Richmond coach Damien Hardwick wants his team to stay focused in 2019 as it chases another premiership

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick wants his team to maintain its focus this season as it chases a second premiership in three years, declaring the pursuit as like climbing El Capitan — a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, California.

The season looms as a sheer rock face but Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has backed his team to reach the summit this season.

The Tigers will be “hard to beat, fun to watch and proud to be Richmond”, he said, with new recruit Tom Lynch declaring he would play in some capacity next weekend.

Hardwick likened the Tigers’ pursuit of a second premiership within three years to the famed El Capitan — a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, California, which stands more than 2000m tall.

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“This is shaping up … as one of the most even seasons of AFL football we will ever see,” Hardwick said at the Tigers’ season launch at Docklands on Friday night.

“There are so many teams looming as genuine premiership chances and others look like they will make significant gains this year and improve and climb up the ladder.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick speaks to his players during the JLT Series. Picture: Getty

“When I think of this challenge, I’m taken back to a recent visit to the beautiful Yosemite National Park in California.

“Climbing (El Capitan) it is an incredibly tough experience. None is tougher than the sheer granite face called the Dawn Wall. It had never been successfully scaled until a climber did in 2015. I found myself at the bottom of this sheer wall, looking in disbelief that anyone could possibly contemplate firstly climbing the beast, let alone actually completing the task.”

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Hardwick, who led the team to its 2017 premiership victory over Adelaide, said the monstrous granite monolith and it’s challenging “pitches” — where climbers plot their route to the summit — required focus not dissimilar to that required of his team.

“The summit never moves,” he explained.

“It’s always there. But it’s the process you’ve got to get to the summit requires immense thought and concentration. For the climbers, it’s all about concentrating on what you’re doing right here, right now, looking for the correct foothold and the correct ledge to place your fingers in.

Dustin Martin celebrates a goal for the Tigers.

“More importantly, the backing of your strengths as a climber.

“For us as a team, it is a similar approach to achieving our goal in 2019. Staying totally focused in the moment, and not being distracted by anything else, because believing in your strengths as an individual and our strengths as a team. It is also about enjoying what we do and more importantly who we are. It’s just about playing the game, and that’s what we do best.

“It will also require plenty of work … if we can do that, then every pitch will be attainable and the summit will be within our reach at season’s end.

“The first pitch comes Thursday night. Bring a smile, enjoy the climb in 2019.”

Jack Baggott and Tony Free were inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame on Friday night, with Jack Titus and Roger Dean elevated to Immortal status.