Tigers reveal plan to rebuild
By Robert Grant
September 13 2003
Richmond football director Greg Miller says the Tigers will seek a big-name recruit this year as part of a three-stage rebuilding plan.
Miller also wants "a goalkicking forward, some inside midfielders, and a couple of good old-fashioned, hard-nosed defenders".
Writing in the club newsletter, Miller described a long-term three-point recruiting scheme, highlighted by enticing a "name" player to Punt Road.
"Our plan is to methodically build our playing list over the next three years," he said. "Yes, we will have a number of changes to the list at the end of this year, but due to a variety of reasons, it probably won't be as many as some members might expect."
Miller said Richmond would look to create space in its total player payments to enable the pursuit of a high-profile player. "To get such a player, we'll either have to give up someone on our list, or a first and/or second-round draft choice . . . Unless we had depth in that particular area, it's highly unlikely we'd do a swap deal."
Due to salary-cap constraints, the Tigers had only 36 senior players - two short of the maximum - on their list this season, plus three rookies.
Youngsters are next on Richmond's schedule, as well as recycled players who had not cut it at their original clubs.
"Our second aim will be to recruit the best young talent we can with the draft choices available to us, by working harder than any other club," Miller said.
"The third part of our recruiting plan is somewhat of a contentious one. It revolves around the recycling of players at the bottom end of the draft.
"I'm fully aware of the opinion shared by quite a few of our supporters that the team is not going to get any better with recycled players.
"If you work hard enough - and you know . . . why a player hasn't achieved at a certain club - there are some real opportunities out there among the recycled crop."
He listed Peter Bell, John Blakey and Dean Laidley among the players who had joined the Kangaroos from other clubs during his tenure at Arden Street and gone on to make their mark.
Richmond yesterday also announced the biggest sponsorship in the club's history - a $1.5 million deal with Motorola for one year, initially, extending the company's involvement to co-naming rights sponsor with the Transport Accident Commission.
By Robert Grant
September 13 2003
Richmond football director Greg Miller says the Tigers will seek a big-name recruit this year as part of a three-stage rebuilding plan.
Miller also wants "a goalkicking forward, some inside midfielders, and a couple of good old-fashioned, hard-nosed defenders".
Writing in the club newsletter, Miller described a long-term three-point recruiting scheme, highlighted by enticing a "name" player to Punt Road.
"Our plan is to methodically build our playing list over the next three years," he said. "Yes, we will have a number of changes to the list at the end of this year, but due to a variety of reasons, it probably won't be as many as some members might expect."
Miller said Richmond would look to create space in its total player payments to enable the pursuit of a high-profile player. "To get such a player, we'll either have to give up someone on our list, or a first and/or second-round draft choice . . . Unless we had depth in that particular area, it's highly unlikely we'd do a swap deal."
Due to salary-cap constraints, the Tigers had only 36 senior players - two short of the maximum - on their list this season, plus three rookies.
Youngsters are next on Richmond's schedule, as well as recycled players who had not cut it at their original clubs.
"Our second aim will be to recruit the best young talent we can with the draft choices available to us, by working harder than any other club," Miller said.
"The third part of our recruiting plan is somewhat of a contentious one. It revolves around the recycling of players at the bottom end of the draft.
"I'm fully aware of the opinion shared by quite a few of our supporters that the team is not going to get any better with recycled players.
"If you work hard enough - and you know . . . why a player hasn't achieved at a certain club - there are some real opportunities out there among the recycled crop."
He listed Peter Bell, John Blakey and Dean Laidley among the players who had joined the Kangaroos from other clubs during his tenure at Arden Street and gone on to make their mark.
Richmond yesterday also announced the biggest sponsorship in the club's history - a $1.5 million deal with Motorola for one year, initially, extending the company's involvement to co-naming rights sponsor with the Transport Accident Commission.
