Richmond recruit Jacob Koschitzke admits he was “stagnating” at Hawthorn.
The 23-year-old forward, who was drafted in 2018, spent five years and played 48 AFL games in the brown and gold before being traded to the Tigers last trade period.
Koschitzke has shown he is capable at AFL level, kicking a total of 54 goals including 27 in 2021, but he could not quite find consistency under Alastair Clarkson and then Sam Mitchell.
Now he is intent on finding some steadiness and stability under his former Hawks assistant Adem Yze at Punt Road.
“It’s been a bit of a unique experience,” Koschitzke said of his transition to Richmond on SEN’s Sportsday.
“I spent five years at Hawthorn and loved my time there. But the way things had panned out over the last couple of years, I sort of felt like I was stagnating.
“I had a contract on the table there but I felt like it was within my best interests and the club's best interests to explore a trade.
“I’m pretty happy that I got the deal done. I’m really enjoying my time so far at Richmond.”
Koschitzke, who boasts a career-best AFL haul of five goals, was in and out of Hawthorn’s side across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
The Albury product concedes it was “unfortunate” that his time with the Hawks came to an end, however, he is intent on using a new game style under Yze to his advantage.
“It's obviously pretty frustrating because I did show signs,” he said when asked why it didn’t work out at the Hawks.
“A big part of my game is consistency. I did show that I can play at and above the level at times, but the biggest thing for me is consistency.
“I just never found that, I guess. I've had a couple of different game styles. I've played under ‘Clarko’, I've played under ‘Mitch’, now I've got the opportunity under ‘Ooze’.
“I think just the way I read the game and my strength suits a straight sort of game style. That means taking the contest more often and not using every angle on the ground, (just) a little bit of angle change and whatnot.
“It was unfortunate it didn't work out there at the Hawks.”
Richmond will have somewhat of a new-look forward line to begin the 2024 season.
Noah Balta has been thrown forward to form a duo alongside Koschitzke as Tom Lynch continues to work his way back to full fitness.
The pair looked solid in last Sunday’s practice match win over Melbourne and things will only become more dangerous when Lynch returns to the fold, which will likely open a second ruck role for a key forward.
“It’s a pretty good problem to have,” Koschitzke said.
“First and foremost the most important thing for me is playing good, consistent football, and I’m open to any role.
“I obviously played a little bit of second ruck at the Hawks and Noah's done it as well. So both of us are more than capable and happy enough to take that second ruck role should it mean that we can fit the three of us into the side.
“It’s a pretty dangerous sort of look with those two big boys (Lynch and Balta) getting it done and it allows me to hit up at the footy a bit more, which is my strength coming through the line of the footy.
“It’s a dangerous combination and I guess if we're all playing good footy then there's no reason why we can't all be out there on the same side.”
Koschitzke and the Tigers will next be in action in the AAMI Community Series against Collingwood at Ikon Park on Tuesday, February 27.
They kick off the 2024 season proper against Damien Hardwick and the Gold Coast Suns at Heritage Bank Stadium on March 9.