Richmond say they will try to throw Graham Polak a rookie list lifeline despite the defender being among nine players axed in savage cuts to the Tigers' underperforming list.

Polak survived being hit by a tram in 2008 to make an inspiring football comeback late last season.

But it wasn't enough for the Tigers to keep the 25-year-old on their senior list for next season as Richmond's era under new coach Damien Hardwick started with one of the biggest AFL clearouts in years.

As expected veterans Nathan Brown and Mark Coughlan were shown the door along with Polak.

Joining them are Cleve Hughes, Kayne Pettifer, Adam Pattison, Dean Putt, Jarrod Silvester and top 10 draft pick Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls.

Along with the retiring Joel Bowden and Kane Johnson, and trade week departures Jay Schulz (Port Adelaide) and Andrew Raines (Brisbane), it means the Tigers have shed more than 1100 games' experience.

But football department boss Craig Cameron said Richmond would seriously consider including Polak as a mature-age rookie.

Much will depend on whether another club decides to give Polak a chance in the national or pre-season drafts, meaning he would be unavailable when the rookie draft comes around.

"We will investigate the opportunity of offering Graham Polak a position on our rookie list ... but obviously this will not be confirmed until after the draft has taken place," Cameron said.

Richmond has selections three, 19, 35, 44, 51, 67, 72 and 83 in the national draft on November 26.

The list of uncontracted players ahead of the draft continued to grow on Friday.

North Melbourne confirmed highly-rated but injury prone defender Jesse Smith's delisting, while Carlton cut several players including Adam Bentink and Jordan Bannister.

Port Adelaide decided to upgrade livewire forward Wade Thompson from their rookie list for 2010.

Thompson impressed for the Power during the 2009 pre-season campaign, and played two senior games last season.