As a three-time premiership player, two-time All-Australian, five-time Hawthorn leading goalkicker winner and now Richmond development coach, it would be easy to assume the game came easy to Luke Breust.

However, many might not know Breust spent the first two and a half years in the Hawks' VFL program before he stepped out on an AFL field.

Much like the Tigers' exciting crop of young forwards, eager to seize opportunity at the elite level, Breust now preaches patience as they develop into their full potential.

“I was two and a half years before I debuted, and I was playing two's twos at the start of my third year, so it's a good message for them,” Breust said on Talking Tigers.

“A lot of these guys are in a hurry these days and want to debut Round 1 of their first years. With the injuries and everything [at Richmond], the guys have got a crack in their first year, but obviously that's not the norm for most people.

“[I’m] really selling that story in terms of working on their craft, working on their running patterns, and getting the system down pat at the VFL level, so that when you do go up, I don't want to see him again [at VFL], is my ideal situation.

“I think everyone looks at my career and probably just expects that I played pretty early but didn't realise the heartache that I had to go through early days.

“From Clarko [Alastair Clarkson], I was getting the same messages every week. [My] defensive pressure wasn't good enough, crumbing layers and playing system and making sure I'm in the right spot at certain times, just wasn't there."

Determined to prove himself, Breust put his head down and got to work on his forward craft, making sure he was ready when his opportunity arose. And he wants Richmond's young forwards to do the same.

“I want them to be banging down the door. I don't want them to just get games because of their draft pick number or their talent or whatever. It's just like, no, bang down the door, make us pick you,” Breust said.

One of those forwards who has been banging down the door this season is No. 58 pick from the 2024 draft, Jasper Alger.

Despite being omitted in Round 19, Alger has enjoyed a strong second-year campaign, kicking 13 goals across eight games.

“He is going really well, but it was probably one of those ones where it was a team balance thing,” Breust said on Alger's Round 19 omission.

“He is a really good deep forward threat, and his challenge will be to get up the ground and make sure he is running the right patterns.

“The positive for Alger, though, is that you look at [his] numbers and his ability to get shots on goal and his genuine forward craft. He’s got that forward chip, and he knows what to do inside-50.

“Building the rest of his game out, I think he’ll be fine. You give him another pre-season of that, and he will be able to change hats, whether he is up high or if he naturally falls into that deep role.”

The No. 31 pick of the 2025 draft, Zane Peucker, also showed glimpses of what he can produce after making his AFL debut in Round 18 against Melbourne.

With just his first kick, the hard-running small forward slotted a goal, making an immediate impact at AFL level. Breust said he admires Peucker’s resilience, branding him as one to watch for years to come.

“Peucker has had a really interesting year because he had some challenges early, he was named as an emergency, thinks he is close, and then his form drops off in the VFL and then has a long lay-off with his injury,” Breust detailed.

“But to come back, he has been awesome. The way he responded on the weekend after being dropped and then to do what he did in the VFL was amazing.

“He probably needs a couple of more pre-seasons in terms of being able to get to that elite top-end running stuff, but from [his] natural football ability and reading the game, reading situations, decision-making pressure and being really clinical in front of goal as well, he is definitely one to watch in the future.”

Alongside Peucker is fellow South Australian Noah Roberts-Thomson, who has played three senior games this year.

“NR has been really diligent in his role. Having impact early with two goals and two kicks. When he is playing, I think you know exactly what you’re going to get from NR,” Breust said.

“He will be in the right spots and it’s probably now where it’s just a bit of game impact for NR and exploring that high half-forward role and when he can go and impact.”

Seth Campbell is another Tiger continuing his fine form from last year’s fifth-place Jack Dyer Medal season, booting 14 goals through 2026.

The 21-year-old is averaging a career high in disposals at 15.9 per game, in line with extra midfield minutes, offering his elite speed and tackling pressure to the centre.

“He's been a pleasure to coach this year, probably a little bit more mid-time for him than what we've seen in the past and I think he's sort of still juggling that,” Breust said.

“He's a natural forward so [he] probably gravitates that way a lot of the time but his mid-impact for us this year's been unreal, so he's another one to watch.

“He should be really aiming for a good sort of 30-goal-plus season and hitting the scoreboard regularly.”

Breust has been taken aback by the innate skills possessed by Taj Hotton, who has showcased his talents in five appearances this season, after overcoming a pre-season hip injury.

"I've been super impressed in terms of what he can do. [He is] super clean with the ball," Breust said.

"The coaches, we actually joke about how he nearly teleports, like he's there and then he's not. It's a unique skill to have. We're only just scratching the surface in terms of what he can do."