NEWLY appointed Richmond vice-captain Jack Riewoldt believes his three-year absence from the club's leadership group has helped him become a better leader.

The full-forward was dropped from the leadership panel ahead of the 2014 season, but joined skipper Trent Cotchin and fellow vice-captain Alex Rance in a streamlined group announced on Friday.

Riewoldt topped the club's goal-kicking list in each of those three years and was an All Australian in 2015, while also maturing as a person and a player.

"I'm extremely grateful for the feedback that I received over that period when I was outside the leadership group," Riewoldt said on Sunday.

"It's not only turned me into a better leader but also a better footballer and a better clubman.

"You don't want to take a backward step, but in my case I think I had to take that backward step to take three or four steps forward.

"I've taken those steps now (but) there's still more to go and I want to become a better leader."

Richmond's players were presented with their guernseys at an open training session at Punt Road on Sunday.

Riewoldt told the crowd that third-year forward Dan Butler would make his AFL debut against Carlton on Thursday night.

Cotchin will captain the club for a fifth season.

The 26-year-old also went through a period of reflection after he copped plenty of criticism for his leadership style during the Tigers' disappointing 2016 season.

"On the back of last year I sat down on my own and with some mentors and worked through how I felt the season went," he said.

"Also what changes I needed to make whether that was playing or leading.

"But the reality is you don't change - you're voted in by your peers for a reason and that gives me a lot of confidence to lead the playing group.

"No one's perfect, we all have areas that we can work on, and I'm constantly trying to do that."