Richmond coach Damien Hardwick frustrated by undisciplined acts from Tigers
The Tigers premiership defence is on shaky ground after they were completely outplayed by St Kilda. Coach Damien Hardwick was furious with Richmond’s undisciplined play which gave away crucial goals.
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Richmond is out-of-form, undisciplined and at the crossroads of their season according to frustrated coach Damien Hardwick.
The Tigers premiership defence is on shaky ground after they were completely outplayed by St Kilda at Marvel Stadium leaving them with just one win from the opening four rounds.
Hardwick warned his players that things had to change quickly at Punt Rd with the 26-point loss coming after an equally poor performance against Hawthorn last week.
“We have been in this situation before and we‘ve dug ourselves out of it but we’ve got some work to do there is no doubt about it,” he said.
“We‘re certainly well off the pace and not playing a Richmond-style of game at the moment.
“Absolutely it is (desperation stakes), absolutely. The season is shortened, we understand that every win is incredibly valuable especially early in the season and we have to start getting some Ws in our column.”
The Tigers coach was furious about several undisciplined acts, namely by defenders Nick Vlastuin and David Astbury, which resulted in St Kilda goals in the second half.
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“It was really disappointing, especially the things that we can control,” Hardwick said.
”We will deal with that this week but they are the things that are incredibly disappointing for us as a group.
“When you have been working incredibly hard to get yourself back into the game and then to give away two cheap goals in the third.
“We have got to get better, that‘s on us. It’s on me as a coach, that’s on us as a leadership group we’ve just got to eradicate that from our game.
“You look over the course of the games, over the first three or four rounds, I think we‘d give up the most free-kick goals in the competition. You can have a look at it but I guarantee we would be No.1.”
Dan Butler oh my word!#AFLSaintsTigers pic.twitter.com/3mUeO8aCrR
— AFL (@AFL) June 27, 2020
Hardwick said the main problem was a large portion of his better players were simply out-of-form,
Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin returned against the Saints after a week out with a rib injury and had minimal impact with 19 possessions.
Full-forward Jack Riewoldt kicked one goal from minimal opportunities, Kane Lambert and Josh Caddy struggled in the midfield while the Tigers small forward brigade didn‘t fire again.
“There is a weight of numbers of our better performing players not playing well enough,” Hardwick said.
“As a side we are always going to struggle when the weight of numbers suggests that we have got more players performing below capacity than we should.”
He said the five-day turnaround to a Thursday night showdown with West Coast at Metricon Stadium would work in the Tigers favour.
“Connection is one of the strong suits of our club and it has probably been lacking through the conditions we are in, we accept that and understand that,” Hardwick said.
“This will give us an opportunity to go away and get a bit of steely resolve into the playing group, give us a challenge against another side that is nowhere near its best at the moment too.
“So it‘s going to be a really important game for both clubs. We have to make sure we play our best and bring our best.”
‘THE BUTLER’ LEADS THE WAY AS TIGERS’ SLUMP CONTINUES
Cluedo might not be Damien Hardwick‘s preferred board game but he left Marvel Stadium last night muttering a famous line associated from it: “The butler did it”.
To be precise it was St Kilda forward Dan Butler with his right foot that ensured Richmond‘s premiership defence continues to splutter.
The former Tiger kicked three goals, one in each quarter, as an inspired St Kilda completely outplayed the Tigers who are now winless from three games since the season resumption.
Questions about their hunger will be raised again and there was certainly a grumpiness about the Tigers.
Defender Nick Vlastuin was the chief offender giving away two goals with undisciplined acts while fullback David Astbury handed Butler his third goal after giving away a downfield free-kick.
While the defending champs were seemingly stuck in second gear, the Saints brought an energy and excitement that was missing the previous week against Collingwood.
They kicked four of the first five goals of the game and basically held that margin for the rest of the afternoon,
There were plenty of Saints putting their hands up with Tim Membrey joining Butler with three goals while Dean Kent, Rowan Marshall and Jack Lonie each kicked two.
Ex-Swan Zak Jones did a lot of the damage earlier before going off with a hamstring strain while Jack Billings was impressive with 25 possessions.
