Damien Hardwick not giving up on Richmond as he looks to 2017 season

DEFIANT Richmond coach Damien Hardwick insisted the Tigers were a finals-standard side — but the team just had not played well enough.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick. Picture: Getty Images

DEFIANT Richmond coach Damien Hardwick insisted the Tigers were a finals-standard side — but the team just had not played well enough.

Hardwick dismissed growing speculation about his future as his side prepared for Friday night’s crucial clash against Collingwood at the MCG.

With just seven wins from 18 outings and coming off an 88-point hiding, the Tigers are under intense pressure.

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But Hardwick said he would not be panicked, using the final four rounds to adjust game plans and try players in new positions.

“It’s all about finding the next step for us,” Hardwick said.

“There is no point continuing to do the same things if you’re not going to make the finals — it’s an area of opportunity for us.

“As a coaching group we come with new plans, we come with new processes; it’s an exciting time for us.

“We still want to win, the players go out there trying their best every time, as a coaching group we do the same … we feel we’re a finals calibre side, we haven’t played well enough, (and) it’s probably the first year we’ve really been challenged through injury as well.”

The under-fire coach backed in most of the team that was humiliated by GWS in Canberra last week, dropping just Kane Lambert, while Reece Conca will miss with a hamstring injury.

Coach Damien Hardwick with Trent Cotchin, Adam Marcon and Dustin Martin at training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Big man Ben Griffiths returns while former Power midfielder Andrew Moore will play his second game for Richmond.

Collingwood’s Rising Star nominee Darcy Moore’s hamstring injury hasn’t recovered and he misses, replaced by Mason Cox, with Jarryd Blair coming in for Jordan De Goey.

Hardwick flagged changes to ball movement out of the centre square tonight and a more attacking style overall against the Magpies to combat a drop off in production over the past two rounds.

“We get an opportunity to get an upfront look at things we’re looking to implement next year,” Hardwick said.

“Offensively you’d say it’s not working with eight goals over two weeks but we’re working our way through those things.

“We are trying some different styles of ball movement; we’ve spoken openly about how we’re looking to springboard in 2017.”

Macca’s take on Damien Hardwick and Richmond’s season.

Richmond got pummelled last week, kicking three goals against a relentless GWS in Canberra.

“Our pressure ratings and all that were sky high, we just got smacked around the ball by a better side,” Hardwick said.

“Our guys are quick and very diligent to understand the errors they’re making, we’ll continue to work on that, if we get that part right, we’ll get a lot more than 38 entries inside 50 this week.”

Hardwick said the Tigers must embrace what will be a “fierce contest” against Collingwood tonight at the MCG.

“We got to get through it, if we get the game on our terms we’ll go OK, we allow them to play the way they want to play we’ll be in trouble.”

Richmond star forward Brett Deledio, sidelined with a calf complaint, trained away from the main group on Thursday and will run again tomorrow in the hope of playing against Geelong next week.

“It’s been the pits,” Deledio told RSN of his recent run with muscle-related injuries.

“I really want to get up for next week … we haven’t beaten Geelong since my second year at the club so we owe those blokes a couple.”