Three Australian outlets compare Richmond’s current AFL performance with Hawthorn’s earlier list overhaul, arguing Richmond’s rebuild is struggling to deliver the expected turnaround. The articles say Richmond has fallen further than Hawthorn did during its transition period after appointing Sam Mitchell as senior coach in 2022. They attribute the ongoing difficulties at Punt Road to factors associated with rebuild outcomes, including how effectively list changes translate into results on the field.
While the pieces focus on different aspects of Richmond’s situation, they share the central framing: Richmond’s downturn appears deeper and more sustained than Hawthorn’s at an equivalent stage of its reset. Together, they present Richmond’s trajectory since Mitchell’s appointment as the key comparison point and use Hawthorn’s rebuild period as a benchmark for what a successful rebuild should look like in performance terms.
Overall, the articles emphasize that Richmond’s rebuilding phase is not producing a rapid return to form as the club restructures its playing list and adapts to coaching direction under Mitchell.
