AFL 2023: Every Richmond player’s contract status, future analysed
Four Tigers have already retired – and CEO Brendon Gale says the club doesn’t plan on bottoming out. So what does it mean for the rest of the list? Here’s the verdict on every player.
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Richmond is looking forward, in more ways than one.
With four Tigers already retired – including legends Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt – the whiff of an era ended is in the air at Punt Rd.
But the Tigers have little interest in dropping down the ladder as they eye a Geelong-style float – remaining a finals contender and avoiding bottoming out at all costs.
That plan began last year by bringing in ex-Giants Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper to fill holes in the midfield, with Taranto an unqualified success so far.
Now the Tigers are looking to the next pieces of the puzzle.
“We just haven’t been able to win enough ball forward of centre this year, which has meant we spent most of the year defending,” Richmond CEO Brendon Gale told ABC radio.
“That’s not our profile, that’s not how we play.
“We need to find players who can win their own ball forward of centre and hit the scoreboard. Our midfield, I think bringing in Taranto and Hopper is that bridge to the next generation.”
Richmond is confident its backline is still solidly in place with highly-rated young tall Josh Gibcus to slot in at centre half-back next year after a hamstring worry ruined his 2023.
Noah Balta forecasts as a lock at full-back – unless the Tigers get tempted to throw him forward – and the likes of Daniel Rioli, Jayden Short, Nathan Broad and Nick Vlastuin are still near the top of their game.
Tylar Young has been a big find this year as a versatile tall back.
With Riewoldt gone and goalsneak Jason Castagna retired since summer and Tom Lynch missing most of this season, the Tigers need more winners up front.
Are those winners on the list?
Dustin Martin is one, but Noah Cumberland hasn’t come on.
The Tigers are still on the hunt.
“I don’t see the need to bottom out, I just think we can remain competitive and you take your opportunities when they come,” Gale said.
“That’s why I think Taranto and Hopper became so important, because the view was we brought them in so we are ‘chips in’.
“Clearly we brought them in to improve part of the ground that wasn’t working for us and that hasn’t worked out this year, but they are a bridge for us.”
As Richmond aims to walk that bridge from one era to the next, the club is hoping to appoint a new coach replacing Damien Hardwick before the grand final so the new boss can steer list management decisions.
Here is what that new coach will have on the list, who is in trouble of facing the axe and who is part of the future.
1. Nick Vlastuin
Age: 29 Games: 210 (2023 games: 20) Contract ends: 2026
Vlastuin is still ranked elite by Champion Data for intercept possessions, rattling along at 8.4 per game this year. The half-back master has been a superb player for nearly a decade now and is still so reliable. He will into his 30s when his current contract ends and should still be an important player by then.
Status: Staying
2. Dylan Grimes
Age: 32 Games: 228 (2023 games: 21) Contract ends: 2024
A noticeable drop-off has hit Grime this year, as his numbers dip across the board. Normally so reliable, the co-captain appears to have lost a step. He is likely to carry on next year, but does he hand back the captaincy badge?
Status: Likely staying
3. Dion Prestia
Age: 30 Games: 212 (2023 games: 20) Contract ends: 2024
So often a barometer for the Tigers, Prestia has been so-so this year. His health has been great by his standards but his impact has been slightly down. Prestia will carry on next year and a lift from him would help the Tigers improve as a whole. Does another club put anything on the table to try and poach him? It’s doubtful he would net much of a return.
Status: Staying
4. Dustin Martin
Age: 32 Games: 288 (2023 games: 19) Contract ends: 2024
The scuttlebutt never stops with Dusty. With Damien Hardwick set up on the Gold Coast, some pondered whether Martin would join his old coast up north in the sun. But Richmond has no interest in moving Dusty and he is within reach of joining some immortals in playing 300 games in the yellow and black. In his role as a forward-midfielder, Martin rates elite in several statistical categories and can still turn a game.
Status: Likely staying
5. Jack Ross
Age: 22 Games: 62 (2023 games: 18) Contract ends: 2024
Ross has finally found some consistency after being placed on a wing this year. His numbers have ticked up across the board and Ross has enjoyed his best season. Contracted for next year, he should be locked in for the wing.
Status: Staying
6. Robbie Tarrant
Age: 34 Games: 194 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
The former North Melbourne defender pulled the plug midway through this season after an excellent career. A best-and-fairest winner at North Melbourne, Tarrant was in the top echelon of defenders in his prime and the gamble to have a go at Richmond was worthwhile given he played 20 games last year.
Status: Retired
7. Liam Baker
Age: 25 Games: 109 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: 2024
Richmond’s Mr Fix-It, some have touted Baker as the club’s next captain. Baker plays anywhere and everywhere and generally does it really well. A key part of Richmond’s plan to stay competitive, expect the club to work to lock him away early next year.
