List Mgmt. VFL 2025 list

[Rubber Hips]

Jake Batchelor….Our Senior VFL coach for 2025​

Former Richmond player Jake Batchelor

Jake Batchelor

Age

32

Ht

188cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

4.5

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

171.7

3star

No current season stats available

D

10.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

has been appointed the Club’s new VFL senior coach, with Steve Morris to take up an assistant coaching position within the AFL program.



Richmond General Manager- Football Performance Tim Livingstone said that Batchelor, who arrives with 63 games of senior coaching experience and a proven track record in development, was a perfect fit for the role.

“Jake has a passion for working with athletes to challenge, motivate, and inspire them to reach their potential,” he added.

“He is a young, energetic, and relatable coach with excellent game knowledge and of course also a great person.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming Jake back to Richmond.”

Morris departs the VFL coaching role after an impressive three years in charge.

The former VFL premiership winning captain and AFL player, won 31 of his 54 games at the helm and qualified for the Wildcard Finals Round in consecutive campaigns.

Morris’ 10-8 record in 2024 was particularly impressive, given the team used 55 players across the season, due in part to the flow-on effect of availability restrictions at the AFL level.

2024 List changes​

Richmond VFL has confirmed 10 changes to its playing list following the conclusion of its 2024 Smithy’s VFL season.

Tom Brindley, Chad Harris, Cam Olden and Joel Nathan will all step away from VFL in 2025, while Archie May will ply his trade in the WAFL for Subiaco next year.

Brindley received the 2024 Guinane Medal as the VFL’s Best & Fairest as part of a three-way tie with Sam Davidson and Lachlan Wilson at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.

The 25-year-old has been both reliable and versatile throughout his three seasons at Tigerland, featuring predominately in defence, as well as in the ruck and as a winger.

This season, Brindley played in 18 of the Tigers’ 19 games, averaging 14.1 disposals, 4.4 marks, 2.2 tackles and 4.6 hit-outs.

The 2024 Guinane Medallist enjoyed a standout performance in the Tigers’ 61-point win over the Bombers in Round 9 at the MCG this year, collecting a career-high 24 disposals, 10 marks, 10 hit-outs and two tackles.

Additionally, Harrison White, Harry Broderick, Luke Haddara, Tom Bower and Matthew Clarkson have not been offered contracts for the 2025 VFL Season.

Richmond VFL List and Operations Manager Oliver Grant recognised the contributions of the 10 departing players.

“The contribution of these players to our VFL program is immeasurable. It is never easy seeing people depart Richmond VFL, but they can be incredibly proud of the way they represented themselves and the club,” Grant said.

“They are terrific footballers, but most importantly terrific people and we wish them all the best for the future.”

2025 Signings​

Training pics​

 

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[tiger_tough]

 

[Bojangles17]

Sam toner ,50g for narre warren high marking over age for stingrays is training with us to play VFL
Josh lai from cheltenham was training with us , now going for spp spot at PA , may come back if not successful

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Sam toner ,50g for narre warren high marking over age for stingrays is training with us to play VFL
Josh lai from cheltenham was training with us , now going for spp spot at PA , may come back if not successful

Dandenong Stingrays surprise package Toner joins Richmond’s VFL team​

Dusting himself off after the disappointment of the AFL draft, Sam Toner says he’s out to prove his late-season surge for the Dandenong Stingrays was more than a ‘hot streak’.
Paul Amy
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4 min read
December 3, 2024 - 11:00AM
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Sam Toner celebrates a goal for Narre Warren in the Outer East Football Netball League this year. Photo: Josh Chadwick

​

A few days before November’s national draft, Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox observed that there were “no certainties’’ in football.
But, as he discussed the Rays’ draft hand, he said he was “pretty sure’’ a club would choose his late-season addition Sam Toner.
Despite playing only four Coates Talent League matches, there was a lot of interest in the clever forward from Narre Warren. Some clubs had interviewed him multiple times. He went to the state combine and was touted as a “bolter’’ of the draft.
But the attention did not turn into selection.
Toner, 19, was overlooked in the national and rookie drafts, leaving him deeply disappointed.
A week or so later, he’s feeling more optimistic.
“It is what it is. I’ll have to grind my way back a different way,’’ he said.

