Richmond, off the back of an impressive bounce-back 2022 season, is preparing to embark on a fifth finals campaign in six seasons; symbolic of the club's list management successes over the course of the past decade.
Acquiring the likes of Dion Prestia, Toby Nankervis, Josh Caddy and Tom Lynch in recent off-seasons has helped spur the Tigers to premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020, and they will hope future acquisitions can help aid further flag runs in the years to come.
Richmond signed lockdown defender Robbie Tarrant this past off-season and he has proven very valuable to the Tigers' cause this season, whether he's been among Richmond's best 22 or merely acting as quality defensive depth.
The Tigers are likely to be players during the upcoming trade and free agency period, as there will be holes to fill left by the likes of retiring stalwarts Shane Edwards along with the aforementioned Caddy, and veteran superstars Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt edging increasingly closer to the end of their playing days.
All of that being said, we've compiled a list, in no particular order, of five targets that Richmond could target this off-season to help bolster its 2023 playing list.
OTHER TRADE TARGETS: ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, CARLTON, COLLINGWOOD, ESSENDON, FREMANTLE, GEELONG, GOLD COAST, GWS, HAWTHORN, MELBOURNE, PORT ADELAIDE
1. Tim Taranto (GWS Giants)
The Tigers' reported pursuit of GWS' Taranto has gained steam in recent days, with league insider Tom Browne reporting Collingwood has cooled its interest in the Giants midfielder, perhaps as a result of Taranto beginning to lean towards joining Richmond.
An acquisition of Taranto would indubitably boost the Tigers' midfield stocks, adding another big-bodied presence alongside contested-ball merchant, Dion Prestia.
Taranto has also demonstrated his ability to go forward and kick majors throughout his six years in the AFL, posting a career average of 0.4 goals per game despite predominantly damaging the opposition through the middle of the ground.
As the 24-year-old Sandringham Dragons product is a non-free-agent, Richmond officials will seek to strike a trade agreement with the GWS hierarchy, with a first-round draft selection likely to be the minimum compensation for a player of Taranto's quality.