Status: Staying
8. Jack Riewoldt
Age: 34 Games: 347 (2023 games: 21) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
The heroic forward played his final game on Saturday against North Melbourne, joining his great mate Trent Cotchin in retirement. Riewoldt will leave a big hole in the forward half even as he slowed down this year, as he managed to still cover reasonably well for the injured Tom Lynch. Now the Tigers must find a tall forward partner for Lynch. You will still see plenty of Jack next year as he steps into a media career.
Status: Retired
9. Trent Cotchin
Age: 33 Games: 306 (2023 games: 19) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
Cotchin retired earlier this month as a true Richmond legend and the only Tiger to captain three premierships. He will step into media with a Channel 7 show for the finals series and is unsure where his next steps are.
Status: Retired
10. Maurice Rioli
Age: 20 Games: 26 (2023 games: 9) Contract ends: 2024
Rioli caused headlines recently when he appeared to be upset to be subbed out of a win over West Coast. The Tigers wrapped their arms around him but Rioli has stagnated this year and averaged a meagre 6.8 disposals per game. He needs a big pre-season but has all the talent of an elite pressure forward.
Status: Staying
11. Jason Castagna
Age: 27 Games: 134 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
The triple-premiership forward didn’t play at all this year after deciding to retire over summer. His call allowed the Tigers to use his empty list spot at the mid-season draft.
Status: Retired
13. Hugo Ralphsmith
Age: 21 Games: 32 (2023 games: 13) Contract ends: Out of contract
Ralphsmith has been in and out of the Richmond side this year and used as the sub in each of his past four games. That doesn’t bode well for his future, having played 32 games in three years.
Status: Going
14. Tim Taranto
Age: 25 Games: 136 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: 2029
A brilliant opening campaign from Taranto at Richmond and he should be a hot favourite to win the Jack Dyer Medal as the club’s best-and-fairest. The hard working midfielder has managed to win he ball in close and hit the scoreboard, a rare combination. He holds a huge contract after stepping over from GWS and if Taranto carries on his 2023 form, it will be unders on his output.
Status: Staying
15. Jayden Short
Age: 27 Games: 152 (2023 games: 15) Contract ends: 2027
A hamstring injury pushed back plans for Short’s 150th game celebration but around the injuries he has been in typically strong form. Contracted for another four seasons, the running defender remains a key part of Richmond’s future.
Status: Staying
17. Daniel Rioli
Age: 26 Games: 159 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: 2027
Another good season off half-back for Rioli, who has been locked away long-term by the club. The speedster finished second in Richmond’s best-and-fairest last year and will be in the top 10 this year too, given his relentless run. Does he make the All-Australian squad of 40?
Status: Staying
19. Tom Lynch
Age: 30 Games: 216 (2023 games: 4) Contract ends: 2025
Just four games this season, Lynch’s lowest tally in his career. After possibly having his finest campaign in 2022, the lost year will sting one of the league’s best forwards. The Tigers decided in mid-July to put Lynch on ice for the year. They need him to bounce back next season.
Status: Staying
20. Ivan Soldo
Age: 27 Games: 56 (2023 games: 7) Contract ends: 2024
One of the Tigers with currency, it would make so much sense for Soldo to move. He is still behind Toby Nankervis in the pecking order and Samson Ryan has continued to show signs as a developing ruck. If Richmond is likely to drop down the ladder, Soldo’s best may pass before the Tigers bounce anyway. He was mooted in trade talks to GWS last year but it didn’t eventuate. Port Adelaide would be a good fit, while Sydney and Geelong are also after someone to claim the No.1 ruck spot.
Status: Likely going
21. Noah Balta
Age: 23 Games: 84 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: 2025
Signed up with Richmond last year until the end of 2025, Balta is one of the gun youngsters in yellow and black. He still makes errors and can be beaten from time to time, but Balta will be an All-Australian full-back one year if he continues to improve. Still only 23, Balta is a key for Richmond’s future. Was swung forward for much of round 22’s win over North Melbourne and booted two goals as an aerial presence, a move that is sure to be considered over summer.
Status: Staying
22. Jacob Hopper
Age: 26 Games: 129 (2023 games: 15) Contract ends: 2029
Unlike Tim Taranto, Hopper has been only OK in his first year at Richmond. He hasn’t really helped address concerns in the midfield and would have liked to have a bigger impact. Still a solid player, Hopper is on a star’s contract so will want to lift.
