Draw assessment
The Tigers have six trips interstate trips but only one in the first half of the season, against Port Adelaide in round six, and they have no interstate trips in successive rounds. They have five Saturday night games and two Friday night games but no five-day turnarounds. The timing of their bye, in round 13, is perfect. They do have a hellish start over the opening five rounds (Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, Geelong, West Coast), but beyond that the draw is very favourable. Of the top seven teams from 2011, they play only one, Carlton, twice.

Pivotal match
Richmond has not won at Simonds Stadium since Geelong's strange, under-achieving season in 2006. Since then the Cats have pushed the Tigers aside with ease. Even the fact that Richmond plays most years at the Cattery confirms their status in recent years as an ordinary outfit; the top Victorian teams play Geelong in Melbourne. Richmond raised eyebrows with a 59-point victory at Simonds Stadium in a NAB Cup game. If they could go on to beat the Cats at Simonds Stadium again, in round four, they would appear to be primed for the season.

Injury list
The Tigers had one of the lowest injury rates of the pre-season, with only defenders Kelvin Moore (hip) and David Astbury (knee) on the long-term injury list and just Brett Deledio (hamstring) suffering a blow during the NAB Cup. Moore's period on the sidelines is indefinite while Astbury should return from his reconstruction about round six. This pair and the suspended Jake King are the only players expected to be missing for round one. Deledio returned with a brilliant performance against GWS last week. Jack Riewoldt (hips, ankle and finger) and Trent Cotchin (hip and calf) were eased into the NAB Cup games after slow starts to their pre-seasons. Both players returned to full training in late January and are now ready to fire.

Track specialist
Shane Edwards has always been a hard worker during matches and on the track, but he's been too skinny to truly make his mark. That might change this season. He put on 7.5kg over summer and should now, at 81.5kg, be better able to play his dual role of inside and outside player with authority.

Dream Team special
Ivan Maric ($262,700) had only modest chances at Adelaide, playing 77 games over six seasons, but his chances of earning Dream Team points will be bolstered at Richmond because he'll be the No.1 ruckman. He hasn't been a huge possession-winner but his numbers should improve in his new environment.

Draftee watch
Steven Morris, a trade from GWS for pick 14 in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft, is a lockdown defender with a lot of dash and a huge willingness to compete, but there are concerns over his kicking. It remains to be seen whether he can improve in this area, which might happen when he settles into the AFL tempo, or whether he'll be jettisoned under Damien Hardwick's strict rules that all players must be able to deliver accurately by foot.

Needs a big year
Shane Tuck has had to regularly get 40 possessions a week at Coburg Tigers before forcing his way into the senior team under Hardwick's reign. He continues to offer value by protecting the young midfielders, but, at 30, he'd want to play out of his skin to earn a contract for another year. Matt White, Daniel Connors, Angus Graham, Jeromey Webberley, Jayden Post and even King also need to have big years. King needs to perform better than Melbourne recruit Addam Maric in the small forward's role.

Best and fairest tip
Dustin Martin's form in the NAB Cup victory over Geelong suggests he could set the competition alight. Martin made it look like a schoolyard romp as he had 12 disposals in the opening quarter against the Cats. He's only 20 but he has a mature body and there seems to be no good reason why anyone would be able to stop him. Trent Cotchin won last year but the slow start to his pre-season might hold him back that little bit.

The Tigers will have a good year if…
They just keep their heads down, ignore the club's inglorious recent past and build on the improvement they've shown over the past two seasons. They also need to settle on a centre half-back. Post has been tried during the pre-season but at this stage he lacks the confidence and initiative to make a key position his own. Dylan Grimes is determined and reliable but he needs to develop his attacking side. Luke McGuane seems to be falling from favour. The injury-prone Ben Griffiths needs to string some games together. The player who seems the most likely choice, Astbury, would need to develop touch in the VFL before being considered for the role about mid-season.

The big issues
Will Brett Deledio sign a new contract or will he take up an offer to move elsewhere, presumably to GWS?

Can Jack Riewoldt bounce back from a difficult 2011 season and return to the heights of 2010, when he won the Coleman Medal with 78 goals? Can he even defy the fashion for multi-pronged forward lines by kicking 100 goals?

Can the Tigers settle on a ruck combination? While Maric is etched in as No.1, do they play Vickery as a forward/ruckman or do play Andrew Browne or Angus Graham off the bench as the second ruckman?

Best 22
F: Brandon Ellis, Alex Rance, Chris Newman
HB: Bachar Houli, Dylan Grimes, Reece Conca
C: Jake Batchelor, Nathan Foley, Shane Edwards
HF: Brett Deledio, Brad Miller, Shaun Grigg
F: Tyrone Vickery, Jack Riewoldt, Robin Nahas
FOLL: Ivan Maric, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin
I/C: Daniel Jackson, Shane Tuck, Steven Morris
Sub: Jake King

AFL.com.au predicted ladder finish: 10th

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The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL