How Damien Hardwick helped Richmond move on from preliminary disaster

PREMIERSHIP Tiger Nick Vlastuin has revealed how Richmond coach Damien Hardwick put the heartbreak of their stunning preliminary final upset into perspective as they prepare for an assault on 2019.

Nick Vlastuin says coach Damien Hardwick put the Tigers shattering preliminary final loss into perspective.

PREMIERSHIP Tiger Nick Vlastuin has revealed how Richmond coach Damien Hardwick put the heartbreak of their stunning preliminary final upset into perspective as they prepare for an assault on 2019.

The 24-year-old said Hardwick had a simple message when he brought the group together four days after the 39-point loss that dumped the then-reigning premiers out of the finals: ‘Shit happens’.

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Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was quick to put the Tigers’ preliminary final loss into perspective. Picture: Getty Images

“Dimma just sat down and said pretty much ‘shit happens’, put it in perspective,” Vlastuin said on SEN this morning.

“He looked at the whole year, (it was a) pretty successful year — we only lost six games and Collingwood just played too good that day.

“He tried to get us to move on pretty quick because you don’t really get better dwelling on such a bad game for us.

Vlastuin — sans his trademark in-season woodcutter beard — said he was happy to see the premiership cup head to Perth “and not really hear about it too much since”.

Out with the old: A bearded Nick Vlastuin in September. Picture: Getty Images

In with the new: Vlastuin at Tiger training earlier this week. Picture: Getty Images

Star recruit Tom Lynch had been champing at the bit to get back into training as he continued his rehabilitation from a PCL injury.

“He’s going really well, he’s in rehab still, so not with the main group,” Vlastuin said.

“Pretty much two weeks before even our young boys were back, he was in there every day.

“He’s had a pretty extended break (due to injury) so he was keen to get back into it.

“As far as I can tell, he’s fitting in really well.”

Tom Lynch has settled in well at Tigerland. Picture: Getty Images

Fresh off a trip to Sumatra to learn more about tiger conservation, Vlastuin said a number of young Tigers had impressed, early doors, but they would have to bide their time behind some of the more seasoned guns.

“Going from preseason Liam Baker’s been training really well in that small half forward role, but that’s a pretty hard position to bust into,” he said.

“We’ve got a couple of key backs who are pretty good — the boys really like Ryan Garthwaite, so hopefully he can play a few games, but then he’s competing against Dave Astbury and Alex Rance, so once again, pretty tough.”

He said 2017 father-son pick Patrick Naish was working hard to improve his defensive running.

Young defender Ryan Garthwaite is waiting in the wings for the Tigers. Picture: Michael Klein