Tigers eye strong start to AFL seasonSBS/AAP
11 March 2012 | 05:43:07 PMRichmond coach Damien Hardwick admits there is a growing confidence that they can at last make a strong start to the AFL regular season.
While Hardwick calls Saturday's surprise pre-season win over Geelong "a small step", he is pleased with his team's progress in the past five months.
The Tigers open the season with a tough draw; their traditional round-one clash with Carlton then games against grand finalists Collingwood, Melbourne, premiers Geelong and top-four finishers West Coast (at home).
They have not beaten Carlton in round one since 2008 and have become notorious for putting themselves under pressure early in the season.
"We're a lot more confident this time this year than we have been (in) the last three years," Hardwick told Richmond fans on Sunday at the club's family day.
"You only have to look at the depth of our (list), the quality of our players - they've improved enormously from a development point of view, from a size and physicality point of view.
"We're very much looking forward to the challenge of the first five games."
The Tigers finished 15th and 12th in Hardwick's first two seasons as coach.
While Richmond should keep improving, there is strong speculation about Hardwick's future as he comes out of contract later this year.
Hardwick said the first two years were spent "transforming" Richmond's list.
"Now is when it does heat up, there's no doubt about that," he said.
"We've put some criteria to our guys, that we're looking to improve in certain areas.
"We certainly think there are some realistic expectations there."
While Saturday's 59-point win was in the pre-season, it was also the first time Richmond had won in Geelong since 2006.
It also heightens the expectations of the success-starved Richmond fans, who packed Punt Rd Oval for the family day.
This was the first time in about nine years that the Tigers' spiritual home has hosted the function and about 8000 fans attended, delighting club officials.
President Gary March said membership had topped 40,000 and was about 2500 up on this time last year as the club aims for 50,000.
"It's packed out there - a win will do that, that's for sure," said forward Brad Miller.
Miller would not buy into the speculation about Hardwick's future at the club, but made it clear he is impressed with his coach.
"It (any talks about Hardwick's contract) is none of our business, it's handled by people over and above us, so we just focus on our footy," Miller said.
"I love him, I reckon he's a great coach."
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