Richmond’s rebels have backed away from calling for a board spill, instead hoping to gain seats without an extraordinary general meeting at the AFL club.

The Focus On Footy group said it had a productive meeting on Tuesday morning with Tigers president Peggy O’Neal and chief executive Brendon Gale.

The club took the wind out of the rebels’ sails on September 12 when Richmond announced Neil Balme would be their new football director.

But it is understood only 100 member signatures are needed to force an EGM, something the two parties want to avoid.

“At what was a positive meeting, we reiterated our view that it was time for new and re-energised thinking at Richmond,” said Focus On Footy leader Dr Martin Hiscock.

“We believe this starts with changing the board – many of the current board members have been there for too long.

“Today we offered an olive branch, not a concession, in the best interests of long-suffering Richmond members and fans.

“We have to do something.

“We don’t want to wake up in 15 years’ time and say we should have done something before it became half a century since our last premiership.”

The rebels said the club had agreed to consider the proposal.

“They (the board) are going to think about what we said and see whether there is a way to address our concerns without the need for an EGM,” Dr Hiscock said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Hiscock said his group did not want to depose O’Neal.

Focus On Footy’s Mag Kearney, who was in the meeting with the club, said the group would provide the funds to pay out coach Damien Hardwick if new performance guidelines were not met next season.

Hardwick is contracted until the end of 2018.