Richmond’s new president John O’Rourke believes the Tigers can emulate Geelong and keep contending and win flags as they rebuild on the run.
The Tigers were sound on and off the field and had recruited cleverly to regenerate their list while maintaining a threat to the flag.
Richmond football club president John O’Rourke has taken over from Peggy O’Neal.Credit:Joe Armao
Richmond attacked the draft in 2021, taking five players in the early rounds, and then last off-season traded aggressively for Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto on long-term deals.
The Cats continued to make finals between flags and O’Rourke believes the Tigers can keep their recent three-premiership era alive to more success.
“We are of the view that … with the culture, the people that we have in place, the leaders across the place why can’t we be one of those clubs that can keep coming? Again, and again, again?” O’Rourke said.
“I think the framework is pretty solid, that we can do it. And certainly the members I think are entitled to be optimistic and excited about what’s this year and in the next little period.
“We certainly have great admiration for how [Geelong have] been able to do it, [to] consistently year-in year-out play finals, so obviously they set an incredible benchmark last year.
“We have tremendous faith in our list management team and the way they go about it, led by Blair Hartley, and obviously with Damien Hardwick.
“We’re all very excited about the new talent coming in, and we do think that we can contend while regenerating, but I mean, I’d like to think our strategy has been very measured over a number of years.
“We were very deep in the draft over the last two years, we took five players in the draft previously and I know that the football coach and panel are very excited about all of those players.”
Peggy O’Neal.Credit:Simon Schluter
In his first expansive interview since taking over in a mannered succession from Peggy O’Neal, O’Rourke said he would try to continue her style of strong but understated leadership at Richmond.
He said Hardwick was already Richmond’s longest-serving coach and was contracted through until the end of next year but, while there was no urgency to do so, the club would look to commence discussions on a new contract at some point this year.
O’Rourke said Richmond strongly backed a new team in Tasmania; and that the new $90 million redevelopment of the Punt Road home had full planning approval and would hopefully commence this year; but the randomness of the draw this year meant the Tigers’ blockbuster games, other than round one against Carlton, were all away games so they could battle to make a profit.
ON HARDWICK
Hardwick is contracted until the end of next year – which will be his 15th season in charge – but O’Rourke said the club was likely to extend that.
“We value Damien enormously. I don’t think there’s any urgency about it. We feel he’s still at the very top of his game,” he said.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick.Credit:Jason South
“He’s very committed and excited and freshened up again, I think this year. He had a good period overseas, [and] I think we’re very, very fortunate to have him.
“I think he’s enjoying the refreshing of the list as well. He’s our long-term man, as far as I’m concerned.”
ON BRENDON GALE
O’Rourke said chief executive Brendon Gale would keep the club informed of his discussions with the AFL about the league CEO position, and while they didn’t want to lose him, they were comfortable with the situation.
“He’s very committed to the redevelopment project, which has been something that he’s really thrown himself into for the long-term future contracts,” he said.
“For the time being, I think it’s business as usual until we know otherwise.”
ON A TASMANIAN AFL CLUB
Richmond have five all-time champion players – Royce Hart, Matthew Richardson, Michael Roach, Jack Riewoldt and Ian Stewart – who all hail from Tasmania.
Gale is a long-term heralded player and then administrator who is a great of the Tigers and also a great of Tasmania. The club recognises its deep connections to the state and believes it is time there was a club there.
“We think the time has come,” O’Rourke said. “We think, on the information that we had to hand, it’s sound. It’s got a sound business case, it is for the good of the game, for the national competition it’s time has come.
“We’ve done as well as probably anyone over our history with Tasmanian players. I think Tasmania, on what we’ve seen, can be robust and stand on its own two feet.”
WHO IS JOHN O’ROURKE?
This president of Richmond is neither an American woman, nor a Hawthorn footballer by way of the Giants.
That Jono O’Rourke is his nephew.
This John O’Rourke is the successor to one of the game’s great trailblazers, Peggy O’Neal – the American-born and raised first female president of the club.
O’Rourke in that sense – and really that sense alone – is a departure from her. His pedigree is completely traditional, where O’Neal’s was unorthodox.
“Peggy’s sort of impossible to follow. Her engagement with members and her steady demeanour set the tone for the day, so we want that to continue,” he said.
O’Rourke’s dad, Basil, played four games for Richmond. His uncle, Jack, was the Tigers’ full-forward in the 1950’s who won the goal-kicking in 1951 and 1952. And his grandfather played at Fitzroy and then St Kilda before the depression hit, and he went bush in search of work.
John O’Rourke was brought up in Glenroy and Broadmeadows.
He founded the infrastructure firm the Plenary Group, which now has more than $US4 billion in assets in Australia, the US, and the Middle East under management.
He joined the Richmond board in 2015, has been on the board of the VRC, and remains on the board of the Grand Prix corporation.
