RICHMOND'S president has taken a swipe at a departing quartet of premiership players.
Three of four players who want to leave Richmond in the off-season finished in the top five of the best and fairest on Tuesday night, won by Daniel Rioli.
Rioli, who wants to reunite with Damien Hardwick at Gold Coast next season, polled 40 votes, while Liam Baker and Shai Bolton, who both want trades to Western Australia, tied for fifth with 30 votes each.
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Dual premiership-winning midfielder Jack Graham is also expected to leave the Tigers, who finished last this season with just two wins.
Richmond president John O'Rourke took a thinly veiled swipe at the quartet by highlighting triple premiership player and Perth-born Nathan Broad, who won his second straight Francis Bourke Award for the person who best upholds the club's trademark values.
O'Rourke lauded the loyalty of those staying at Richmond to guide "our young players through this next phase of growth".
"Just by way of example … how fortunate are we to have players of the character of a Nathan Broad," O’Rourke told the function.
"I know through this year, I’m sure he could have explored options to see out his career in his home state or perhaps look for more lucrative options with other clubs.
"But he chose to extend for a further two years ... what a Richmond man."
Baker wants to join West Coast and their new coach Andrew McQualter, a former Richmond assistant who was interim coach for 13 games last season when Hardwick suddenly quit.
Bolton has also told the Tigers he wants a trade to WA. He is yet to publicly nominate a preferred destination, but the 25-year-old is expected to land at Fremantle.
After the Eagles announced McQualter's appointment on a three-year deal on Monday, Baker was quick to state his intention of joining West Coast, while Graham is also expected to request a move to the Eagles.
The Richmond function was attended by Rioli, Bolton, Baker and Graham despite their desire to leave the club, in contrast to St Kilda's stance on Josh Battle.
Battle was told not the attend the Saints' club champion function after signalling his intent to join Hawthorn.
While Graham can depart Richmond as a free agent, the Tigers will strike deals for Bolton, Baker and Rioli when the trade period opens on Monday.
The Tigers are understood to be eyeing Gold Coast's pick six in a deal for Rioli, who expressed his love for the club when collecting his club champion award.
"I love every single one of you in the room," Rioli said.
The Perth-born Baker, who featured in Richmond's 2019 and 2020 premierships, also told of his gratitude to the club.
"I appreciate everything the club has done for myself and my family over the years and this year ... I can't wait to support it and it’s going to be great looking from afar," he said.
