Richmond's train-wreck of a season officially ended in a 113-point thrashing by Sydney on Saturday night, heaping the pressure on Tigers coach Damien Hardwick to convince disgruntled fans he's the man to rebuild their broken club.
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Disgruntled Tigers fans were seen leaving the SCG shortly after halftime on Saturday, as many of the club's long-suffering supporters took to social media after the loss to vent their rage once more.
Hardwick remains convinced season 2016 was just an aberration and that next year the club will rapidly bounce back to the finals footy the Tigers played the last three seasons.
But it means significant trade recruitment this off-season to strengthen a list boasting too many recycled players and inexperienced youngsters.
The Tigers coach says he plans to hold on to his big five, captain Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt, but should he want to land a big fish or two at the draft Hardwick may be forced to part with at least one of those stars.
"Those players as far as I'm concerned will be staying," Hardwick said.
"Those guys are really really good players. We are where we are, we don't have a lot of really good players.
"Look at any sporting club, any organisation there's always a kick in the backside at some stage and this is our kick in the backside.
"It's going to be a big off-season for us we have to be players in that field. We've got to put our best foot forward and try and get some quality players to our football club.
"We've got to improve our list, improve our talent there's no doubt about that. Richmond footy club is saying that but so are 17 other clubs."
For almost two months now Hardwick has been in 2017 mode, exposing young players to the AFL and trying to get some much-needed experience into the youthful sector of his list.
It has meant results have fallen well and truly by the wayside, with the Tigers managing just one win in six to close out this season.
Some of the new blood is showing positive signs, with Oleg Markov and Andrew Moore slotting in well in recent weeks.
But for every Markov there is a Mabior Chol, a talent for the future no doubt but a young man by no means ready for the intensity of AFL football.
The Sydney Swans on the other hand have managed to integrate their first-year players with ease this season, the likes of Aliir Aliir and Callum Mills slotting into the side as if they've been playing AFL football for years.
"I remember saying to our guys before the game if we put our backs and our mids and had their forwards, all of a sudden your side looks different," Hardwick said.
"They've just got quality across every line, they're very well drilled, they've played together for a long period of time and then they've been able to add talent along the way.
"We've put all our eggs into season 2017. We've put some talent out there that's not ready.
"Mabior Chol was he ready? No he wasn't we knew that but it's going to be a good stepping stone for Mabs to understand what it takes to play the rigours of AFL footy.
"That was the whole exercise going forward, Callum Moore exactly the same. Have a taste boys, this is what it is.
"We think you're going to be good players, you're certainly not ready to play AFL footy at the minute but we think for us to go forward you guys have to take a big step forward."
