Amid speculation on his future at Punt Road, Richmond winger Brandon Ellis says he’s hungrier than ever to win a second AFL premiership with the Tigers.
The winger, who is a free agent at season’s end, has been heavily linked to a move to Gold Coast, but said he’d put thoughts of his future aside to focus on his football.
“The club has been fantastic – they’ve supported me throughout this whole process,” Ellis told AAP.
“Obviously it’s a pretty tricky one, free agency, for the club and for the player.
“So at the start of the year I just told my manager ‘I just want to focus on footy, try and win another flag and then I’ll sort out everything after that.’
“So I guess in a few weeks’ time I’ll know my future but I love this footy club and I love the boys and I love Dimma (coach Damien Hardwick).”
Ellis was a member of Richmond’s 2017 premiership team and two years on from his first taste of glory said he was “hungrier than ever” for another shot at the pinnacle.
“I said after we won the flag in 2017 ‘I don’t care if we win another game for the rest of my career’ – I was just so happy because my childhood dream’s come true,” Ellis said.
“But how good that felt, how amazing it was – we’re just so hungry to achieve that again and to get that feeling again.
“There’s just no better feeling in the world. So we’re hungry and hungrier than ever, so I guess that’s what’s holding us in good stead.”
A popular figure at Richmond, Ellis was in and out of the side last year and overlooked for round one this season, before fighting his way back into the team.
Amid a mid-season injury crisis, the 26-year-old stepped up to have one of his best seasons at Punt Road, and now has the chance to claim a second premiership medal.
“I’m loving it and just forever grateful to be part of this club and this side and it’s probably been my favourite year to date,” Ellis said.
“Just after all the controversy that happened with all the injuries and losing games and people just writing us off – it just makes you even more hungry to prove everyone wrong and we’ve sort of done that so far.
“But I really want to hold that cup up again on Saturday.”