Standalone VFL team set to turbocharge young TigersNathan Schmook
afl.com.au
November 24, 2013 RICHMOND'S investment in a standalone VFL team will give its young players the best possible chance of playing senior football in 2014, according to VFL coach Tim Clarke.
After a 13-year alignment with Coburg, the Tigers will operate their own reserves team next season in line with Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs who will also introduce their own VFL team in 2014.
It is a move that will significantly boost the resources available to Richmond's second-tier players as well as giving the club more "ownership" over their developing stocks on match days.
The Tigers have been happy with the development of their young players over the past two seasons, but there is hope the new system will accelerate their path to senior football.
"I think it gives them the best environment to perform," Clarke told AFL.com.au.
"When they're playing VFL footy they'll have much more support than they've had in previous years and that to me is where you start to develop success.
"We need Liam McBean to put pressure on Jack Riewoldt and Ty Vickery, and we need Matt McDonough to come up and put pressure on other midfielders and half-backs.
"If we can do that with our younger players then it automatically makes us a better football club, both at AFL level and VFL level."
While Clarke was the only full-time Richmond coach working with the club's VFL players on game day this year, he will be joined in 2014 by new development coaches Andrew McQualter (midfield) and Max Bailey (forward line), as well as Greg Moller (backline).
The club has also invested in a full-time fitness coach and operations manager.
Recruiting 'top-up' players is a challenge of forming a standalone team, but Richmond has filled the majority of its 21 vacant spots ahead of the announcement of the full list at the VFL team launch on December 6.
Clarke said there was a clear strategy to recruit mature players who could help the club's AFL-listed talent develop at VFL level.
"We've made no secret to our VFL-listed guys the main reason why we want a standalone side is to develop AFL-listed players," he said.
"They're very good VFL players in their own right, but they're a little bit older and little bit more mature.
"We're not looking for 18-year-olds to come and play with our 18-24-year-olds.
"We want guys who can help them out there on game day and provide leadership and really good VFL performances."
The Tigers have adopted a 'one club, two teams' mentality with their AFL and VFL groups and there has been a great deal of planning at Punt Road to get the structure right.
In a rare collaboration between AFL clubs, the Tigers have consulted extensively with Collingwood, Essendon and Geelong, who have successfully set up standalone VFL teams.
"They've been really open with some of the issues they’ve had and it's been good for us to just hear that and put some things in place to stop some of those issues," Clarke said.
"Wayne Campbell was given the position of helping set up the VFL team, both from an off-field point of view and on-field.
"He spoke to teams like Geelong, Essendon and Collingwood about their standalone sides and the problems they had.
"We think we've got a good mix at the moment and his work behind the scenes has been terrific."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-24/big-boost-for-tiger-cubs
