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How to tune into Sport NationWhy there is so much confidence in Richmond
Andrew Slevison • November 26th, 2025 7:45 pm
Richmond’s rebuild is tracking along as planned.
Earlier this week the Tigers locked head coach Adem Yze away until the end of 2028 on the back of a five-win 2025 campaign which surprised many.
In the wake of the three-premiership dynasty the Tigers lost a number of senior players in the 2024 trade period, including Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli, Liam Baker and Jack Graham, but reloaded in what many consider to be a very strong draft.
First-round picks Sam Lalor, Josh Smillie, Taj Hotton, Jonty Faull, Luke Trainor and Harry Armstrong were added last yar, and have been joined by Sam Cumming and Sam Grlj who were selected with Picks 7 and 8 in last week’s draft.
Geelong premiership player Cam Mooney loves what the Tigs have done with their list strategy and believes they can bounce back quickly with all these talented youngsters at the forefront.
“What we saw last year with Richmond - don’t worry about where they’re at - they will bounce back,” Mooney said on SEN Breakfast.
“I loved when they traded on some of their older players and got their picks in. They knew it was a great daft, they got in some amazing kids and they’ve gone again this year. Let’s hope these kids are just as amazing.
“I think they’ll pop straight back up pretty quickly.”
Richmond president John O’Rourke was seemingly unhappy that a group of senior players departed late last year, but Mooney felt it was the best thing for the club to shed as it did.
He referenced the great Geelong draft hauls of 2001 and 2002 - including Jimmy Bartel, Gary Ablett Jnr, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan - which helped the Cats win multiple flags.
“I was surprised at the time when the president (O’Rourke) was a little bit dirty about the players leaving,” he added.
“I thought that this was the best thing for the club. You’re going to bring in talent and that’s all you want to do right now. You’re down the bottom, you bring in as much talent as you can.
“We were lucky enough to do that at Geelong in the early 2000s and brought in half a premiership team in two drafts. This is what you’ve got to do.
“I am so confident with Richmond jumping back up the ladder in the next few years.”
Regarding Yze’s two-year extension, SEN co-host Sam Edmund feels it is the right move by the Tigers given they’ve already come a fair way under his tutelage.
He is also a fan of the CEO, Shane Dunne, and how the list has been built over the last few off-seasons.
“If you like your guy and you think he’s your guy then you back him in,” he said.
“They’ve assembled so much young talent over two years now that you keep a guy with the sound development record at the helm and you come through together if you can.
“Two wins in year one and 2024 was tough, a changing of the guard. Five wins this year with clear improvement.
“The CEO Shane Dunne I like the look of, high-functioning, driven and they’ve clearly got a great list management and recruiting team.
“The planets aligned to a degree, they had that exodus of established talent in the same year the draft was as strong as it’s been in a long time.”
The Tigers have had 15 debutants in two seasons under Yze and currently have 26 players on the list aged 23 or under.