Status: Staying
25. Toby Nankervis
Age: 29 Games: 135 (2023 games: 14) Contract ends: 2024
The co-captain ticked off a trigger early in the year to stay with Richmond next season. Outside of an ugly incident that saw him suspended for a hit on Sydney’s Jake Lloyd, Nankervis’ form has still be very good in 2023. The question will be whether the Tigers flip around their captaincy structure next year and moves on from the Nankervis-Dylan Grimes duo.
Status: Staying
26. Matthew Coulthard
Age: 22 Games: 4 (2023 games: 4) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
The exciting forward has speed to burn and has been given a chance by Andrew McQualter in the back half of the season. Has provided a real spark at times and has shown enough to prove he has a future in the game. The 22-year-old will ink an extension soon.
Status: Staying
27. Thomson Dow
Age: 21 Games 16 (2023 games: 3) Contract ends: Out of contract
Dow saw his chance for a breakout campaign get swiped away by the arrivals of Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto. Richmond coaches still like the midfielder and he has good numbers in the VFL – averaging 22.8 disposals, 11.5 contested possessions and 6.3 clearances a game this year. Got a chance to run through the midfield in round 22 and gathered eight disposals in the first quarter before finishing with 21, and another 16 against the Kangaroos. The Tigers like him so he probably gets another year but after four years in the system it’s no lock.
Status: Likely staying
28. Josh Gibcus
Age: 20 Games: 18 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: 2025
Richmond thinks it has a generational centre half-back in Gibcus. But the youngster didn’t play at all this year due to hamstring injuries. The signs he showed in his first year have him as a potential A-grader and he seems like a good fit alongside Noah Balta as a defensive duo for years to come.
Status: Staying
29. Shai Bolton
Age: 24 Games: 112 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: 2028
Bolton will enjoy a hefty pay rise when his long-term extension kicks in next year and it will be well deserved. Still only 24, Bolton is a proven star and will be around for a long time to come. If he improves as a player, he might be a fulcrum to help Richmond avoid the slide.
Status: Staying
30. Tom Brown
Age: 20 Games: 0 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: 2025
Where is Brown at? The Tigers rate him highly enough to have extended him for the next two seasons but he is yet to play in the AFL. Highly rated as a junior, Brown had wrist surgery that cut out the first half of his season before he returned in the VFL, where he has averaged 18.9 disposals in state league appearances. Capable of playing through the midfield, Brown has mainly been run off half-back and had 16 intercept possessions in two games across rounds 20 and 21 in the VFL, showing he is learning the position.
Status: Staying
31. Rhyan Mansell
Age: 23 Games: 31 (2023 games: 16) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
Has played for the majority of the year but remains without a contract for next season. Mansell does his job but has averaged just 8.1 disposals a game this season. Could be a line ball call if he carries on.
Status: In the air
32. Samson Ryan
Age: 22 Games: 15 (2023 games: 14) Contract ends: 2024
The big man is steadily developing and has played 14 games this year, providing good back-up assistance in the ruck. The Tigers can be confident he is capable of being a bona fide second ruck, which could open the door to moving Ivan Soldo. Ryan is still raw but the building blocks are there.
Status: Staying
33. Kamdyn McIntosh
Age: 29 Games: 168 (2023 games: 22) Contract ends: Out of contract (trigger)
McIntosh said in May: “I want to be a one-club man and a Tiger for life” and a games-based contract trigger should see him carry on in 2024. A heart and soul type player, he is still reliable on the wing and is a master at halving difficult contests. One of six player to feature in all 22 games so far this year for the Tigers, he has enough juice left to go on but would a club pushing for finals eye cheap running cover? Wingers are like gold and Gold Coast, Fremantle and Essendon are always on the lookout for outside run.
Status: Likely staying
34. Jack Graham
Age: 25 Games: 116 (2023 games: 19) Contract ends: Out of contract (trigger)
Graham was caught touring Port Adelaide last year before the Power pulled out of talks around a possible move as the Jason Horne-Francis deal emerged. The hard-running midfielder is likely to stick around, with a one-year contract trigger to push him through to free agency next year. Graham is exactly the player Richmond needs, a reliable, mid-career player that can help be a bridge between eras.
Status: Likely staying
35. Nathan Broad
Age: 30 Games: 125 (2023 games: 18) Contract ends: 2025
The veteran defender inked an extension in May to stick around at Richmond until the end of 2025. Other clubs were lining up for the adaptable defender, who can play tall or small and is one of the best running backmen in the game.
Status: Staying
36. James Trezise
Age: 21 Games: 0 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out of contract
Drafted from the Richmond VFL side mid-season, Trezise has had some strong performances across half-back at the second level. He had 12 intercept possessions against Geelong in round 8, 13 against Sydney in round 16 and 11 against Southport in round 17. The defender has kept up his performances since being drafted so should earn another crack at it and is poised to re-sign.
