Adem Yze faces a major challenge if he wants to deliver on his goal of taking the Tigers back to the top four

Brendon Gale was blunt in his assessment of the Tigers to start the 2023 season, so is it talent or game plan that Adem Yze must fix first to make them the Tigers of old?

Adem Yze has taking on the role of Richmond’s new coach. Picture: Getty Images

First Adem Yze needs to fix Richmond’s game plan.

Then the new Tigers coach needs to make it his mission to find the missing Richmond A-Graders.

Yze’s declaration that Richmond could follow in the footsteps of GWS and bounce back into contention was entirely appropriate for a first-year coach expecting excellence from his players.

But as he admitted, Richmond hasn’t won a final in three seasons.

They haven’t fallen off a cliff post-dynasty but they are spectacularly mediocre.

CEO Brendon Gale’s comments cut to the heart of the matter.

Richmond did miss its most structurally important player in Tom Lynch last year but the Tigers’ famed pressure and contest was often non-existent as they bled inside-50s to moderate opponents.

“We were on the cusp of the eight for most of the year, we were probably teasing a little. At times early in the year we were unrecognisable,” said Gale.

“Dimma acknowledged that. Andrew (McQualter) did a wonderful job getting us back on track. We have got some really good players, we exposed a lot of our youth.

We can play a whole lot better, we will play a whole lot better. There is a saying I will pinch from (Yze). You get stuck in the past, you die in the present. We have to continue to evolve.”

Adem Yze and Brendon Gale know the challenges in front of the Tigers. Picture: Getty Images

Those missing A graders?

Richmond had only one member of the All Australian 44 in Martin, who turns 33 next year.

On pure pound-for-pound talent and match-winners the Tigers are clearly well behind the likes of Carlton, GWS, Melbourne, Collingwood and Brisbane.

GWS and Melbourne both have two first-rounders this year — Richmond has none — while clubs like Gold Coast which won nine games to the Tigers’ 10 are about to recruit three top-10 academy talents.

So Yze needs to squeeze every drop from this list if he is to finish top four, which to be honest seems an unrealistic goal until the next generation have at least another 40 games under their belt.

Those missing A graders?

Tim Taranto must spend every waking moment over summer working on skill acquisition given Champion Data rated his kicking as poor.

His efficiency by foot in his last six games was 35 per cent, 33 per cent, 46 per cent, 53 per cent, 33 per cent and 36 per cent.

Enough said.

Tim Taranto needs to improve his kicking to take his game to the next level. Picture: Getty Images

Shai Bolton had another ‘nearly-there’ season kicking 31 goals, while averaging 21.7 possessions and four clearances but can former Dees kicking coach Yze straighten out his wonky right foot after 31.29 and 12 complete misses.

Jacob Hopper, Tom Lynch and Josh Gibcus need luck with the injury gods given Lynch and Gibcus could have been the bookends but played four games between them.

Hopper is a potential A grader but has played 20 games or more in only three of seven seasons, averaging only 17 games.

The back line has huge potential in Gibcus, Noah Balta and the big improver from 2023 in Tylar Young, with Richmond believing they can play 150 games together.

Slot in stars Jayden Short, Daniel Rioli and Nick Vlastuin and it can one day be premiership calibre again.

Then comes the group on which this team will rise or fall under Yze – the 12 or so kids who are yet to make the grade.

Can three become A graders and three turn into the type of dependable role players like Jason Castagna, Marlion Pickett, David Astbury in the premiership years?

That group includes half back Tom Brown (pick 17), Thomson Dow (pick 21), Tyler Sonsie (pick 28), Sam Banks (pick 29), Judson Clark (pick 30), Samson Ryan (pick 40), Noah Cumberland (pick 43), Hugo Ralphsmith (pick 46), Maurice Rioli (pick 51), Jacob Bauer (mid-season draft), Matthew Coultart (mic-season draft), and James Trezise (mid-season draft).

Can Shai Bolton find consistency in his game? Picture: Getty Images

Yze said on Friday “it’s not about the talent, it’s about the character who walks through the doors at the footy club”, but talent is a bloody good start.

Melbourne and Richmond recently won flags by that A-grade talent, but both clubs also maximised their second and third-round picks as Demons like Tom Sparrow, Bailey Fritsch, James Jordon and Harry Petty combined with the blue-chip draftees.

So Yze doesn’t have a moment to waste with a compromised draft hand, a star forward in Lynch coming off dual foot surgeries and a batch of contenders that have gone past the Tigers at a rate of knots.

He will have a honeymoon period and the recent Richmond flags will buy him time with supporters, but if Richmond is to contend again soon he truly would be the new Damien Hardwick.

Originally published as Adem Yze faces a major challenge if he wants to deliver on his goal of taking the Tigers back to the top four