Sam Toner arrived on the Coates Talent League scene with the bang of 10 goals in three outings.
It will be through the VFL. After being contacted by a number of clubs, he’s decided to start training with Richmond.
Lifted out of local football, Toner kicked 10 goals in his first three matches for the Stingrays. He broke his wrist in his fourth game, ending his season in August.
“I think it really diminished my chances,’’ Toner said of the injury.
“To be honest, I thought was 50-50. I was a bit on the fence – it might happen, it might not.
“But if you’d asked me at the start of the year if I’d be in that position, I would have said, ‘You’re joking’.
“To get that close, it’s put a bit more fuel into the fire. Hopefully I can show that my three games weren’t a hot streak and I’m definitely capable of playing at that level.’’
Toner said “about eight or nine’’ AFL clubs had interviewed him, which he took as a “fair bit of interest’’.
He watched the draft at home with his family and friends, people who “were always going to be supportive, no matter the outcome’’.
Toner returned to Narre Warren last Monday for a training session.
“I’m always happy there,’’ he said. “No one is judged. Everyone is happy to see my face. It was good to get back there.’’
Cox sent Toner a text message after the rookie draft and spoke to him a few days later when Toner asked him a question about the VFL.
Cox said he had been asked many times in the past week if he thought Toner would have been taken.
“The answer is yes, just on the back of how the clubs were talking about him and what they were saying and what he could possibly become,’’ he said.
“There was a bit of an unknown about him, but some very seasoned recruiters who take a risk spoke very highly of him. So I thought he was a genuine chance. In saying that, I always had Mitch Szybkowski in the back of my mind,’’ he added in reference to the leading Stingray who missed out on the 2022 draft.

Sam Toner nailed 50 goals for Narre Warren to earn his Stingrays call-up. Photo: Josh Chadwick
Szybkowski joined Frankston, crossed to Casey Demons this year and has now linked with GWS’s VFL team.
Cox had called Szybkowski a “hardluck story’’ owing to a list of achievements that included Vic Country selection.
The onballer had started the 2022 season as a poster-boy for the Talent League, being photographed alongside Will Ashcroft and Elijah Tsatas.
By contrast, Toner started his 2024 in the Outer East competition. But he emerged late, being called up to the Stingrays as an over-age player after kicking 50 goals for the Narre senior team.
In his debut for the Stingrays he booted two goals against eventual premiers Sandringham Dragons. He kicked five goals in his second match, against Eastern Ranges, and three in his third, against Murray Bushrangers.
Then came the injury. By that time, AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan wrote ahead of the draft, he had done “enough to impress the scouts’’.
“Has good speed, is agile and marks strongly one-on-one, as well as having an innate goal sense,’’ Sheehan said.
Toner attended the state draft combine and tested well, chiefly in the 20m sprint (3.05 seconds) and agility test (8.27 seconds).
Cox also thinks the injury ultimately cost Toner.
“He just didn’t have that body work, and it was a strong draft,’’ he said.
“He’s got a way to go in terms of his development, his strength and conditioning, but if he can continue to improve and shows something at Richmond, there’s still a chance for him to get an opportunity somewhere.’’

Stingrays coach Nick Cox works the whiteboard. Photo: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/Getty Images
Toner believes he will get that opportunity at Richmond, which has taken great strides with its VFL program in the past few years.
Sam Davidson was drafted to the Western Bulldogs from the VFL Tigers last month. Tylar Young, James Trezise and Mykelti Lefau were also picked up from Punt Rd.
“For now, it’s what I need to play the most games I can in front of the eyes of recruiters. I need to play more footy, not just three or four games,’’ Toner said.
“They’re a young team. I went and trained there and I loved it. They were very welcoming. Hopefully I can take another chance. I feel like every time I’ve been given a chance I’ve performed pretty well.’’
Richmond had been one of the AFL clubs to contact him before the draft.
“They were pretty interested,’’ he said. “Unfortunately their picks went the way I didn’t want them to go. But their recruiting team were awesome and I thought they’d be a good club to be a part of, no matter where it was (AFL or VFL) ,’’ he said. “I think I’ll be as happy as Larry there.’’

 

[Rubber Hips]

Cant wait to watch our VFL side go round….mix of new AFL draftees, VFL recruits …new coach etc….

We are in for one hell of a ride

Go tigers

 

[Wavvey]

Jhett Haeata is absolutely one to keep an eye on. Really looking forward to watching him play for both Sandy and us. Great pick up. Definitely think he could be a shout as a mid season draftee if he continues to show improvement as the year goes on.

His profile for those who don’t know anything about him.

Jhett Haeata Draft Profile

central.rookieme.com

 

[Tivva29]

Charlie Richardson - Grandson of KB - is training with the VFL team.
193cm and can run. From what I was told he is training with the mids and playing on the wing which is a change from key forward at Coates and APS.

 

[sanaya]

Charlie Richardson - Grandson of KB - is training with the VFL team.
193cm and can run. From what I was told he is training with the mids and playing on the wing which is a change from key forward at Coates and APS.

probably needs to play wing if he wants a game because we're a little stacked with talls


i'm gonna miss brindley but it's a good sign that he's gone i guess since it means we actually have developing talls

 

[smurfin]

Always rated Brindley and sorry to see him go.
Archie May showed a few moments but was not consistent enough for me.
With Fawcett & Colina hopefully on the park in 2025 and the addition of Armstrong, Faull & Sims to mostly develop in the VFL, plus no way of fitting all of Balta, Miller, Young, Blight, Gibcus, Trainor in the firsts, we should have plenty of talls for the VFL team.

 

[ricky68]

I wonder where Brindley will heard to next year, he was always competitive even whe outsized. Archie May kicked over 2O goals and missed 10 games through broken wrist. Hard to say wasn't consistent when on park, and did well to come back and play last the games