To the naked eye, you could be forgiven for drawing chalk-and-cheese comparisons between Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.
There are the manicured looks of Taranto, acting as the chassis for an undeniably silky skillset. On the flip side of the coin, there is the bulk and practicality of Hopper, the owner of a farm-strong frame that gives true meaning to the term 'Inside Bull'.
Yet, once the surface is raked, the pair's similarities are impossible to deny.
Both saw their careers dawn after being plucked with first-round selections, starting their days in boots as part of the AFL's youngest side.
Both blossomed under former coach Leon Cameron, carving out roles within the Giants' engine room and splitting the pair of Brett Kirk Medals on offer in 2019.
Both tasted bitter tears later that year, watching on powerlessly as Richmond romped home to claim their second premiership in just three seasons.
Both saw their days in charcoal and orange end simultaneously, with each departing for greener pastures after 114 appearances apiece for the league-backed start-up.
They say that if you can't beat them, you join them, and for the silky hybrid and the Riverina wrecking ball, the idiom proved true, with both trading the Harbour City for a shared future at Tigerland.
Having coughed up packages thatched with first-round picks, the pair's price was right for Richmond, with each inking long-term deals at Punt Road.
Though both Taranto and Hopper haven't turned out together as Tigers just yet, with the former still living it up in the States, the choice to continue inking parallel chapters will keep the duo irrevocably intertwined.
"The decision to come to Tigerland was really straightforward in the end," Hopper told Richmond Media.
"I'm incredibly privileged now and really honoured to get the opportunity to play in front of a huge fanbase. (It's) something I'm really looking forward to. The Tiger Army is massive, and to play in some big games in front of big crowds is going to be awesome."
While the snaring of Taranto and Hopper's signatures is enough to have Richmond's small nation of members daydreaming of immediate success, the latter contended there was still growth to be seen in his game.
"Coming in, I want to continue to improve on my game and get better and grow in another gameplan," Hopper added.
"Coming to somewhere new, with new coaches and new minds and different views on the game is something that is going to help grow my game, both on and off the field.
"When you're in the game, you get to meet so many great people along the way, so to be able to create more relationships and friendships is something that is going to be really cool to do as well."
But with the pair's ability to tap into an old resource at a new home, Richmond's edge in the race for flag number 14 has just become sharper.
"The opportunity to join Tim and come across together is something that is really unique," Hopper stated.
"We've played footy together now for six years, so we're pumped to continue getting the opportunity to play footy together. To do it here is going to be something that will be really special to both of us. We're just so excited to do it."
From his current base across the Pacific, Taranto stressed that the addition of four more adept hands and two eager minds would be a winning combination for an already stellar midfielder unit.
"I'm just excited because I think we play really well together," Taranto said.
"When we've played our best footy, it's been together in the same midfield."
Even if six winters can't have seen telepathy akin to the Krakouer brothers fostered, the capacity of a genuine contender to add a pair of known quantities already has rivals quaking in their boots.
And while only the clairvoyant can tell whether 2023 will, once again, be the Year of the Tiger, the seven-season deals inked by Richmond's kindred pairing should see the Punt Roaders playing hands at the September table for some time to come.
