Richmond's 4 games at a time AFL planRoger Vaughan and Greg Buckle
Ninemsn
15:35 AEST Sun May 8 2011Richmond are tackling this AFL season four weeks at a time.
It's not quite as catchy as one of the most common cliches in professional sport, but the slighty longer view is paying off for the developing Tigers.
Richmond won their third-straight game on Saturday night when they beat Fremantle by 49 points.
Their current four-game period ends next Sunday with a massive clash against the struggling Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
While Richmond are desperate to keep building on their newly-found form, the Bulldogs are 2-4 and must win.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick gave an insight on Sunday into how they have approached their first seven games of the season.
After a round-one loss to Carlton and a draw against St Kilda, Richmond suffered heavy losses against Hawthorn and Collingwood.
"Our draw in the first four weeks was very tough ... I think we played three of the top four sides at present," Hardwick told ABC Radio.
"We always knew it was going to be a tough start.
"Then we had this four-week block that we thought presented us with an opportunity to really solidify our season and give us an opportunity to see where we really are at."
As excitement builds about the Tigers, Hardwick was asked what they might be able to achieve this season.
"As funny as it is, we do just work in the four-week block ... we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves," he said.
Hardwick also noted that the Bulldogs belted Richmond last year by 72 points.
The roar from the Richmond fans was massive in the last quarter on Saturday when their team kicked clear.
Hardwick, who coaches from the boundary line, admitted he sometimes was struggling to hear - even while wearing a headset so he could communicate with the coaches' box.
"I've never quite heard anything like it - it is that loud," he said.
"I've got the cans on my head, obviously, but trying to hear, especially in that last quarter whenwe had our tails up, the roar was just unbelievable.
"They really do act as a 19th man, I don't say that lightly.
"The footy club, when it gets up and going, who knows where it goes."
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