New Year’s Day may still be just over four months away, but Richmond has already taken a giant step down the road for 2005 with the appointment of Terry Wallace as its senior coach for the next five years.

While the results on the field haven’t been up to scratch in 2004, no one can accuse the Tigers of lacking ambition. For the second time in 12 months, they have snared their man.

At the end of 2003, Richmond beat an impressive field of suitors to win the services of Nathan Brown. The Tigers’ mettle was again tested in the battle for Wallace, but again the club prevailed and snared – in the words of president Clinton Casey – the best man available.

The appointment of Wallace is great news for the Richmond Football Club. It also is testament to the dedication – and immense value – of the Tigers’ Director of Football Greg Miller. The fact that Wallace identified the “professionalism” of Miller during negotiations, further underlines his importance to the Club’s future success.

It has been a long, miserable season for the Tigers, both on and off the field. The Club expects to announce a big financial loss at the end of the year, and is still engaged in a fierce battle with Hawthorn to avoid its first wooden spoon since 1989.

But the aura of Wallace’s name will provide a crucial fillip over the upcoming off-season break. Rightly or wrongly, AFL coaches shoulder significant PR weight . . . Look no further than the importance of men such as Essendon’s Kevin Sheedy and Collingwood’s Mick Malthouse to their respective clubs.

Even a previously fairly straight-laced character, like Melbourne’s Neale Daniher, has been cast into a spruiking role this year to help promote games and bring supporters through the turnstiles. And, he’s done it very well, too.

This promotional/marketing element is an increasingly vital part of a league coach’s role – and it’s something that Terry Wallace relishes. One of the game’s true innovators, he is only too happy to talk the talk, whereas this hasn’t necessarily come naturally to Danny Frawley throughout the past five years at Tigerland . . .

In the short-term, Wallace will help the Club sell memberships and sponsorships over the summer and bring Tiger fans back to the games next year. That might sound trite, but it’s also essential as the Club starts to rebuild its financial, as well as playing, stocks.

Wallace’s wishes for Richmond are no different from anyone associated with the Club. He is hoping for stability in the Boardroom, aims to bring a winning culture back to Tigerland, and has signalled significant changes to the playing list.

Importantly, he has the score on the board when it comes to turning around a team’s fortunes. When Wallace took over the coaching reins of the Bulldogs in 1996, they were renowned for below-par skills and a lack of ambition on the field.

In just over 12 months, he guided the Dogs to within a kick of the 1997 Grand Final – a remarkable achievement – thanks to a heavy focus on ball-work and skills.

The road ahead won’t be easy. While the Tigers have unearthed a batch of talented youngsters, the lack of scoring options and a key defender will provide challenges for the new coach.

But nobody can deny that the appointment of Terry Wallace has brought an air of excitement and expectation back to Punt Road.

Bring on 2005 . . .