Just 18 months after one of the most celebrated draft hauls in recent memory, Richmond has work to do to keep all its members from the 2024 draft crop.
The Tigers took seven members of the top 28 players in that year's draft crop, cuing great optimism that while tough times would be ahead, there would be a core who would come into their prime together.
As top 20 selections, Sam Lalor, Josh Smillie, Taj Hotton and Jonty Faull were all signed to automatic three year contracts, while Harry Armstrong, Luke Trainor and Tom Sims all extended until the end of 2027 last year.
Only Faull and Trainor played for Richmond on Sunday as the others have been beset by injury.
As it stands, none have put pen to paper to remain at Tigerland beyond next season.
Contract talks have kicked off with Lalor, and coach Adem Yze towed the party line about having full faith his young star, who he last week dubbed one of the best players in the competition, would stay long term.
But with seven highly talented youngsters coming out of contract in the year Tasmania enter the competition with a splash of cash, it is not just Lalor the Tigers have to worry about securing.
Underrated key defender Ben Miller and fellow youngsters Zane Peucker, Noah Roberts-Thomson and Tom Brown are others whose contract expires at the end of next year who are ideally part of Richmond's longer-term future.
The Tasmanian list concessions were announced on Tuesday, confirming the club would be allowed to sign up to 18 uncontracted AFL players during the 2027 and 2028 player movement periods, but no more than one per club, and will have access to $5 million in signing bonuses.
Even if the Devils themselves don't nab any Tigers, their entrance will heat up the competition for signatures and has the potential to drive up the price for other players considering their options as clubs jostle for what's left after Tassie's raid.
Adding another layer of complexity for the Tigers, not only will they be competing in a market with a new club; they will have to balance such a high quantity of contracts of significance in the same time period and consider how much weight to give potential, given many players are still unproven, due to their injuries. How on earth do you assess Smillie's market value?
While there is still 17 months until next year's trade period and Richmond does not have a disproportionate amount of out-of-contract players for next year, maximising the 2024 draft class was a clear strategy from the club which is staring at its fourth consecutive bottom- six finish.
Lalor, Smillie, Hotton and Sims have all had injury-interrupted runs during the early part of their AFL life so would need confidence the club's high-performance team will condition them for long careers if they are to stay long term.
Players seeing light at the end of the tunnel is also critical. The injuries have played a role in the mounting losses, but it has also set the rebuild back.
Instead of getting experience under the belt of younger players, the club is being forced to effectively play whoever is fit.
The significant personnel shift that will occur when Richmond returns to something resembling full fitness will have flow-on effects for structure and style, which will add inevitable upheaval as players return and the club finds its best mix, before the club is able to stabilise.
Likewise, the two seasons of synergy the club expected players to have going into 2027 will be severely compromised.
Richmond's ability to compete in recent weeks despite facing an unprecedented injury crisis has been admirable and Yze and co. deserve plenty of credit.
Likewise, the Tigers cannot be accused of compromising players' fitness, having found a way to rest Mykelti Lefau and Sam Grlj in recent weeks, a theme Yze has frequently picked up.
Speaking at the launch of Dreamtime, acting captain Tim Taranto rightly pointed to the silver-linings of the absences: Sam Cumming and Seth Campbell have had midfield minutes, Jack Ross has emerged as a leader, Noah Balta is offering something in the ruck, Pat Retschko looks a long term winger and Tom Burton has something about him.
But those green shoots will mean little if they don't reap the rewards of having the young cubs in their prime.
Yze backed list boss Blair Hartley to show Lalor the love – but the focus of securing the number one pick can't distract from the much wider list management demands.
Just six years removed from one of modern history's great AFL dynasties, Richmond fans have tolerated an 8-48 record since 2024, but that patience will quickly wear thin if the promise of youngsters emerging does not come to fruition.
