Richmond re-signs young defender Ryan Garthwaite

THE Tigers have quietly re-signed their “David Astbury clone”, who has been catching the eye in the VFL, as they stockpile their next generation of key defenders.

Ryan Garthwaite has re-signed with the Tigers until the end of 2019. Picture: Michael Klein

RICHMOND has re-signed “David Astbury clone” Ryan Garthwaite as it stockpile its next generation of key defenders.

Garthwaite slotted in seamlessly for Astbury against Geelong on debut, lauded by coach Damien Hardwick for his performance.

Richmond quietly handed Garthwaite a one-year extension recently that will lock him in until the end of 2019.

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Astbury, signed until the end of next year, has been a revelation in the club’s premiership surge, playing 50 consecutive games until missing last week’s game (ankle).

Richmond’s VFL side is on top of the ladder with an 8-2 win-loss record, Garthwaite and athletic 194cm defender Noah Balta catching the eye.

Balta was the club’s No.25 selection in last year’s draft and has breakneck speed and a booming kick.

The Tigers have Alex Rance, 28, Astbury, 27 and Dylan Grimes, 26, as their trio of talls along with mid-sizer Nathan Broad, 25.

Ryan Garthwaite impressed in his senior debut. Picture: Michael Klein

But Rance has not committed to the club past the end of his contract, which runs out at the end of 2019.

The Tigers are perfectly placed to ease Garthwaite and Balta into the action over the next few years.

“Physically, I feel like I could play for a long, long time,” Rance said this year.

“But am I going to play until my legs give out, or am I going to play until I want to pursue something else with as much hunger and passion as I do football? It’s a constant thing for me.”

Richmond’s strong recent recruiting means it has an array of young talent in the VFL that includes Corey Ellis, Shai Bolton, Callum Moore, Sam Lloyd, Oleg Markov, Ben Miller and Ivan Soldo.

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