Tigers show early promiseMichael Gleeson and Peter Hanlon
February 18, 2012THEY were only abbreviated pre-season games and Richmond won one and lost the other but the way it played in both matches — and in defeating a premiership favourite in Hawthorn in particular — the Tigers had taken more "baby steps" forward, coach Damien Hardwick said.
The Tigers' pressure across the ground helped them push North Melbourne and surprisingly upstage Hawthorn last night in the opening triple-header at Etihad Stadium before a crowd of 28,228.
"I thought our pressure over the ground was a lot better [in both games] than it has been over the last year and a half, two years," Hardwick said.
"We brought in Ross Smith, obviously from Hawthorn, who knows their system so it is something that has worked out well."
Richmond defeated Hawthorn by three points without stars Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin after losing to North Melbourne by the same margin.
"Like I said, it is not so much the guys we have got out there but it is the system in place," Hardwick said.
"We have still got some improvements in that area. We certainly gave up some easy goals out the back, but we took some baby steps tonight."
The first game was marred by an off-the-ball clash between Tiger Reece Conca and Leigh Adams that left the North player prone on the ground.
Grainy footage suggested that Conca would have a case to answer from the match review panel.
"I am on the bench so I didn't see it. It is what it is, I suppose. We will wait to see what happens," Hardwick said.
Hardwick otherwise praised the game of Conca and youngsters Todd Elton, Steve Morris and Brandon Ellis.
He also liked the games of the two Marics — Ivan and Addam — in their first match for the Tigers.
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