Richmond has several players who have dropped off and it’s not hard to pinpoint who, writes Jon Ralph

DAMIEN Hardwick says it would be unfair to start naming names at Richmond but it isn’t hard to pinpoint who he is talking about, writes Jon Ralph.

SPORT - AFL, West Coast Eagles vs Richmond Tigers, Subiaco Oval, Perth. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. PICTURED- Richmond's Dustin Martin can't hide his frustration after the loss, as he leaves the ground

DAMIEN Hardwick says it would be unfair to start naming names at Richmond in a season going nowhere fast.

So we will.

Richmond’s tactics, leadership, coaching structure have all been scrutinised but let’s bottom-line it.

If your best players don’t fire your game-plan gets ripped apart and those stats coaches spout on a weekly basis begin to trend in a poisonous direction.

Richmond’s best three players this year are no surprise to anyone: Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt.

Kamdyn McIntosh has provided drive from defence and a handful of kids can be excused.

From there is just gets plain ugly.

Champion Data ratings for the first five rounds compared to last year show a dozen or so key players whose averages have plummeted.

They include Anthony Miles (-16.3), Shane Edwards (-16.1), Ty Vickery (-12.7), Nick Vlaustin (-7.4), Dustin Martin (-11.5) and Brandon Ellis (-5.2).

The lunacy of the criticism of Cotchin is that he is averaging 5.4 more possessions (30.4), 2.3 more contested possessions (2.3), 1.7 more clearances (1.7) and 80 more metres gained (421).

Richmond players not performing.

Hardwick said of his growing band of passengers: “I’d love to individualise but the reality is we have got too many players at this stage that aren’t playing as well as I think they can.”

It isn’t hard to pinpoint who he is talking about.

Dustin Martin’s first two weeks were respectable, but his formline has dropped off a cliff.

Last week against West Coast he toiled away with maximum intent and minimum effect.

On Sunday despite bakes from midfield coach Brendon Lade at quarter-time and Hardwick at three-quarter time, he never got going.

How many stars has Damien Hardwick introduced since he arrived compared to Paul Roos’ dramatic list overhaul at the Demons?

He has only two goals in five games after 24 last year, just six clearances in the past three weeks, and has a form-line reflective of his team.

The frustration for Hardwick against Melbourne is that Shane Edwards and Anthony Miles actually returned to something resembling 2015 form.

Yet the Tigers were still belted in close in yet another indication of this club’s midfield malaise.

Edwards and Miles (six clearances each) actually started winning clean midfield ball in close after injury-affected seasons.

Macca’s take on Richmond’s loss to Melbourne.

Edwards has come back from a broken hand and Hardwick last week stated Miles was dropped in Round 4 after trying to play hurt for the first three weeks.

Call them excuses, reasons, explanations, but with Brett Deledio out and that pair ineffective, the centre square dynamic is just off.

A valid question asked since Sunday’s loss is how many stars has Hardwick introduced since he arrived compared to Paul Roos’ dramatic list overhaul at the Demons?

Brandon Ellis looked to be trending in the elite direction.

He isn’t any more.

His 19 possessions went for 254 metres gained against Melbourne, a succinct way of saying the long-kicking, hard-running midfielder has stagnated.

Tyrone Vickery is a lethal finisher but doesn’t do a lot to help his teammates.

Ty Cickery, Trent Cotchin and Shaun Grigg walk off the MCG after Sunday night’s loss to Melbourne. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

He took three marks for three goals but in a reactive and panicky backline isn’t the hit-up forward who released the pressure valve.

Key players with enough experience and enough hunger just aren’t getting it done.

What can Richmond do but try to get that cheap win - Port Adelaide awaits - and hope its players say “enough is enough”, as Hardwick hopes.

Edwards, his formline finally climbing, says it isn’t too late yet.

“I guess the positive is there is still a fair bit of footy left in the season so we have got time,’’ he told 3AW.

“Even the year before last we ended up 3-10 and made finals. We have dug deeper holes but we can’t keep doing this if we want to reach where we want to go.”

Tigers on the slide.