Richmond are banking on using the reunion card to add former player and current Melbourne interim coach Troy Chaplin back in the yellow and black for 2026, this time in an assistant coaching role.
According to AFL Media's Josh Gabelich, the Tigers are looking to acquire the services of Chaplin from the Demons for a backline coaching role under Adem Yze. This follows assistant coach Steve Morris opting to leave the club at the end of the 2025 season.
Chaplin played for Richmond in the final four seasons of his lengthy AFL career, ultimately featuring in 75 games in the yellow sash after leaving Port Adelaide in 2012.
Richmond as a club is not the only lure for Chaplin, however, as he worked alongside Yze at the Demons for three years before Yze got the call-up to become a senior coach at Tigerland.
Their time spent together as assistants included the 2021 premiership with Melbourne, a success that Richmond may flag in conversations with the 39-year-old.
Chaplin was the caretaker coach for the final three weeks of Melbourne's 2025 campaign but was not involved in their current hunt for their next senior coach, choosing not to pursue the vacancy.
"I've spoken to the club and I won't be pursuing the role," Chaplin said in August.
Chaplin is contracted at Melbourne through 2026 and has not indicated publicly any intention to leave before the conclusion of his deal.
"I've got aspirations to be a senior coach one day, but what I do know is I love this club and I'm looking forward to working here for a long period of time," Chaplin said following Melbourne's Round 22 loss to the Western Bulldogs.
"I've got relationships with not only the players but the staff. Pretty much since I finished football, I've worked at the Melbourne Football Club.
"There will be a time in the future where I'll have to look at what that looks like and try something different, but for the time being, I'm really enjoying my time here."
