Neil Balme has joined Richmond as the club's general manager of football.
Balme joins the Tigers after two years at the Magpies as the director of football.
He also spent nine years at Collingwood between 1998 and 2006 as the club's football operations manager before moving to Geelong, where he was an integral part of the success which saw the Cats win the 2007, '09 and '11 premierships.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said Balme's experience will be prove vital in helping the Tigers build a successful future.
“Neil brings tremendous experience and judgment to the role and a clear understanding of what successful environments look like, having been a part of six Grand Finals and three premierships as a leading football administrator,” Gale said.
“He has a great capacity to bring people together, make them better individually and collectively, and focus energies on the key aspects that drive football performance. He will now take responsibility for determining how we respond to the findings of the review.
“We have been in discussions with Neil for a number of weeks. He is excited by the challenge that lies ahead and clearly has a passion for a club where his football journey began. We are delighted that he has accepted this new role.”
As part of the restructure of the club's football department, Dan Richardson will now become the general manager of football talent, Luke Meehan will become the strength and conditioning coach, replacing Adam Douglas and Rob Inness has been appointed to the role of rehabilitation coach, taking over from Meehan.
Why would he go from a club with a winning culture, strong young list and clearly on the way up next few years to this rabble of an organisation? haven’t won a premiership in 36 years…(yes tiger supporters used to give it to the pies for a 32 year drought prior to 1990 -hows that looking now you 36 year drought geese!) Board challenge, no game plan, coach who claimed it was the best list he had ever had earlier in the year before they lost 9 of 13 games….no real young talent, Jack wants to leave, trading Deledio…they only have two guns in Rance and Martin….must have been purely a $$$$$$ decision by Balmey and I guess who can blame him for taking the $$$ from this rabble of a club…