Short sticks with Tigers for the long term
RICHMOND premiership hero Jayden Short has shunned free agency to be a ‘Tiger for life’ by signing a monster five-year contract extension.
The 2020 best-and-fairest winner, who qualified as a free agent under AFL rules, said it was hard to see himself being anywhere other than Richmond.
He will remain at Punt Road until at least the end of 2027 in a career commitment to the Tigers.
“It is really exciting. I am very lucky and grateful for the club giving me a long-term contract,” he said. “I want to repay the club. I have had some very good times here already and I am looking forward to the next five years.”
A dual premiership Tiger after being drafted to Richmond in the 2014 rookie draft, Short has played 121 games and said his best was yet to come.
“I started as a small little chubby kid, probably just trying to find my way and I have had some great people around me who have taught me how to be an AFL footballer,” he said.
“It has been a good journey and something I am very proud of – now I am looking forward to building on that and continuing to try to get better each year.”
Richmond will take on Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday, with Short coming off his best game for the season against the Eagles last week after being moved into the midfield.
Short returned 31 disposals, five clearances and 792 metres gained as Tigers coach Damien Hardwick threw his players into new positions to kickstart their season.
The Tigers will also be bolstered on Saturday by the return of triple Norm Smith medallist Dustin Martin for the first time since round 1 as he returns from personal leave taken in the wake of his father’s death.