How to Implement Richmond's Game Plan at Amateur Level

The Richmond Football Club’s dynasty era, spanning from 2017 to 2020, wasn't built on a roster of superstars alone. It was forged through a distinct, repeatable, and ferocious system of play that overwhelmed opponents and delivered three premierships. For amateur coaches and players, the brilliance of this system is that its core tenets are not dependent on elite athleticism; they are founded on effort, structure, and collective belief. This guide will break down how you can implement the fundamental principles of Richmond’s premiership game plan at your local club.

By adopting this framework, you aim to build a team identity centered on relentless pressure, uncompromising contest work, and rapid, direct ball movement. You won't have a Dustin Martin to break games open, but you can build a system where every player understands their role in creating a collective force reminiscent of the Yellow and Black at their peak.

Prerequisites: What You Need to Begin

Before you drill the first handball chain or set up a defensive zone, your team must buy into the non-negotiables. The RFC’s success under Damien Hardwick was as much about culture as tactics.

A Commitment to the Contest: This is non-negotiable. Every drill, every game, starts with the mindset of winning the ball at the source. Think of Trent Cotchin’s ferocious attack on the footy.
Unwavering Fitness Base: The "Richmond game" is a 100-minute sprint. It requires a squad capable of maintaining high-intensity efforts, particularly repeat sprints to apply and sustain pressure.
A Selfless Culture: Individual stats are irrelevant. The system rewards the player who shepherds, blocks, and tackles for their teammate. Remember the unheralded work of players like Dion Prestia and Bachar Houli in enabling the stars.
Basic Skill Proficiency: While perfection isn't expected, the system fails if fundamental skills—handballing under pressure, hitting a leading target—consistently break down. Drills must be skills-under-pressure focused.

The Step-by-Step Process to Building Your System

1. Establish Your Defensive Foundation: The Web of Pressure

Everything at Richmond started with defence. This isn't just about the back six; it's a team-wide mandate. The objective is to create a "web" of pressure that funnels the opposition into vulnerable areas, much like the system Alex Rance quarterbacked.

The Forward 50 Press: Your first line of defence starts with your forwards. Instruct them to lock the ball in your attacking half. This isn't just chasing; it's about coordinated corralling, working in pairs to close escape routes. The aim is to create turnovers in the part of the ground where scoring is easiest.
The Midfield Hunt: When the ball exits, your midfield group must apply brutal, organised pressure on the ball carrier. Drill the concept of the "pack hunt"—no opponent should feel they have time or space. This directly creates the chaotic, turnover-rich environment Richmond thrived in.
Team Defence Structure: Behind the ball, structure a compact zone. Teach your defenders to guard space, trust their teammates to apply pressure up the field, and be ready to intercept. Study how Houli and others would push up to create an extra number at the contest, knowing the system behind them was sound.

2. Master the Contest & The "Get" Game

Richmond’s dynasty was built on winning the ball back. At amateur level, you may not win every clearance, but you can win the contest that follows.

Contest Mentality: Drill the "first to the footy" and "second and third efforts" relentlessly. Use small-sided, congested game simulations where the only way out is via a fierce tackle or a quick, clean handball. Embody Cotchin’s and Prestia’s willingness to put their head over the ball.
The Handball Chain: This is your primary exit strategy from congestion. Richmond rarely tried to kick their way out of a stoppage. Drill short, sharp handballs (under 10 metres) to a teammate running past. The emphasis is on speed of release and movement off the ball. It’s not about pretty plays; it's about breaking the initial tackle pressure and getting the ball into space.
The "Richmond Fumble": Turn chaos into a weapon. Practice picking up ground balls at full tilt. The team that adapts best to the spilled ball, the miskick, the pack situation, will generate the most scoring opportunities.

3. Implement Direct & Daring Ball Movement

Once you've won the ball back through pressure, you must use it with purpose. Richmond’s movement was famously direct, playing on at all costs to catch the opposition defence out of position.

