Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says the Tigers will play finals next year
RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick believes his side will return to finals as soon as next year. Is he right? Have your say.
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RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick believes his side will return to finals as soon as next year.
The Tigers have had a horror 2016 season, which was highlighted by giving up a 35-point three-quarter time lead against Geelong to lose by four points on Sunday.
Richmond has won just eight games this year and looks set to undergo a major list overhaul in the off-season.
However, Hardwick is adamant the club will return to finals in 2017.
“I personally think it will be a quick bounce back,” he said.
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“I think we will be back in finals next year. I’d be disappointed if we are not in finals next year. Winning finals is obviously the thing we are about and haven’t been successful thus far.
“We’ve been disappointed with that part but the potential I see in the players we have got … we are going to be, in my eyes, playing finals next year.”
Hardwick said the club would be targeting the best players available as part of its list management strategy this off-season.
The club has been heavily linked with Gold Coast Suns midfielder Dion Prestia.
“Dion Prestia is a nice player. There are a couple of nice players out there,” Hardwick said on Fox Footy.
While bringing in Prestia would likely command Richmond’s first round pick, the Tigers are planning on using that on some exciting young talent.
“You need to get the best available player. In saying that and where we are positioned at the moment, pick five or pick six I’m not exactly sure, you get to get a good player and that is going to be exciting for our football club.
“Ideally we’d love to be picking 10,11 or 12 or number 18. From our point of view we just need some better talent like most sides do at the moment.”
The Tigers will take on St Kilda on Saturday.
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