Richmond coach Adem Yze has expressed his excitement to have three fresh faces make their debuts on Thursday night against Richmond alongside returning tall Tom Lynch, with the Tigers coach stating the new cubs have "earned their positions" for the Round 1 bout.
No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor and fellow first-round selections Harry Armstrong and Luke Trainor will suit up in the yellow and black at the MCG for Richmond's season opener in what will be the first step in a new era at Tigerland.
All three have made their case for senior spots since landing at Punt Road in November, with Yze selecting the emerging trio on form rather than necessity.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, the Tigers coach stressed the club's selection committee will continue to prioritise form over talent and upside despite the influx of young players over the off-season.
"They haven't missed a beat," Yze said of his three debutants.
"They've earned their positions. We're not in a position right now where we're just going to gift games, irrelevant of their talent or where they've been drafted last year and what number draft pick they were.
"They've earned their spot, we can't wait to see them out there. We get a nice blend, we get three debutants, but they're players that are ready to play and they've been in good form.
"It's exciting for them, exciting for our footy club. And when you say young talent, we've got four or five other players that have played under 30 games that are playing this weekend. Add that to the three new boys we've got in for this weekend, it's exciting."
Lalor will return to the Tigers' side after missing their final pre-season hitout due to a jaw injury from the club's summer clash against West Coast.
Having ticked every box required in his way back from concussion protocols, Yze confirmed the Bacchus Marsh junior was ripe to take on the Blues.
The Tigers coach flagged fans will get to see Lalor shuffle between the forward and middle thirds of the field in his first game, with the "physically" strong teenager tipped to have an instant impact.
"If you watch the game that he played against West Coast, when the ball is in his area, he knows how to play the game, and that's the reason why he was such a high draft pick and and a highly talented kid," Yze said.
"Physically, he's ready. He'll have some fluctuation in form, in games quarter to quarter, but we'll just help him through that and hopefully he'll just become a really consistent performer each week.
"He just wants to perform, and we'll help him with that. He'll start forward on the weekend, he'll get some midfield exposure.
"We know it's a long term goal for him to become a really good player, and tomorrow is just the first step of that."
Lynch's return comes after an interrupted past couple of seasons, with the 2022 Jack Dyer Medal winner also enduring concussion and soft-tissue setbacks over the pre-season off the back of successive four-game campaigns.
Nicknamed 'the Godfather' given his role among a cohort of tiger cubs in Yze's forward line, Lynch looms as a key piece in the club's plans for 2025.
"The block of training he was able to churn out before Christmas and before he got his head knock was twice of what he was able to do over the past two years," Yze said.
"He's a great magnet to have. The players around him really need him. We've got a really young forward line group, and to have the 'godfather' down there to help... he's such a great leader and competitor on the field.
"He'll have ehis young minions around him on the field and the big fella will give us a contest."