Play On, At All Costs: Instill a mindset of immediate movement. The first instinct after a mark or free kick should be to play on and advance the ball. This eliminates the opponent's time to set up their defensive structure.
Kick Long to a Contest: This is a core tenet. Instead of risky short passes across the ground, instruct your players to kick long down the line to a one-on-one contest, preferably in the forward half. Your job is to then lock it in with your forward pressure (Step 1). This mimics the game plan that fed Jack Riewoldt, who mastered the craft of the contest lead.
Use the Corridor with Caution: Richmond used the corridor as a surprise weapon, not a default. This should be reserved for when a player—your version of Dustin Martin—has won a clear break from a contest and can spot a target. Drill the recognition of when the corridor is open versus when the safe, long option is the system play.

4. Forge a Cohesive Forward Line System

Your forwards are the tip of the spear and the first line of defence. Their roles are clearly defined.

The Key Forward as a Contester: Your primary target’s main role is to bring the ball to ground. Whether they mark it is a bonus. Their job is to create a contest that allows your small forwards to crumb. Study Jack Riewoldt’s selfless work in bringing teammates into the game.
The Small Forward Crumb & Pressure: Your small forwards must live at the feet of the contest. Their primary role is to pounce on any spillage and snap for goal. Their secondary, and equally vital, role is to be the fiercest tacklers on the ground, executing the forward 50 press.
Team-Wide Goal-Sense: Encourage every player, from defender to midfielder, to push forward and look for scoring opportunities. This unpredictability and weight of numbers overwhelmed teams, as seen in the 2019 premiership romp.

5. Cultivate the Dynasty Mentality

The system only works if the mindset is right. This is where Damien Hardwick’s philosophy is paramount.

Embrace the Role: Every player must understand and cherish their specific role within the system. The wingman who runs all day to create an outlet, the defender who sacrifices their game to intercept—these are the pillars.
Connection & Trust: Build this off the field. The bond of the RFC during their golden era was legendary. This translates to on-field trust: trust that your teammate will be in the spot for the handball, trust that the pressure will come from behind you.
Celebrate Pressure Acts: Make tackles, smothers, and spoils the most celebrated actions on the field. Award a "best pressure player" after each game. This cultural shift reinforces that the system, not just talent, wins games.

Pro Tips & Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pro Tip: Start slowly. Introduce one pillar at a time (e.g., focus solely on the forward press for a month) before layering in the next. Mastery of a component is better than a shallow understanding of the whole.
Pro Tip: Use film. Show clips of Richmond’s 2017 premiership or 2020 premiership wins. Don't just show the goals; show the two efforts before the goal—the tackle, the handball chain, the selfless lead.
Common Mistake: Confusing "direct" with "mindless." Long kicks must still be to a contest or a favourable matchup. A bomb to an outnumbered situation is a turnover.
Common Mistake: Letting fitness slide. The system collapses in the last quarter if the team isn't fit. Conditioning is a core tactical requirement, not an off-season chore.
Common Mistake: Blaming the system after a loss. Stick with it. Richmond’s system took years to perfect at Punt Road Oval. It requires unwavering belief, especially during the inevitable rough patches.

Your Implementation Checklist Summary

• Secure buy-in from the entire team on a selfless, contest-first culture.


• Build an elite fitness base focused on repeat sprint efforts.


• Establish the Defensive Web: Implement the forward 50 press and team-wide hunting pressure.


• Master the Contest: Drill "first to the ball" and clean, rapid handball chains to exit congestion.


• Instill Direct Ball Movement: Coach the "play on" instinct and the long kick to a contest.


• Structure the Forward Line: Define roles: key forward as contester, smalls as crumbers/pressure experts.


• Cultivate the Mentality: Celebrate role players and pressure acts; build off-field connection.


• Review and Adapt: Use video to teach the system, reinforce positives, and correct deviations.

By following this blueprint, you are not just copying a game style; you are installing a football philosophy. It’s the same philosophy that transformed the Tigers from also-rans into a modern powerhouse, creating moments of immortality at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Your results may not be three flags in four years, but you will build a tough, united, and formidable team that embodies the relentless spirit of Richmond’s dynasty era.

---

For a deeper dive into the strategic mind behind this plan, explore our analysis of Damien Hardwick's coaching philosophy. To understand the metrics that defined their success, read our breakdown of the Richmond pressure act explained. Find all our tactical analyses in the /tactics-game-style hub.