial collisions. It’s an area of his game I have kept an eye on for a few years now, and one that is yet to be completely addressed. Whilst it is not impossible for him to turn things around in that regard, it is a pretty tough ask in a team that will likely be under plenty of pressure.
If he is stationed in defence, Balta has to be more disciplined in his role in 2025 – the Tigers need him to be more aware of what is happening around him and take on more of an organisational/leadership role. He’ll be primarily supported by Nathan Broad and Nick Vlastuin, with the hope that Josh Gibcus is able to string a solid season together and become the next key defender for the club.
Most are predicting the ball to come into the Tigers’ defensive fifty the most of any team in the competition. With Balta back there, it provides the team with a powerful presence who can close distance, hit the ground running, and leave a key forward in his wake. Without him, the structure looks very iffy.
For God’s sake… keep Lynch healthy. If he can be the player the Tiger faithful know he can be, it opens up the opportunity for Balta to play his best footy. If their full forward can’t stay on the park… well, things could get messy.
3 – WHICH OF THE TIGER CUBS STARTS IN THE SENIORS, IMMEDIATELY?
The Tigers had seven of the first 28 picks in the draft, and truthfully, in a side that is populated with so many players under the age of 23, almost every single one of them should be eyeing off a Round One spot.
Richmond, at the time of writing, have 23 players aged 22 or under.
That is incredible, and gives you an indication just how young this team is, collectively. There is nothing stopping Sam Lalor or Josh Smillie from powering through the pre-season and stepping out into the action in Round One against the Blues.
Hotton is recovering from a knee injury, so his progress will be slower.
If you’re a bit of a footy nuffy, like me, you would have had a bit of a gander at the training videos the clubs post on their social media. The work of Smillie at stoppages is well worth the effort.
One, in particular, saw him palm the footy from a tap down – and not in the traditional ‘Kouta’ style of palm, but more in a backhand way, guiding the footy down to himself. From there, he took on the tackle of Hugo Ralphsmith, and shrugged him off like he was a junior, to win the clean clearance. It was eye-opening stuff, and the type of play you saw highlighted this time last year when Harley Reid was the talk of the footy world.
The midfield is always the toughest position to crack – most sides have experienced guns in there who are battle-hardened, and the Tigers are no exception. Taranto, Hopper, and Prestia will be front and centre, but I would not be surprised to see Smillie and Sam Lalor in the mix for runs through the middle right from the outset of the 2025 season.
Their presence in the middle gives the Tigers a point of difference. The big knock on the Richmond midfield is that, other than Shai Bolton, it was a pretty one-paced unit in 2024. Taranto, Hopper, and Prestia can win the footy, but they’re not going to break any landspeed records, are they? But the kids can add a bit of pace around the contest and play as first-release options.
A lot will depend on their tanks, and how they perform in the intraclub and pre-season games (these will be covered in-depth for members, at The Mongrel), but if they come through these games unscathed, and find the pace of the game, it’s almost as though the Tigers need one of them to be ready in order to provide a different look in the guts.
4 – WITH THE EXODUS AFTER 2024, WHO STANDS UP FOR THE KIDS THIS SEASON?
When I say they’ve got to stand up, I don’t mean they have to be in there, throwing their weight around, and belting people. I mean that they have to make sure they’re ready to put a block on to give the kids a run at the footy – intelligent play, but also the type of play that means they have to have a bit of muscle to perform it.
I’m looking the Richmond list up and down and, apart from the obvious bigger bodies, in Balta, Lynch, and Nank… the latter who I would not want to run into after putting one of the kids on his backside, players such as Ben Miller, Tylar Young (returning from an ACL, as well), and both prize recruits from a couple of years ago, Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto need to lead by example when it comes to cracking in and giving the kids every chance to succeed.
