Stumbled across a Hume Weekly article from December. I don't remember it being reported in the Hun or Age at the time but apparently, once the Craigieburn facility is built, our RFC Family Days will be held out Craigieburn way.
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Tigers make Craigieburn their new, improved home
By Lance Jenkinson
Hume Weekly
New habitat: Captain Kane Johnson, coach Terry Wallace and ruckman Troy Simmonds at the site. Picture: Anna Joske 
Mapped out: Steven Wright shows off plans for the Highlands Craigieburn recreation project. DON'T be too alarmed if you see a Tiger on the prowl at your local shopping centre.
It will be harmless, approachable and might even stop to sign an autograph for you.
This is Tigerland - the second home of the Richmond Football Club.
In a landmark deal, the historic AFL club last week announced that it will call the city of Hume home.
The Tigers have committed to the growth of the Hume region after striking a joint venture with local council, the AFL, AFL Victoria and property developers Stockland to make the Craigieburn Highlands community their new den.
Richmond chief executive Steven Wright said the benefits for his club were enormous. He also promised the yellow-and-black army would immerse itself in the local community - making it a win-win for the club and the region as a whole.
The Tigers move into a new $10 million state-of-the-art recreational facility in Highlands Craigieburn in 12 months.
"In our view, there could not be a better location to promote both AFL and the Richmond Football Club than this city," Wright said.
The Tigers will spend most of their pre-season training sessions at their new base. The MCG-sized playing arena will be suitable for intra-club games and practice matches.
It also has the potential to house a Victorian Football League team.
Wright promised that the Tigers will be a community club. It won't profit without putting back into the Hume region, he said.
The Tigers want to have a stronghold on the local area and will leave no stone unturned in a bid to capture the minds and the hearts of the locals.
At the head of the list, the Tigers will conduct their family days in the region.That is just the tip of the iceberg as the historic club makes itself accessible for the local community. Expect shopping centre appearances, Auskick clinics, and a presence in the schools and local youth groups.
"Just as important to the Richmond Football Club is our commitment as part of this proposal to work at a community level in Craigieburn and throughout all of Hume, one of the fastest growing corridors in Victoria," Wright said.
"It's a diverse municipality and gives us an opportunity to promote active and healthy lifestyles and the great indigenous game of Australian Rules football, which is about to celebrate its 150th birthday."
Wright said the Tigers' spiritual home is Punt Road Oval, in the shadows of the MCG, but some facilities at the former top-flight venue are inadequate for modern-day football.
The annual arm-wrestle with the cricket club and unavailability of the ground over summer meant the Tigers had to seek an alternate option.
The Tigers have not gone in half-baked - they seem serious about their role in the community and do not shy away from the benefits their club will reap in the process.
"When we saw the whole vision for the first time about six months ago, every part of our club was enthusiastic in its support for this project," Wright said.
"First, the outstanding playing surface, an MCG-sized ground and fantastic football facilities were what attracted the eyes of our football department.
"Many people realise while Punt Road Oval is, and will always remain our spiritual home, it suffers from a number of historical impediments including its size and summer access.
"[The move] will enable us to play intra-club games on a full-sized oval which thousands of supporters can come and watch and be involved."
Richmond coach Terry Wallace was smiling from ear to ear.
He said that last winter, the Tigers paid the price for their sub-standard facilities with a number of injury issues. He forecast significant use of the venue on a year-round basis - not just in the summertime.
"It will be fantastic for the football club," he said. "Training facilities are one of the greatest problems all clubs have been facing.
"To come out here and be able to expand - I see it as a bonus.
"As time goes on, this will be known as a Richmond area and when people can get close to the players, whether it be at shopping centres or coming down and watching them train or play practice games, that will grow the whole thing."
http://hume.yourguide.com.au/articles/1097993.html?src=topstories
