Kane Cornes believes Richmond has been dealt a “massive blow" with both Mabior Chol and Callum Coleman-Jones anticipated to leave the club over the offseason.
Chol will join the Gold Coast as an unrestricted free agent when the AFL free agency period opens the Friday after the Grand Final, while Coleman-Jones has been strongly linked to the Kangaroos, reportedly on a four-year deal.
The pair are 24 and 22-years old respectively and play a similar role as key position forwards who can ruck.
Cornes believes the departures will see the Tigers' forward line in strife in the coming years.
“When you’ve got Riewoldt who’s 33, and Lynch is getting towards 30, you want to keep those ones who are going to take the spot and be the succession plan,” Cornes told SEN Crunch Time.
“It’s the next generation, everyone’s looking for a key forward aren’t they.
“Neither of (Chol or Coleman-Jones) have commanded a spot yet, but to lose both, I mean it’s a massive blow.
“I don’t know how they go about replacing them.
“I know their draft hand is reasonable, but to draft a young key forward or ruckman is going to take them five or six years to develop.”
The Tigers have two picks in both the first and second round of the 2021 AFL draft and can expect further compensation from North Melbourne in a trade for Coleman-Jones.
Damien Hardwick’s men finished down the ladder in 2021 after three premierships in the previous four years.
Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo will almost certainly be the starting big men for the club after the departures of Chol and Coleman-Jones.