Richmond’s redevelopment of the Swinburne Centre is well underway, with CEO Shane Dunne sharing valuable insight on SEN about the project’s progress and what lies ahead in the next stages.
Dunne is confident that the build is going to be of world-class quality and one that will rival any other AFL Club.
“We are now in the full construction phase. We have stopped the dig, and we have now completed three levels of our underground carpark, so that is almost complete,” Dunne told SEN’s Gerard Whateley.
“Now you are going to start to see the building coming out of the ground over the coming months. We are still on track. Our builders, Built Environs, are doing a great job. They are ahead of schedule and are on budget.
“But we still do have a funding shortfall to get it completed in its entirety by the middle of next year. We continue to talk to governments at all levels to see if they can help us. We are hopeful that we will hear something soon.
“It will be the envy of the competition. This brand-new Punt Road Oval, in the shadows of the MCG, in the world-class sporting precinct, will be a huge advantage for us to keep Richmond in Richmond.”
With the Opening Round kick starting the 2026 AFL season this week, Dunne admitted that it feels unusual not to see the iconic Richmond vs Carlton match-up included as part of the fixture.
“I think we have to be careful that we don’t take one marquee and trade it off for another,” Dunne said.
“I think you can achieve both, and you can create an Opening Round that still has Richmond and Carlton on a Thursday night and still have marquee slots in all the other states.
“I’d like to see Richmond return as the opening game and still have those northern markets catered for.
“I think we can be in every state in the Opening Round and hopefully they look to do that in the coming years.”
As Round 1 approaches, Dunne thanked Richmond’s 83,000 members who have already signed up in support for 2026, with hopes to grow that following even further as the season progresses.
“We are incredibly thankful to the Tiger Army, and they continue to show up,” Dunne said.
“We still see strong crowds, and we have some big blockbuster games, obviously, we have Round 1 against Carlton, but we have home games for Dreamtime and Anzac Day Eve. These are all marquee spots on the AFL calendar.
“Our fans continue to show up, and we know that it is a competitive advantage on the field as well. When the Tiger Army are up and about at the Punt Road end, it gives players a lift.
“We know players want to come to our Club because they get to play in front of the Tiger Army, so it is a really, really important part of our Club.”