Status: Staying
37. Kaelan Bradtke
Age: 22 Games: 0 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out-of-contract
Bradtke was picked over Quinton Narkle in the summer and a broken hand smashed his early season. He is a proven goalkicker, though, bagging 23 majors in 14 VFL games this year, so is worth giving a go again in 2024.
Status: Likely staying
38. Noah Cumberland
Age: 22 Games: 18 (2023 games: 9) Contract ends: 2024
One of a few Tigers to slide this year, Cumberland burst on the scene last season, booting 19 goals in nine games to look like a future half-forward gun. He has battled this season, kicking eight goals in nine games and spending plenty of time in the VFL. Cumberland has averaged 2.8 goals per game in the seconds this year, so he has proven he has forward traits. Does the Queenslander entertain offers? Gold Coast could ask, while young teams like North Melbourne, Essendon or Hawthorn could use a young forward.
Status: Likely staying
39. Mate Colina
Age: 24 Games: 0 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out of contract
The giant ruck didn’t play a game at all this season due to a back injury. He only played seven games in 2022, averaging 4.9 disposals and 5.4 hitouts in seven VFL matches. It’s possible he gets another crack given the injury, but it seems unlikely.
Status: Going
40. Tyler Sonsie
Age: 20 Games: 10 (2023 games: 3) Contract ends: 2025
The youngster has largely plied his trade in the twos this year, where he has averaged 24.5 disposals and 5.7 score involvements a game. Signed an extension last year so he will carry on with the Tigers.
Status: Staying
41. Sam Banks
Age: 20 Games: 5 (2023 games: 5) Contract ends: 2025
Broke into the AFL side to play a handful of games late in the season, and Banks looks good as a hard-running half-back option. Could push onto the wing in coming years and will play more footy in 2024.
Status: Staying
42. Judson Clarke
Age: 19 Games: 16 (2023 games: 13) Contract ends: 2025
After signing on late last year until the end of 2025, Clarke played 13 games this year before going down with a nasty shoulder injury that required surgery. The Tigers have been rapt with his progress so far and see him as a long-term midfielder.
Status: Staying
43. Jacob Bauer
Age: 21 Games: 3 (2023 games: 3) Contract ends: Out of contract
Expect Bauer to sign up for another couple of years after breaking into the team late this year. Famously kicked the winning goal after the siren twice in the VFL and then did his hamstring just minutes into his AFL debut, but bounced back to earn his way into the Richmond team.
Status: Staying
44. Seth Campbell
Age: 18 Games: 0 Contract ends: Out of contract
Just four VFL games this season after an adductor injury limited the rookie. He has had fewer than 10 disposals in three of those games. Not numbers that demand another year, but given his age and the injury, the Tigers may give him another go.
Status: In the air
45. Tylar Young
Age: 24 Games: 18 (2023 games: 18) Contract ends: 2025
Possibly the find of the season for the Tigers, Young is nearly impossible to beat in defensive contests and reads like an easy replacement for Dylan Grimes when the co-captain steps away. A huge success story from the Richmond VFL side.
Status: Staying
46. Ben Miller
Age: 23 Games: 25 (2023 games: 13) Contract ends: 2024
A slow burn after being drafted back in 2017, Miller played in the elimination final last year but has still be in and out of the side in 2023, playing as a key forward or ruck. Still some development to come, so 2024 projects to be a big year for Miller.
Status: Staying
47. Bigoa Nyuon
Age: 22 Games: 1 (2023 games: 0) Contract ends: Out of contract
Universally known as ‘Biggie’, Nyuon made his debut last year but hasn’t returned to the AFL. After signing a one-year deal late last year, he could be in trouble. Capable as a ruck or defender, he took nine intercept marks across his first two VFL games this year but has been up and down since.
Status: In the air
48. Steely Green
Age: 19 Games: 0 Contract ends: 2024
Green has averaged just 10.4 disposals per game through 16 VFL matches as he begins his development. Appears a long way off the AFL level in his first year in the system.
Status: Staying
49. Kaleb Smith
Age: 18 Games: 0 Contract ends: 2024
A foot injury has kept Smith sidelined all year and he was moved to the inactive list in May. Capable of playing at either end or through the midfield, the impressive athlete will hope for better luck next year.
Status: Staying
50. Marlion Pickett
Age: 31 Games: 78 (2023 games: 21) Contract ends: 2024
Made headlines this year when he was tangled up in legal issues in West Australia. On field he has been solid, alternating between a role on the wing and as a pseudo tall forward. Pickett ticked off a trigger to give him a contract next year. As long as he is right to play outside of his off-field issues, Pickett will be back next year.
Status: Staying
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