Nixon: Three-peat Lions could be template for Richmond's list managementSporting News
10 October 2017It’s no secret that Richmond will be among the least active teams during the AFL trade period – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges ahead at Punt Road.
“All Richmond is talking about internally is how they will manage the salary cap - or total player payments - in the next few years,” Sporting News’ Ricky Nixon said during his day two preview show, The Real Deal. “They’ve got big-name players on big-name money and you have to sacrifice somewhere.”
While the Tigers were a major player last year, bringing in Josh Caddy, Toby Nankervis and Dion Prestia, they’ll likely focus on recruiting a key forward to begin planning for life after Jack Riewoldt via the draft.
The premiers have picks 15, 17, 50, 53 and 72 in November’s draft and could conceivably use their two first-round selections to go hard after key forwards.
For now, though, it’s all about money management.
“There was no Hawthorn player on over $1 million when they won,” Nixon said. “Richmond could conceivably have two if Trent Cotchin’s next contract goes over a million dollars. That’s a lot of juggling you’ll have to do.
“It reminds me of a young Brisbane list when they won their first premiership. They had Voss, Black, Leppitsch. How does that sound similar to Martin, Cotchin and Rance? It’s almost identical, with Riewoldt as your Jonathan Brown.
“How did they do it? They had to take reductions in their salaries as they went forward. Michael Voss was on $500,000, but he agreed to take $450,000. We found some side deals which were within the rules which made up for the reduction – a property deal is an example.”
http://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/news/afl-trade-rumours-richmond-need-to-emulate-brisbane-salary-cap-management-to-succeed/1mihqmtz045x31490kcdb2ggr9
