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Sport Nation
Why AFL great is convinced Tigers are on the right track
Andrew Slevison • May 18th, 2025 11:21 am
Richmond is on the right track in its rebuild.
That is according to Garry Lyon who is loving what he is seeing from some of the developing Tiger cubs.
When assessing this Sunday’s fixture between Richmond and North Melbourne at the MCG, Lyon’s SEN Breakfast co-host Tim Watson wondered what the impending result says about each rebuild.
Watson asked: “Whoever wins this game, does that mean in some way that team is ahead of the other team in their development?”
Lyon feels the Tigers are behind the Kangaroos, as they should be given North have been at it for a few years.
But he did tip his cap to Adem Yze’s young guns, directing his praise around a trio of the club’s seven 2025 debutants - key forwards Jonty Faull and Thomas Sims, and defender Luke Trainor.
“North have got a head start on the Tigers in that sense. They’ve been building for longer than the Tigers,” said Lyon.
“They’ve been to the draft many times ahead of Richmond. Richmond have had one real hard go at it and that was last year.
“I like Richmond. I like what they’re doing.
“The talls that they are assembling. There’s just one or two things where you go ‘wow’.
“Jonty Faull has done a couple of things throughout his short career, there’s been one or two where you go ‘God help me’.
“Then the young man Sims who made his debut last week (against West Coast). He takes that big pack mark and goes back to kick a goal. This is not running around on a wing, these are key position players at AFL level, it’s really hard.
“And Trainor has been the other one who has been fantastic right from the word go in the back half.
“Then you add all the midfield group and a couple who haven’t debuted yet - I think they’re on the right track.”
To add to the aforementioned trio, No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor has already received a Rising Star nomination and is playing solid first-year football in a tricky position.
Harry Armstrong, Liam Fawcett and Campbell Gray have also debuted in yellow and black in 2025, while top-10 pick Josh Smillie and Dean Alger will likely make their bow in the coming weeks.
The Tigers are chasing their fourth win of the season against the Roos.
