Richmond’s off-contract contingent will inform the club of their intentions for 2025 in the coming days.
The Tigers are bracing to lose multiple members of their premiership era on top of the retirements of senior stalwarts Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes and Marlion Pickett.
Hard-nosed utility Liam Baker and midfielder Jack Graham are both unsigned for next season and have gained reported interest from Western Australia this year, with the pair seeing out the entire home and away campaign without putting pen to paper.
The situation casts some doubt over either two-time premiership player remaining at Punt Road beyond this off-season, with West Coast said to be looking to acquire Graham through free agency while they also contend for Baker’s signature alongside WA rivals Fremantle.
Richmond have put offers to both players as they look to retain the defensive-minded duo, with official decisions to be stamped next week when the Tigers conduct their exit interviews now that coach Adem Yze’s first season at the helm has ended.
Speaking after his side’s Round 24 loss to Gold Coast, Yze said the pending decisions from Baker and Graham will be “vital” for how the club’s list planning for next year takes shape, with a number of other decisions leaning on the pair’s future.
“Those discussions will happen now, we’ve got two guys who are out of contract that are going to make a decision in the next couple of days,” the Tigers coach said.
“That’s going to be vital for our decision making and then it’s going to be based around what our list management team and we decide as a club.
“We’re not going to disclose what our plan is, we’ll just work that out in the next few weeks. We want to bounce back and get back into finals as quick as we can.
“The next few days are going to be really important. They’ve still got time on their hands, we’re not going to rush them into a decision, other than the fact they know they’ve got a contract [on the table] and we love them.”
Richmond will also work with contracted duo Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli over the next week, with the Tigers stars also linked to moves elsewhere despite having long-term deals.
This weekend’s defeat saw Richmond secure the wooden spoon and Pick 1 for November’s AFL Draft, giving the Tigers something to look forward to this off-season.
Yze said the upcoming addition of some top-line young talent will add to a playing group brimming with exciting Tiger cubs on the rise, crediting list manager Blair Hartley’s work across his tenure with the club.
“I think Blair has done an amazing job, and has done for the last 10 years,” Yze added.
“Seeing some of our younger players – we haven’t had an early draft pick for a long time – seeing Tom Brown, Rhyan Mansell and Seth Campbell, these boys aren’t top 10 picks but they’re playing like top 10 players.
“That’s the silver lining for our footy club. If you put those players in a good program and with the culture we’ve got at this footy club, they can play like top five players.
“We got the luxury of at least one early pick this year, and we’ll expect the same. They come in and try and get better by buying into our culture.”
Richmond’s draft hand currently holds Picks 1, 21, 29, 39, 41, 47, 57, 66 and 73 for the 2024 National Draft.
