Talented Richmond mature-age, midfield recruits Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy will wear guernsey numbers three and 22 respectively with the Tigers in season 2017.

Prestia, who played 95 games in six seasons with Gold Coast (wearing No. 41 and No. 10), takes the No. 3 vacated by dual Jack Dyer Medallist Brett Deledio following his transfer to Greater Western Sydney during the recent AFL trade period.

It’s a highly regarded number at Punt Road – the likes of champion 1980 premiership rover Dale Weightman, 1969 premiership captain (and deputy vice-captain of the Club’s 1967 premiership side) Roger Dean,  super-brave, valuable Tiger contributor Duncan Kellaway and Deledio having worn it with such distinction throughout the past few decades.

Caddy (24 games at Gold Coast in No. 42 and No. 28, plus 71 games for Geelong in No. 23) has been given the No. 22, which another player that Richmond recruited from a rival league club – Barry Rowlings – excelled in during a 152-game career with the Tigers from 1979-86 after departing Hawthorn.

Rowlings won the Jack Dyer Medal in his first season at Richmond, was a pivotal member of the powerful 1980 premiership side, captained the Tigers from 1983-84 and was inducted into the Club’s Hall of Fame last year.

Toby Nankervis, who also was picked up by Richmond during the 2016 trade period, will wear the No. 25 guernsey in his debut season at Tigerland.

The young, former Sydney ruckman, originally from the Tasmanian town of Georgetown, will be hoping to emulate the feats of Richmond’s current CEO Brendon Gale, who played 244 games for the Tigers in the No. 25 guernsey (1990-2001).  Gale was recruited by Richmond from the Tasmanian town of Burnie in the late 1980s.

In further number news at Tigerland, small defender Jayden Short, who was recently elevated from the Club’s rookie list to the senior list, has received a number upgrade as well. 

He will now wear No. 15, after spending his first two years of league football at Punt Road in the No. 45 guernsey.