Low profile for Tigers this time round: Newman

RICHMOND skipper Chris Newman says the club will be doing its best to fly under the football radar this pre-season, and will be making no bold predictions about 2010.

With the recruitment of former West Coast captain Ben Cousins after a stellar second half of the 2008 home-and-away season, the Tigers were widely expected to make the eight in 2009.

At the season launch, three-time Tigers premiership player Kevin Sheedy went as far as to say winning the flag was possible, but the club was thrashed by Carlton in round one and never recovered, sacking coach Terry Wallace mid-season as they crashed to finish 15th.

Newman said the club was determined to keep a low profile this time around as it built for the future.

"It's a total revamp. We've turned the club into a really young club, and it certainly feels like that at this stage," he said after training at the new Musashi high-performance gym in outer suburban Notting Hill.

"We're not going to make any bold statements, but we want to be able to set something up during summer and over time become a team that can mix it up with the best in the competition."

Newman said new coach Damien Hardwick was settling in well at the Tigers and the players were excited to start working with him.

"He [Hardwick] obviously came over with big raps from Hawthorn, so he's off to a good start,” Newman said.

"He's certainly let us know what the standard's going to be like throughout the summer, so that's all he can do at this stage.

“He's got some good ideas and we're looking forward to training them over summer."

Newman also said that club legend Matthew Richardson was coming along nicely.

Richardson is yet to decide if he will play on for an 18th season but Newman said all the players were hoping he was able to go around for one more year.

"He [Richardson] has started with us and he's coming along really nicely,” Newman said.

"He's still doing parts in rehab, but all reports are that his body is feeling okay, so he just has to make that decision, whether he wants to take that next step and play with us next year.

"Fingers crossed [he says yes] - we all want him here."