Best 22 – round one
B: Dylan Grimes, David Astbury, Reece Conca
HB: Bachar Houli, Alex Rance, Brandon Ellis
C: Shane Edwards, Dustin Martin, Shaun Grigg
HF: Josh Caddy, Ben Griffiths, Nick Vlastuin
F: Daniel Rioli, Jack Riewoldt, Sam Lloyd
Foll: Toby Nankervis, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia
I/C: Anthony Miles, Kamdyn McIntosh, Jason Castagna, Dan Butler
Injury list
Ruckman Shaun Hampson is the Tigers' biggest concern, with a lingering back complaint forcing him onto the long-term injury list. The 28-year-old is not undergoing surgery but needs significant time on the sidelines to recover. Hard nut Steve Morris is close to returning from a serious knee injury and the club is hoping he will be able to play in the VFL from round two and push for senior selection in round four. Draftee Jack Graham has recently recovered from a hamstring injury and is back in full training, while young forward Daniel Rioli is working out a corked calf.
The big questions
Can Richmond identify a winning game plan and stick with it for the entire season?
An ambition to play attacking football is nothing new for the Tigers, but it was something they abandoned after two months last year. They want to play with freedom in 2017 and early losses should not knock them off that course.
Will Dustin Martin re-sign or keep the Tigers on edge all season?
It's a question that won't go away until Martin makes his intentions clear. A much-loved player coming out of contract is a massive story, and it has the potential to distract from the club's cause in 2017.
Can Trent Cotchin get his mojo back in a deeper, tougher midfield?
The skipper's class when in form is undoubted, but he has carried too much responsibility and suffered as a result. Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia are important in their own right, but also for the freedom they can offer their captain.
Look for …
The Tigers plan to rotate all of their inside midfielders through the centre square and half-forward, giving them versatility they have lacked in recent seasons. That group will include Nick Vlastuin, who has been pulled from the backline and into the midfield mix. A highly effective small defender, it will be interesting to see if the Tigers send him back in times of need or stick with their pre-season plans.
Who they play
The Tigers have a chance to start well, playing their opening three games at the MCG against Carlton, Collingwood and West Coast before travelling to the Gabba to face the Brisbane Lions. It's balanced out by a tough end to the season against Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle and St Kilda. The Tigers were disappointed not to be scheduled for a single Friday night match.
Fantasy cash cow
Recruit Toby Nankervis ($365,000) has a mortgage on the Tigers' No.1 ruck position, given Hampson's back injury and his own JLT Community Series form. The former Sydney big man has averaged 83.7, including a high score of 94 against Port Adelaide. He is clearly on the rise and under-priced, with his strength and running ability making him a ruckman suited to racking up decent Fantasy scores. He should also shoulder a significant load in the ruck, with no more than pinch-hitting support from Ben Griffiths.
Sudden impact
As well as Nankervis, Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia were recruited to bolster the midfield and they'll have prominent roles. The draftee most likely to make his mark in 2017 is South Australian midfielder Jack Graham, who is big-bodied and ready for senior football. A hamstring injury has held him back through the JLT Community Series, but he'll push for opportunities in the first half of the season.
It's crunch time for …
Brandon Ellis. A prolific wingman in 2014, Ellis is yet to take off and become the influential midfielder the Tigers needed him to be. He has been moved to half-back in 2017, giving him a new challenge that Damien Hardwick is keen for him to see through. If he makes a success of it, the Tigers will be thrilled. If not, his position in the 22 could be under threat for the first time in his career.
Pressure rating on the coach
At boiling point. Hardwick has taken the Tigers through a full list cycle and is yet to win a final, leaving him vulnerable as he comes out of contract in 2018. Qualifying for the finals would take the heat off, but there is a need for the Tigers to develop their youngsters at the same time.
The Tigers will have a good year if …
Their skills off half-back are elite and an attacking game-plan is allowed to flourish.
They're in trouble if …
They revert to a safe, slow game style that limits the damage but leaves them with little chance of competing with finals-bound teams.
Pass mark
Qualifying for finals. There is little optimism around the Tigers, but they have recruited with an eye on playing finals and that is what they should be measured against.
AFL.com.au predicted ladder finish
14th. Three straight finals losses (2013-15) and a collapse in 2016 has left the AFL.com.au team with little faith in the Tigers. This result would be a disaster, but nobody is brave enough to back in Hardwick's men.
Player Ratings star
Alex Rance, ranked No.27. Undisputed as the game's best defender, Rance averaged career high numbers in disposals (18.65), marks (7.75) and contested marks (1.2) in 2016. His 28.4 Player Ratings points in round 19 against GWS last year was the second highest ever recorded by a key defender.
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