ONE RUCK FOR SAINTS
St Kilda’s recruitment of Paddy Ryder confused many and those doubters will have enjoyed the performance of Rowan Marshall.
Marshall was a revelation last year when he blossomed as the Saints one and only ruckman.
As many tipped, sharing the role was something the youngster struggled with but with Ryder a late withdrawal because of soreness he got the chance to go alone again.
And Marshall flourished, having an enthralling battle with returning Richmond ruckman Toby Nankervis.
He finished with two goals - including an important one early in the final term - from 15 touches, 10 contested possessions and 25 hit-outs.
NO DUSTY, NO RICHMOND?
The theory about no Dustin Martin, no Richmond can be put to bed.
When the Tigers were thrashed by Hawthorn last week with the Brownlow Medallist missing, his absence - because of a rib injury - was certainly highlighted.
But Martin was a non-factor against the Saints, struggling to have any significant influence from his 19 possessions.
Dion Prestia and Shane Edwards were the only Tigers through the midfield who were serviceable.
RIEWOLDT’S SLUMP CONTINUES
THE spotlight is always on Jack Riewoldt in the lead-up to this fixture but it was more for the wrong reasons this week.
Richmond facing off with St Kilda is always special for the Tigers full-forward given it‘s known as ’Maddie’s Match in honour of his late cousin with the match used to raise awareness and funds for bone marrow failure.
But it was Riewoldt‘s form which was the talking point leading in with suggestions he’d lost his hunger with no goals and barely touching the ball in the Tigers two games since the resumption.
This trend continued as he didn‘t touch the ball until the final 30 seconds of the first quarter with his set-shot missing.
A brilliant set shot goal from 45 metres on the boundary line early in the second quarter broke his drought and he did hand off a soda in the third quarter to Jack Higgins.
Riewoldt finished with 1.3 goals from seven touches while his partner in crime Tom Lynch kicked two goals in the first quarter but was then well held for the rest of the day by Jake Carlisle.
ST KILDA 5.2 8.2 12.2 15.3 (93)
RICHMOND 4.1 6.3 9.5 10.7 (67)
GOALS
St Kilda: Butler 3, Membrey 3, Lonie 2, Kent 2, Marshall 2, Battle, Hill, Marsh
Richmond: Lynch 2, Bolton 2, Edwards, Castagna, Riewoldt, Stack, Higgins, Nankervis
BEST
Saints: Marshall, Butler, Billings, Steele, Hill, Battle, Jones, Kent.
Tigers: Prestia, Edwards, Cotchin, Short, Nankervis.
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Dan Batten
With a bevy of small forwards at their disposal, Richmond let Dan Butler go for next to nothing in last year’s trade period.
After a blistering start to the season at his new club, a reinvigorated Butler, who arrived at Moorabbin in exchange for pick 56 in the 2019 draft, is making the Tigers pay.
Butler was the No. 1 ranked Saint at three-quarter-time with 100 KFC SuperCoach points, winning 11 disposals, slotting three goals and giving the Saints speed and creativity forward of centre.
The Richmond premiership player’s third major was the dagger in the heart of Tiger coach Damien Hardwick, curling a set shot through from an impossible angle with a miraculous snap.
Dan Butler oh my word!#AFLSaintsTigers pic.twitter.com/3mUeO8aCrR
— AFL (@AFL) June 27, 2020
It could have been four if he kicked truly from another chance close to goal.
His impact is worlds away from the inconsistent player who managed just five goals from seven games in 2019.
Prior to his hitout against his former club, Butler was ranked third for goals and SuperCoach points at the Saints, leading the club in tackles and score involvements.
A humble Butler said he was “so proud” of his new side for knocking off the reigning premiers.
“It was pretty awesome, obviously got such great respect for them, they’re an amazing team. Got so many mates there,” Butler told Fox Footy post-game.
“It was awesome to get the win but I know they’ll bounce back at some stage.”
Originally published as Richmond coach Damien Hardwick frustrated by undisciplined acts from Tigers