Richmond youngster Sam Banks is excited about the club's future as they embark on their pre-season period ahead of Christmas.
Speaking at a media conference, Banks, who made his AFL debut in Round 17 of 2023, expressed optimism despite the challenges of the previous season.
"It's exciting. New group this year, so a bit of stuff to look forward to," Banks said, reflecting on the club's changes heading into the offseason.
With several new players and staff members joining the Tigers, including a fresh high-performance manager, Banks is eager to see how these additions will impact the team.
Richmond's 2023 season was disappointing by their lofty standards of the last decade, finishing with a lowly two wins and the Wooden Spoon.
"It was a disappointing year, ladder-wise," admitted Banks.
However, he remains hopeful, pointing to the valuable experience gained by young players like himself, who were thrust into the senior team.
"We got a lot of young blokes into the side and gave them experience, so hopefully, this pre-season, we can all build on that and come back better next year."
The Tigers are also looking forward to bolstering their list with a significant draft haul. Richmond is set to add up to eight new players in the upcoming draft, including several high first-round picks, and Banks is excited to welcome them.
"It'll be exciting, there's going to be obviously eight new kids who are going to be in the top 20," Banks said.
"I'm sure they'll be great assets to our footy club."
While the departure of several key players like Liam Baker, Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli, Dustin Martin and others leaves a major void, Banks sees it as an opportunity for the younger players to step up.
"It means there's opportunities for young boys coming in," he added, optimistic about the role he and others can play in Richmond's rebuild.
