Legend’s huge concern as Tigers exodus reaches tipping point
With Jayden Short requesting a trade and both Dion Prestia and Nathan Broad being moved on, only four 2020 premiership players remain at Richmond going into 2027.
And one of the Tigers' all-time great players, Kevin Bartlett, is incredibly concerned about the state the club is in and the immediate future that looms.
Richmond coach Adem Yze has a lot of work on his hands. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Richmond has finished in the bottom two for three straight seasons now, and has shed experienced players to rival clubs in a bid to rebuild through the draft.
Now, three more senior bodies are heading out the door, with Short, who won the club’s best and fairest in the 2020 premiership year, likely to join Collingwood in the trade period.
Richmond initially reported that Prestia and Broad were retiring, but both have expressed a desire to continue playing elsewhere in the aftermath, leaving many to assume they were actually moved on by the club.
Prestia is unlikely to receive that opportunity and has been linked to assistant coaching roles, while Broad is reportedly open to playing for West Coast or Fremantle in 2027 as he moves back to Perth.
Richmond has hit the draft harder than any team over the last few years, using nine picks inside the top 30 across the previous two drafts.
Bartlett, who played over 400 games for the club, is concerned that it is exposing these youngsters to a lot of punishment early in their careers, without veteran bodies to help them through it.
“(Richmond) has got to produce something next year. They’ve got to be at least competitive and they’ve got to start winning some games,” Bartlett told 3AW.
"I'm a bit worried about the Tigers. Dion Prestia wanted to go on, but they've said no. Nathan Broad could have played another year, but he's gone back to Perth. He's been a terrific clubman.
"They've lost a couple of experienced players.
"You bring in a lot of kids, but they are unknowns. You hope they're going to be terrific, but the guys Richmond has brought in, a lot of them have been injured.
"But you need senior players around you to take the pressure off you. They've got bigger bodies, they've got the fitness, the experience, they take the hard knocks.
"You need senior players and I worry when they keep cutting senior players.
"I remember when Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli left and they still had a couple of years to go on their contracts and I said 'keep them, tell them they're staying, we gave you the big contracts you wanted'.
"They were young players looked after by guys like Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt and this was now their chance to look after the younger players and give back to the club, but the club elected to go down the other track and get young players.
"It's made it really tough for them."
Dion Prestia and Nathan Broad walk off the field for the last time as Tigers. Getty Images
Richmond coach Adem Yze enters 2027 under enormous pressure given the team's lack of improvement, but the inexperience of the list makes rapid growth difficult.
The Tigers held their best and fairest on Tuesday night, with midfielder Tim Taranto winning for the third time in four years.
He won comfortably from midfielder Jack Ross in second, before a chasm to veteran defender Nick Vlaustin in third.
Prestia, who was just cut, came equal fourth, while Broad was right behind him in sixth.
Richmond will be hoping for greater injury luck in 2027 after they were decimated across the board this year.
They have been linked with GWS ruckman Kieren Briggs in this year's trade period, but aren't expected to land many veteran bodies to put around their young core.
