RICHMOND'S longest serving captain and triple premiership skipper Trent Cotchin will hand over the baton in 2022.

Cotchin, who enters the final season of his current contract next year, announced on Tuesday he would be stepping down after nine seasons.

He leaves the role as the Tigers' only triple premiership captain.

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Captain Cotch joins the Tigers' party

Trent Cotchin kicks a goal on the run from 50m

Published on Sep 28, 2019

Vice-captain Jack Riewoldt will emerge as a contender for the vacancy along with Dylan Grimes, Nick Vlastuin and Jack Graham.

"It has been an incredible privilege to captain this club but it feels the right time to step down from that role," Cotchin said.

"The club has built a really strong leadership culture over the past five years and we have some excellent leaders at Richmond that will flourish in the captaincy role.

"It's an awesome opportunity to continue our philosophy of pushing leadership deep through the organisation, and for me to continue to play a role both on-field and off-field."

Coach Damien Hardwick said Cotchin would have a hands-on role to assist his successor.

"Trent will remain an incredibly important leader for this team in 2022, regardless of his title," Hardwick said.

"He prides himself on the development of our emerging leaders and he will undoubtedly remain committed to that and moving us back up the ladder next season."

Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin leads his team out against North Melbourne in round 21, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

Cotchin first captained the Tigers in 2010, replacing Chris Newman on a short-term basis before taking the job in a full-time capacity in November 2012.

"Trent has been a magnificent captain of this club over a long period of time - we have been blessed to have someone of his character in the role," chief executive Brendon Gale said.

"He is such a selfless leader and this decision underlines that - he has always done what he thinks is best for the team.

"He will still be an enormously important part of our team moving forward and I know how driven he is to see this club bounce back in 2022.

"As a club you are always planning for these eventualities across the business. Succession planning has been a key element of our football leadership program and the Club will be well placed to make a decision on the next captain when that time comes."