The words “checked out” were used in relation to a couple of Richmond players in 2024, Shai Bolton in particular. And when players do that, the first thing that falls to the wayside is the team-first options. The little blocks, the shepherds, the deft taps ons… they become rare, as players look to save their own hide most of the time. It is imperative that none of the senior players put the cue in the rack halfway through the 2025 season. The list is not in a position to withstand that. I used to love that about Liam Baker – every contest, he’d go hard at it. The Tigers are now without him, which is a damn shame, because I reckon players like him are worth so much more than just a spot on a list, but his departure provides the opportunity for others to step into that on-field leader role.
What I really want to see is a bloke like Kamdyn McIntosh standing up and taking anyone to task who attempts to prey on one of the younger brigade. When Mykelti Lefau is fit again (another ACL), he has the body that will make anyone think twice about attempting to flex a bit of muscle, as well.
So, when you look at it, although the Tigers have this huge influx of kids looking to find their way in the league, and in the Richmond side, the club retains a fair bit of physical presence, if they’re able to remain healthy. Balta, Nank, Lynch, Lefau, McIntosh, Miller, Hopper, Taranto – all strong bodies, and all able to make life a bit easier for those coming through.
In 2025, I want to see the words “checked out” never mentioned in regard to Richmond players, and I want it replaced with another word – mongrel.
Have mongrel, be hard to play against, and never, ever allow a team to start dictating physical terms.
Give me that from the guys who have experienced success to show the kids both how it’s done, and what is expected at this level, and Richmond will be okay. Maybe not in terms of wins and losses, but in terms of the standards they set, and the standards they demand are followed.
5 – HOW MANY SEASONS DO THE TIGERS GIVE ADEM YZE?
This is tied in with the first question, but it is worth exploring on its own.
A couple of years back, Fox Footy’s David King was banging on about how he was afraid for Sam Mitchell as a coach. The reason for this was King’s belief that rebuilding coaches simply don’t last in the league. Let’s face it – it is a win-now competition, and even when someone comes in with a five-year plan, it is very rare that it works exactly the way they laid it out on paper.
To paraphrase the great Mike Tyson, everyone has a plan until you get beat by 100 points several times.
So, if that’s the case, and Yze, now in year two, stays the course, develops the kids, and sets up the future of the club, but the team is still relatively poor in a few years’ time, what does the future look like for him?
In response, I suppose we must ask what the Richmond Football Club learnt from their experience with Damien Hardwick?
Those with a few years under their belt will remember the rumblings about the future of Hardwick right before the Tigers took off. People were openly questioning whether he was the right man to take the team forward after they fell from fifth place in 2015 to a 13th-place finish in 2016.
Richmond backed their man, stayed the course, and the next four seasons gave the club the type of success it had dreamed about (and planned for, if we need to give credit where it’s due) since the early 80s.
I wonder whether we’ll find a similar situation with Yze, at some point.
As much as we know that the Tigers are in complete rebuild mode, and as much as we’re aware that it will take time for the crop of kids they just recruited to really start taking control of games, drums will eventually start beating if we don’t see evidence that things are starting to go Richmond’s way. It is the nature of things, and this club has now tasted the type of success that leaves everyone – administrators, players, and supporters – hungry for more.
Patience is going to be required, but in the cutthroat world of AFL coaching, you give Yze 2025 and 2026, but should there be anything but a visible lift in the 2027 season, I reckon we might start to hear some of those drums beating.
And at that point, it will be important as to whether the Richmond board looks to make a move, or takes heed of the situation that occurred in 2016. Do they stick with their man again? Or do they start looking for something shiny and new.
They can be the Tigers of old, and not in a good way, or they can emulate the yellow and black of the late 2010s, and create their own history.
The next 13 questions are for our members. Option to join below.
This is just under a third of our preview. The rest is available exclusively to our members. People, we give value. No same old gabage you’re going to hear from ten others, taking turns in mimicking each other. No played out opinions. Thoughtful and comprehensive – that’s what we aspire to provide in these previews, and your support makes them bigger and better every year. Jump on board.
