What shape is the Tiger list in for next coach?Marc McGowan
The Age
May 25, 2023 List analysis guru Chris Pelchen believes Richmond could have made a call sooner on some of their premiership veterans, but did not err in recruiting ex-Giants Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.
Interim Tigers coach Andrew McQualter assumes the reins of the AFL’s fourth-oldest and second-most experienced list after Damien Hardwick’s shock resignation this week.
The Tigers’ average age and games played entering round 11 is 26.64 years (behind Geelong, Collingwood and Western Bulldogs) and 108.7 (trailing only the Cats), respectively, ahead of their clash with Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.
Those are the demographics of a team that typically would be contending for a flag, but Saturday night’s heart-breaking last-gasp loss to Essendon left Richmond in 14th, with three wins and a draw from 10 matches.
Pelchen, who worked at Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and St Kilda, told Money Talks he did not expect the Tigers to play finals this year or next in the post-Hardwick era, but would not be surprised if they rebounded quickly after that.
“Their list is sound without being ready to take another leap forward,” he said.
“They went out to get Taranto and Hopper in the hope of maintaining their standing, and with a better run of injuries, try to compete for a premiership again – but that’s gone awry.
“It certainly hasn’t worked out how they would have planned. Giving up the high draft choices doesn’t read as well now as it potentially did in the pre-season. I wouldn’t say they were mistakes, but it was a high-risk strategy.”
The Tigers’ list is in transition after the club’s extraordinary success between 2017-20 that netted three premierships and a preliminary final appearance, but they are attempting to do so on the run.
That much was obvious when they offloaded picks 12 and 19 last year for 25-year-old Taranto, and this year’s first-round selection and No. 31 in 2022 for 26-year-old Hopper and picks 53 and 63.
Taranto should be leading Richmond’s best-and-fairest award, while Hopper played some strong games before injuring a calf in round nine.
Pelchen rates both players highly and one reason he remains positive about the deals is that he felt the Tigers needed to add to their 24-to-27 age group.
Shai Bolton, Noah Balta, Liam Baker, Daniel Rioli and Jack Graham join Taranto and Hopper as important members of the mid-20s group.
But Richmond’s struggles this year means that the Hopper deal would currently hand the Giants what is provisionally the fifth pick in a strong draft, although Pelchen said all decisions on future trading were speculative.
Two of the club’s modern greats, Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt, are expected to retire at season’s end, as almost certainly will ex-Kangaroo Robbie Tarrant, which would reduce the number of players older than 30 to six.
Co-captain Dylan Grimes re-signed for another year this month, while fellow premiership stars Dustin Martin and Dion Prestia are also contracted until the end of next season, and Tom Lynch is locked in until 2025.
Nathan Broad is an unrestricted free agent who has been linked with a move home to West Coast, and Marlion Pickett is out of contract but has played every game this year – and discussions are tracking positively for him to be retained.
Nick Vlastuin, co-captain Toby Nankervis and Kamdyn McIntosh also turn 30 in 2024.
“Traditionally, you wouldn’t want to ever have more than half a dozen players over 30,” Pelchen said.
“You need a tapering in your list demographics ... what conspired against them was the group was so talented that they held on for longer – usually two or three would fall away as a natural rate of attrition, from form or injury.
“With a little more luck with injuries – Nankervis and Lynch particularly – they could be in a very different position this week, and people would not be having this conversation.”
The Tigers’ best 22-and-under talent includes Josh Gibcus, breakout big man Samson Ryan, Maurice Rioli, Hugo Ralphsmith, Tyler Sonsie, Jack Ross, Judson Clarke, Noah Cumberland and Thomson Dow.
“It’s not the best under-22 group in the competition, but you wouldn’t expect that with where they have [been] picked in the draft,” Pelchen said.
“It’s an acceptable young group, it’s OK, and it’s not a case where they need to start again, but they do need to invest in the draft in the coming years.”
Others without a deal for next year are Ralphsmith, McIntosh, Rhyan Mansell, 2019 first-round draft pick Dow – brother of Paddy – rookies Bigoa Nyuon, Mate Colina, Jacob Bauer, Seth Campbell and Kaelan Bradtke.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/what-shape-is-the-tiger-list-in-for-next-coach-20230522-p5daa5.html
