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Richmond defender Noah Balta says retired champion Alex Rance continues to be a huge influence on him going into his first AFL grand final.

It's been the better part of two AFL seasons since Alex Rance last laced up the boots in Richmond's backline.

But the retired champion will still have his fingerprints all over a small part of another premiership if the Tigers overcome Geelong on Saturday night.

Despite leaving the club at the end of last year, Rance has continued to be a mentor to emerging star Noah Balta, who has stepped up to replace the five-time All-Australian in the back half.

"Last year, every single review I had, Rancey would just sit next to me and analyse my game and see where I could be better," Balta told AAP.

"I felt towards the end of the year we had confidence in my game and I could finally be a backman in the team that I'm in at the moment.

"So I'm forever grateful to him for helping me the way he did. He just did it off his own back.

"He still talks to me over the phone, messages, things like that."

Rance suffered a serious knee injury in round one last year - the same game in which Balta made his debut.

Since then, the powerfully built 21-year-old has played 29 games and stamped himself as Richmond's next big thing.

He is now preparing for his maiden grand final as the only Tiger in the best 22 who is yet to snare a premiership.

"I've watched a lot of his (Rance's) games as well, watching the way he plays," Balta said, adding that fellow defenders Dylan Grimes and David Astbury had played important roles in his development.

"(Rance's retirement is) a blessing in disguise but I've taken the opportunity and hopefully the Tiger fans like me just as much."

Balta was taken at pick 25 in the 2017 draft as a versatile key position player who could fill roles at both ends of the ground.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has finally settled on playing Balta in defence, and that stability has done wonders for his game.

"Last year when I had my 13 games, I was going into the games not sure, not having clarity on where I was going to play and it's hard to prepare yourself for games like that," Balta said.

"So this year it's a lot easier, it's pretty straightforward, I know what I've got to do and it's fun playing."