It's been a busy first month in the role for Almond as he works to assemble his 2022 list.

Raiders were fifth when the O and M season was cut short and he's determined to at least emulate that.

"It's a two to three-year plan of trying to educate and build the sustainable model that we can hopefully continue to play finals every year," Almond said.

"We've had a few players leave, a bit of turnover at the top-end of our list, so the mandate is to develop the young list they've got.

"They've got a lot of talented young players at the footy club so it's about making sure their improvement is happening the way it should be."

Jydon Neagle has left the club to coach Balranald and Steve Jolliffe is now a Collingullie-Glenfield Park player.

"Connor Newnham won't be with us next year, he's going out to Kiewa," Almond revealed.

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"Other than that, we're waiting on a few younger guys who may be trying their hand at VFL and things like that but we still hope to have some of those guys if they don't get a game down there, us being their second club."

Almond has been spending up to four nights a week at the club holding player interviews and coaches' meetings.

"I like to do that when I first got to a club," he said.

"It takes time because you can only get through so many each night, and then you're balancing that with actively recruiting new players.

"The players need to see what I'm like, my character, and what I'm going to be like as a coach for them. It's two ways for me.

"The most important thing for me, in any role that I've ever done, is building relationships and making sure all the players feel valued, that they're not just a number.

"In order to do that, you've got to build a relationship and it's got to start from the word go."

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