Richmond defender Nathan Broad has signed a one-year contract extension that will see him remain a Tiger in 2018.
After making his debut in round 14 last season, Broad played just two games in 2016, and played his first game this season against the Lions in round 17.
Since that match, he hasn't missed a game in Richmond's defence, and was apart of the Tigers' qualifying final win over Geelong two weeks ago.
"It's definitely improved my game. I don't know how, but I came back feeling like a better player," Broad told AFL.com.au.
"I don't know if I wouldn't have been able to slide back into the AFL without it. It's hard to say, but I definitely feel like I came back a better footballer, that's for sure.
"I ended up putting on extra weight, I got a lot stronger and a lot fitter. So it was like a mini pre-season.
"It made me mentally stronger too. You're out of contract and part of your season's gone, your team is flying. All those things come into it and you're in rehab."
Broad will line up for just his 11th AFL game in this weekend's preliminary final against GWS, and while he isn't sure who he'll match up against, he's confident the Tigers' defence can handle any challenge thrown their way.
"We rotate a lot so you don't always have the same man and I need to play on both talls and smalls," he said.
"My role does change up a bit from shutdown to sometimes even spare, but I'm loving the role at the moment.
"The shutdown roles keep me engaged in the game a little bit more and I know I've got to do my role for the team, then other days I might not go to anyone, it'll just be play footy."
