Can the Tigers bounce back with the right cattle? AFL.com.au
May 4, 2016RICHMOND is well placed to make a swift list transition if it continues to underperform, with a number of fringe players coming out of contract at the end of the season.
Although the perplexing Tigers have not written off their chances of making finals despite winning just one game in the first six rounds, they have acknowledged their list is not where it needs to be.
Football manager Dan Richardson told SEN on Monday there was still work ahead.
"We'll continue to look at our list," Richardson said.
"Ultimately, hopefully [we] top up with some A-grade talent."
The club is yet to re-sign free agent Tyrone Vickery, 25, who has kicked 11 goals in a reasonable start to the season, and rugged defender Nick Vlastuin, 22, who has battled form and fitness so far.
Although it's still early days, both players are considered more likely than not to remain with the Tigers.
Talented youngster Corey Ellis, 19, is also considered a bright prospect but is yet to put pen to paper with the Tigers. However Richardson highlighted him on Monday as a key part of the next generation.
Despite good early season form, the Tigers are also yet to move to secure unheralded midfielders like Shaun Grigg, 28, who was the Tigers' best player on Saturday night and has been consistent in 2016 or Kane Lambert, 24, who helped the Tigers get over the line against Carlton and was missed when injured early in the game against Port Adelaide.
Both players would provide stability in the midfield during a transition phase with Grigg's experience likely to be important beyond 2016.
Reece Conca, 23, who has been cruelly struck down with injury after a strong pre-season, is also out of contract at the end of the season.
Conca will certainly attract interest from other clubs if he or the Tigers decided to explore other options.
Although it's not unusual for clubs to have a number of players uncontracted at this stage of the season, it is believed the Tigers are in no rush to make calls on several players.
After three unsuccessful finals campaigns, the Tigers also have several uncontracted players who have played between 50 and 100 games without cementing themselves in the team.
Among that group is key position player Ben Griffiths, 24, who is out of contract and out of the team after playing the first two games.
Griffiths has played 50 games with Richmond and been with the club since Damien Hardwick took over as coach in 2010 after being selection No.19 at the 2009 national draft.
Defender Jake Batchelor, 24, did not get a game until round five after playing every game in 2015. He has played 77 games since being the selected No.30 selection in the 2010 draft.
Key defender David Astbury, 25, has battled hard in every game this season in a key defensive post as the club looks for him to take over from Troy Chaplin.
Despite shocking luck with injuries, Astbury has shown he can play when given a good run, yet the Tigers are taking a wait and see approach. Astbury met with the Brisbane Lions during last year's trade period but remained with the Tigers.
Recruit Shaun Hampson, 28, has battled hard in the ruck without stamping his imprint on the game while the much loved Ivan Maric, 30, a heart and soul player since joining the Tigers, has returned from injury in the past two weeks.
Veteran Chaplin, 30, joined Richmond as a free agent but was left out of the team in round one. He has played the past four weeks with the Tigers initially trying to play him forward before necessity forced him into defence in the absence of Alex Rance and Vlastuin.
The Tigers had nine players depart at the end of last season with four of the nine being retirements.
Hawthorn, North Melbourne, the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs were the only clubs to have fewer than nine departures at the end of last season.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-05-03/are-the-tigers-wellplaced-for-a-swift-rebound
