Richmond young gun Andrew Raines has been rewarded for his stellar 2006 season with a new three-year contract as the Tigers also announced the re-signing of a host of other up and coming stars on Tuesday.

As well as Raines' new deal, the Tigers announced a new two year deal for Dean Polo and contract extensions for much-improved forward Kayne Pettifer and youngster Matt White - tying both those players to the club until the end of 2008.

But it is the re-signing of 20-year-old Raines in particular that will delight the Tiger Army given the stunning improvement he has made this year.,

After starting the season with just seven games to his name, Raines has not only played every game but is averaging just under 18 disposals per match.

This has made the son of Richmond's 1980 premiership centreman Geoff the favourite to win this year's NAB AFL Rising Star Award while Wallace is even predicting he could join his father as a Tigers' best and fairest winner as early as this year.

"He could possibly be even winning it this year and he would definitely be up in our top three this year on my calculations," Wallace said.

"I believe he and Troy Simmonds have been our best players for the duration of the year."

Wallace said Raines deserved the security of a long-term deal given his progress this year.

"Coming off seven games no-one would have envisaged him taking such a quantum leap in form, he has come long in leaps and bounds and he deserves this opportunity."

"It's a credit to him in that he really has developed as player and we felt comfortable in giving him a long-term deal."

"But in saying that, guys have got to know that if they get that kind of security there comes a responsibility to continue to perform with it."

Wallace said the re-signing of Raines, Pettifer, White and Polo, who has also been nominated for the Rising Star Award this season, was part of the Tigers' long-term plan to keep their group of promising youngsters together.

"We have been very, very strong about securing our younger brigade and working with that core group that we see taking the club through the next decade," Wallace said.

Pettifer is by far the most experienced of the group at 24 and with 79 games behind him but has been rewarded for his huge improvement in the past two years since Wallace became coach at the start of 2005.

After managing just 37 games and 24 goals in his first four seasons, the number nine pick in the 2000 national draft has kicked 58 goals and has played all 42 games since Wallace took over.

Wallace said he has been thrilled with the turnaround in Pettifer's form over the past two years.

"It's really pleasing. When I got here I spoke to him first-up and reminded him he was a first round draft pick," Wallace said on Tuesday.

"I went back to his under 18 games and said, 'that is where I see you as a strong first round draft selection and that what you did at 17 or 18 you should be able to re-produce at 23 or 24."

"You don’t lose that ability, it's only a matter of getting the most out of yourself."