Richmond Tigers lock down triple premiership star with new 2-year deal
Richmond Tigers captain Toby Nankervis has signed a two-year contract renewal. Nankervis joined the Tigers in 2017 from Sydney in a trade deal. His extension means he will remain at Richmond till the end of the 2026 season.
The ruck has played 134 games for the Tigers, winning three premierships as part of their successful 2017- 2020 team. He was elevated to co-captain in 2022 and was made the solo captain at the start of this season.
Despite Richmond struggling for form, he remains among the top performers, averaging 15 disposals and 30.4 hit outs per game. He's ranked first for contested possessions, clearances and tackles and is third for contested marks.
As per Richmond's website, he expressed what it means for him to remain a part of the club's structure:
"I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Club gave me seven or eight years ago; it means the world to me and my family, and hopefully, I can repay that faith.
"At the moment, I am loving seeing the young boys come through, and hopefully, I can be a big part of their journey. I really hope I can do what the older players did for me when I first got the footy club. Guys like Shane Edwards, Dave Astbury, and Bachar Houli really created a great pathway for us young players coming through, and hopefully, now, us experienced players can do that, too."
Richmond Tigers boss Blair Hartley also expressed how excited the club is to retain Nankervis:
"Toby is an excellent leader of our club, and his experience around the group is important as we move forward. … Toby continues to be a great asset for us, and we are lucky to have him at Richmond."
Captain Nankervis remains bullish about Richmond Tigers rebuild
The Richmond Tigers have won just one of their 11 games his season, with that win coming against the struggling North Melbourne.
Although they are undergoing a rebuild, the Tigers have also been the worst hit team in terms of injuries this season. Nevertheless, captain Toby Nankervis is hopeful that the team will gather more momentum as the season progresses.
He sounded excited that the rebuild is slowly changing the face of the team.
"It is a little bit flattening, but I’ve got so much confidence in this group and so much belief. We keep going the way that we’re going, and we’ll be right," Nankervis told Channel Seven.
"The boys are unbelievable. The energy that we bring each day at the footy club is awesome and it’s a great place to be.We’ve just got to keep reviewing each game honestly and take responsibility together. We’re on this journey together and together we’ve got to keep getting better. . . . as simple as that."
The Richmond Tigers face sixth placed Geelong on Saturday in round 12.