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
3. Darcy MacPherson (Gold Coast Suns)
It's no secret the Tigers adore small forwards. Their premiership teams of 2017-20 were built off the back of forward pressure applied by the likes of Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna and Dan Butler.
Now, the next wave of Richmond small forwards has arrived in the form of promising father-son prospect Maurice Rioli Jr. and academy selection Noah Cumberland.
Gold Coast's MacPherson, currently out of contract but a non-free-agent, fits the Richmond pressure-small-forward mould.
The Suns, who have bigger fish to fry in terms of player retention, are unlikely to drive a hard bargain for the 24-year-old Northern Knights product, who has been a fringe best-22 player throughout the majority of his time on the Sunshine Coast.
If nothing more, MacPherson would provide Damien Hardwick with adequate depth in the forward half, especially as the likes of Rioli Jr. and Cumberland continue on their roads of development.
As seen with Liam Baker, the Tigers could get the most out of the hard-nosed MacPherson across multiple positions.
