RICHMOND has started interviewing assistant coaches as it continues to work through its yet-to-be released football department review.
It is believed at least one of the coaches being targeted to fill one of three existing vacancies is from a top-eight club about to embark on a finals campaign.
The Tigers insist their football review is ongoing and have said the decisions reached with consultants Ernst and Young will only be released at its conclusion.
CEO Brendon Gale was reluctant to put any timeframe on when the review would conclude or speak about the club's coaching vacancies on Monday.
Richmond assistant coaches left in limbo
It is understood some senior members of the club's coaching group were not interviewed as part of the football department review.
Of the club's remaining coaches, Brendon Lade has been offered a one-year contract, while it is believed Mark P Williams has been offered a less prominent position as a forward scout.
Williams was one of three football department staff who joined senior coach Damien Hardwick on an off-season education trip to the US last October.
While clubs are encouraged not to interview senior coaching candidates who are involved in September, the AFL Coaches Association said there was no issue interviewing uncontracted assistants engaged in finals.
"It is their right and obligation to start interviewing for assistant coaches … they've got to do what's best for their club, which is find the right candidate," AFLCA CEO Mark Brayshaw told AFL.com.au.
"So long as they're interviewing candidates who have been notified by their club on or before August 1 that their club either won't be re-contracting them or can't commit to re-contracting them."
Richmond's board is yet to respond to the challenging 'Focus on Footy' group, which said it had made further approaches to president Peggy O'Neal on Tuesday.
The challenging ticket called for the club to release its review results in full to members, which the club has indicated it would.
Hardwick safe despite Tigers board challenge
"I expect them to, but will they do it? I'm sceptical," Dr Martin Hiscock, who is leading the challenging ticket, told AFL.com.au.
"We think they have the review results and they're hiding behind it."
Hiscock said the Focus on Footy group was yet to make contact with Neil Balme, who was a key pillar in their pitch to take control of the board on Monday.
The Epworth hospital cardiologist said premiership Tiger Bruce Monteath, who is a member of the seven-person ticket, was hoping to speak with Balme on Tuesday evening or Wednesday.
The Focus on Footy group, which launched its website for members on Tuesday, is also seeking a meeting with the club.
Hiscock defended the group's decision not to give Richmond's board advanced notice of their launch on Monday.
"We wanted to get our message out with clear air so it wasn't fiddled with or qualified in any way … the message is for the members. I don't think that's discourteous," he said.
"I haven't heard back from anyone from the club and we've tried to contact them on numerous occasions."
