New Tigers fuel finals hopes Adam Cooper
The Age
November 26, 2012 RICHMOND has opened its doors to its future, but it will be the disappointment of the past two seasons that drives coach Damien Hardwick as he and his players fly to Cairns on Monday.
Richmond will spend 10 days in Cairns, giving its players a strong fitness base before Christmas and allowing its four draftees to get to know their new teammates.
Midfielders Nick Vlastuin and Kamdyn McIntosh, ruckman Liam McBean and forward Matthew McDonough were welcomed to Tigerland at a function on Sunday, and the club's first pick, Vlastuin, said the camp was ideally timed.
''It's worth a month if you stay with them for 10 days straight, so I'm looking forward to it,'' he said.
Vlastuin, the No. 9 pick overall, is from Eltham, in Collingwood's heartland - his family lives a few doors up from the Shaws - but he was rapt to be drafted by a Melbourne club, especially one seemingly on the rise.
His task over the next year will be to challenge for a berth in the centre square alongside Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio and Dustin Martin. Richmond's recruiters and coach like the approach the 18-year-old brings to his game.
''They said they just went after competitive players,'' Vlastuin said.
''Damien Hardwick, the player he used to be, just competitive and hard-edged … I think that would have stood out.
''I've been pretty competitive since I was young; I just hate losing. So I think they would have liked that about me.''
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