Steven Morris Biography

Richmond delists veteran defender Steven Morris, key forward Todd Elton and backman Taylor Hunt in its first round of list changes.

"On behalf of everyone at Richmond, I would like to thank Todd and Taylor for their contribution to the club," Richmond list manager Dan Richardson said.

"We are delighted Steve will return for the VFL Tigers in 2018 and also thank him for his service as an AFL player.

"We wish them and their families all the very best for the future."

Steve Morris is set to miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.

Morris suffered his strain in the third quarter of the VFL Tigers' match against the Northern Blues.

Steven Morris will miss the rest of the season after scans confirmed he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The 27-year-old went down with the injury after landing awkwardly in a marking contest in the first term against North Melbourne, and was taken off the ground on a stretcher.

"The injury is disappointing for Steve, he's a tough competitor and been playing great football this season," Tigers football manager Dan Richardson said.

"It's never easy to see a player go down with a long-term injury, but Steve is a resilient person and we'll support him throughout the rehab process."

Richmond has made two additions to its leadership group for 2016, with midfielder Trent Cotchin retained for his fourth year as captain.

Reigning club champion Alex Rance has been added to the five-man leadership group, along with small forward Shane Edwards.

Vice-captains Brett Deledio and Ivan Maric remain in official leadership roles, which are voted on by the players in consultation with the coaches, while defenders Steven Morris and Troy Chaplin have been omitted.

Steven Morris says living through the devastation of having a mate nearly bashed to death has driven him to educate others about the consequences of violence.

Morris had just turned 20 in 2008 when he was woken in the early hours of the morning to the news that his St Bernard's schoolmate David Mitchell was fighting for life after being viciously attacked outside a Melbourne nightclub.

Mitchell had been looking the other way when he was punched in the back of the head, and then stomped on and kicked as he lay on the pavement.

He was rushed to hospital and it was feared he wouldn't survive the night.

"I was living in Adelaide at the time and woke up to a missed call at 4.30am and it was one of my best mates who said that they were all at the hospital and making a bedside vigil with the family," Morris said.

"I just felt helpless, I couldn't do anything, and they did as well even though they were there.

"You put yourself in the position of the family and it's something you don't want anyone going through."

Richmond coach Damian Hardwick says Steven Morris has been earmarked in 2015 to play the small forward role recently vacated by Jake King.

"He's been playing that role in our intra-clubs and he's been going really well," Hardwick said.

"I thought we missed Jake last year in that role ... that pressure-type forward and a bit of an intimidating force up there as well.

"He just puts enormous pressure on and makes players around him better. He'll continue to learn his craft there."

Steven Morris has been promoted to Richmond's five-man leadership group for 2015.

Morris joins captain Trent Cotchin, Troy Chaplin, Ivan Maric and Brett Deledio in the group, with the retired Daniel Jackson making way.

"This group was decided upon by the players, and it is an acknowledgement of the important role they play in driving standards and communications between the playing group and the rest of the club," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.

"We are developing and driving leadership across our entire playing group."

Ty Vickery and Bachar Houli have both signed two-year contract extensions with Richmond, while Steve Morris has agreed to a three-year extension with the club.

"It's a great result for the club to lock away three of our most important players for the next few seasons," Richmond general manager of football Dan Richardson said.

"Bachar, Steve and Ty are all integral members of the team, and we look forward seeing them continue to improve in 2014 and beyond.

"Pleasingly for all parties, we were able to finalise these contracts before the start of the season."

MRP chairman Mark Fraser says medical reports played significant roles in Taylor Walker's three-match ban for his sling tackle on Tiger Steven Morris.

"A subsequent medical report made us increase the loading a little bit to medium," Fraser told The Verdict on AFL.com.au.

"While you can see from the initial vision that it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong, the subsequent medical report showed there was something going on there."

Richmond has offered mature-aged recruit Steven Morris a contract extension which will keep him at the club until the end of 2014.

Taylor Walker faces a three-match ban after a sling tackle on Richmond's Steven Morris leading Crows skipper Nathan Van Berlo to question the clarity of the rules surrounding tackles.

"He (Walker) gets awarded a free kick and gets a shot at goal for what seemed to be a fairly aggressive tackle, but one that was deemed at the time to be within the rules," Van Berlo said.

"I daresay the AFL's going to keep looking at ways to try and make the rule there clearer but, at the moment, players just have to be aware that tackles are going to be heavily scrutinised."

Richmond's Steven Morris says he'll benefit from the costly mistakes made during the Tigers' round 4 loss to Geelong where he conceded a goal to Cat Allen Christensen.

"I could have bodied him up and kept him away from the ball. You don't get everything right. You learn from those mistakes," he said.

"It doesn't make you feel too great when you're the one who's responsible for a scoring opportunity for the opposition. I've just got to go out and keep backing myself and backing my teammates."

Steven Morris makes his AFL debut for Richmond at the MCG with 9 disposals (a kick and 8 handballs), a mark and 2 tackles in a 44-point loss to Carlton.