Trent Cotchin has boldly declared Richmond 'the real deal' and believes the time is right for the club to step up to finals football in 2012.
Elevated to the vice-captaincy during the off-season, Cotchin said the playing list at Punt Road is in great shape following a 'bash and crash' pre-season under coach Damien Hardwick.
"I think it's the real deal, now," said Cotchin.
"We've started from scratch and built from pretty much the bottom."
"We're just looking forward to taking the season full on from the start and making sure we give ourselves the best opportunity each game."
Cotchin said finals are definitely on the radar for the Tigers whose last September campaign was way back in 2001.
"We've had a couple of really good developing years, and it's time we started taking those steps forward," he said.
"I'm not going to get hung up over talking about finals before the season even starts, but it will be interesting to see where we're at, against the better sides especially early in the season."
"Hopefully we can set a standard that takes us forward and we do play finals at the end of the season."
"If the players are playing the way that the coaches are coaching we should be in a good position come the end of the season."
Cotchin nominated Brandon Ellis, Matthew Arnot and Todd Elton as the first-year players most likely to make an impression in 2012, along with matured-aged recruits Ivan Maric and Steve Morris.
The 21-year-old midfielder said he was looking forward to playing a key role in the NAB Cup coming off a solid summer and a breakout 2011 in which he achieved personal bests in just about every statistical category.
"Everyone speaks about having a full season and how important it is, not only for your confidence but also getting to know what it's like to back up every week and having the confidence in your body to do that," Cotchin said.
"For me it was a year that was good for my development personally."
Cotchin said team defence has been a special focus over the pre-season for the Tigers who've finished in the top two for points against in each of the past three seasons.
They've also been working on their slow starts, having won just four of 22 first quarters last year.
"That's going to be something we address coming into the pre-season matches," he said.
"If your structures and set-ups are all right then you shouldn't have a worry."
"Hopefully that's what we do well and it will correlate into the start of matches."