MEMO Adam Treloar: there's little separating Richmond and Collingwood on paper.
Their primary lists ahead of next week's NAB AFL Draft show little separates them when it comes to age.
The Tigers are the ninth oldest team in the competition with an average age of 24.58, while the Magpies are 14th with 24.29.
They're even closer when it comes to average games played – the Tigers are seventh with an average of 78.7 and the Pies ninth with 78.4.
Pies 'have a better list than Tigers': Treloar
The Tigers have 12 players who were taken in the top 15 of their draft years, and the Pies 10.
They both made plays at the trade table this year that may dictate their progress in coming seasons.
The Tigers filled needs – they added inside midfielder Jacob Townsend (aged 22) from Greater Western Sydney and line-breaking half-back Chris Yarran (24) from Carlton.
After the retirements of Nathan Foley and Daniel Jackson the year before, they bolstered their inside depth by adding Port Adelaide midfielder Andrew Moore (24) as a delisted free agent.
The Pies picked up three and lost three – James Aish (20), Jeremy Howe (25) and Treloar (22) came in for Nathan Freeman (20), Ben Kennedy (21) and Paul Seedsman (23).
Finals appearances in the past two seasons suggest the Tigers are in a better position at the moment.
They have seven players who finished inside the top 100 of this year's Official Player Ratings, compared to the Pies' three – although Scott Pendlebury did rank second overall at the season's end.
But which team will be in a better position when Treloar enters his prime in three to four years?
At nearly 30, ruckman Ivan Maric is Richmond's oldest player. By comparison, the Pies' big men, Jarrod Witts and Brodie Grundy, are 23 and 21.
Richmond also relies on its second-oldest player Troy Chaplin (29) to help marshal the backline, while Brett Deledio is 28 – and it's well known the Tigers struggle when he's not playing well.
The Pies will grow less reliant on their oldest player Dane Swan (31) as Jack Crisp and Taylor Adams (both 22), who finished third and fourth in the best and fairest, continue to emerge.
Travis Cloke (28) and Jack Riewoldt (27) are close in age but there is a gap in experience with 233 games to 180.
The Magpies have Darcy Moore (19) already entrenched in his apprenticeship to be the next forward star, while the Tigers have Liam McBean, a proven VFL goalkicker, who has played two games in three seasons.
Can the Tigers take a big enough forward step while their premiership window is open in the next few years, or will the Magpies' decision to trade away this and next year's first-round draft picks for Treloar pay off?
One thing is certain – the rivalry between Collingwood and Richmond has been given a boost ahead of their round two clash on April 1 next season, with the Magpies firing the opening shot.
AFL.com.au's best 22s for 2016 (AFL Player Ratings in brackets - the lower score is better).
B: Nick Vlastuin (205), Alex Rance (30), Dylan Grimes (359)
B: Marley Williams (130), Nathan Brown (427), Alan Toovey (296)
HB: Chris Yarran (109), Troy Chaplin (161), Bachar Houli (179)
HB: Travis Varcoe (181), Ben Reid (522), Tom Langdon (150)
C: Brandon Ellis (196), Anthony Miles (117), Kamdyn McIntosh (437)
C: Steele Sidebottom (41), Adam Treloar (27), Jack Crisp (170)
HF: Dustin Martin (49), Ty Vickery (300), Shane Edwards (43)
HF: Jeremy Howe (149), Darcy Moore (530), Dane Swan (75)
F: Ben Griffiths (379), Jack Riewoldt (46), Kane Lambert (489)
F: Jamie Elliott (113), Travis Cloke (225), Alex Fasolo (275)
Foll: Ivan Maric (54), Trent Cotchin (73), Brett Deledio (23)
Foll: Brodie Grundy (256), Scott Pendlebury (2), Taylor Adams (223)
I/C: Shaun Grigg (194), Reece Conca (363), Taylor Hunt (377), Ben Lennon (524)
I/C: James Aish (297), Levi Greenwood (206), Jordan De Goey (484), Matt Scharenberg (672)
Richmond overall Player Ratings: 4707. Average: 214
Collingwood overall Player Ratings: 5451. Average: 248
