Richmond great Matthew Richardson is confident the club is already building their next premiership list following a bumper haul of talent in last year’s draft.

The Tigers only won two games in 2024, claiming the wooden spoon, before a host of star players departed including Shai Bolton, Liam Baker, Daniel Rioli and Jack Graham.

Richardson admits it’s not where the club, who won three premierships across 2017-2020, would have envisioned themselves just four years later, but said the foundation had already been laid for the next flag pursuit.

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“You didn’t want to go down like they have, there’s no doubt about that and they didn’t want to, they want to be a club that contends,” Richardson, who is again part of Channel Seven’s star-studded AFL coverage in 2025, told The Nightly.

“But the situation they had with players wanting to leave and with Tasmania coming in, I honestly believe it was probably better to cash in and get some good picks now.

“It’s going to be a tough road this year. It’s not about wins and losses.”

The biggest upside to finishing last was the Tigers secured the first selection of the draft, taking big-bodied midfielder Sam Lalor with the No.1 pick.

The Tigers also took Josh Smillie, Taj Hotton, Jonty Faull, Luke Trainor, Harry Armstrong and Thomas Sims in the top 30.

Richmond fans got their first glimpse of Lalor in a match simulation clash with West Coast on Saturday, before he suffered a broken jaw and concussion in the final minute.

“Unfortunately he’s going to miss a few weeks now but to me he already showed he’s going to be a player,” Richardson said.

“Richmond fans just want to see those young guys get as many games into them as quickly as you can... and things can turn around really quickly.

“Richmond have the formula, they’ve done it before under (former coach Damien) Hardwick, they know what it takes to build through the draft and that’s what they need to do again now.”

The former spearhead, who kicked 800 goals across 282 games for the Tigers, said the incredible the haul was reminiscent of dynasty-shaping selections across 2006-2009.

“Last time Richmond went through a phase like this, in the space of a couple of years they got (Trent) Cotchin, (Alex) Rance, (Jack) Riewoldt and (Dustin) Martin,” Richardson said.

“And they were the nucleus of a premiership seven years later. That’s the formula, everyone knows that.

“You come through together, you play games together and it pays dividends down the track.”

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