Tigers on the hunt for early kills
BY:GREG DENHAM From: The Australian March 27, 2013 12:00AM
THE MCG season opener tomorrow night can't come quick enough for Richmond coach Damien Hardwick despite the Tigers never having beaten Carlton in his three years at Punt Road.
In fact, Richmond has not beaten Carlton since round one in 2008.
But yesterday, Hardwick reiterated his call that it was time the Tigers stepped up with early wins to put them in the frame for their first finals appearance since 2001.
In 2010, Richmond lost its first nine games in a tough initiation for the new coach. Two years ago, the Tigers did not record an outright win until round five and last season they lost to Carlton and Collingwood in the first two rounds before defeating easybeat Melbourne.
After promising so much in recent season-opening encounters against the Blues, Richmond has capitulated each time to lose by 44 points, 20 points, 56 points and 83 points four years ago.
But this year -- facing Mick Malthouse for the first time in Malthouse's new role as Carlton coach -- Hardwick wants to reverse recent trends. He has also never beaten Malthouse in their head-to-head battles, having been thoroughly eclipsed in both 2010 and 2011 games against the Malthouse-led Magpies. The improving Tigers had 10 wins and a draw last season but lost five matches by 10 points or fewer, and have again recruited well to satisfy specific needs.
"The thing we've seen this year is we have not played well over the course of the pre-season, but still got the results we were after," Hardwick said. "That's what good sides do, and that's what we're starting to become.
"The guys just have to deliver that on a consistent basis . . . a steely resolve about getting over the line."
This pre-season, the Tigers have beaten Essendon, Hawthorn (after the final siren) and the Western Bulldogs.
Hardwick said one of the pleasing aspects of the win against the Bulldogs was that new captain and midfield star Trent Cotchin and key forward Jack Riewoldt had quiet games.
"The consistency and the depth have improved enormously," he said.
"The best place to be is (when) expectations are high.
"That's where you get your best results.
"We have put the pressure on our guys this year to march their way up the ladder -- as have probably 17 other clubs."
Hardwick said it was no surprise to him that the Blues had overhauled their game style and were playing very similar to how Malthouse coached Collingwood in his final years with the Magpies before Nathan Buckley took over at the end of 2011.
"We have no doubt they're going to be a very formidable outfit," Hardwick said.
"Mick coaches very, very well. He's had great success with that game plan over the course of two decades, even more. He won't divert much from that plan and why should he?"
The only Richmond players unavailable for the start of the premiership season are defenders Dylan Grimes (hamstring) and David Astbury (foot) and midfielder Nathan Foley, who will miss at least another month due to ongoing achilles tendon problems.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-on-the-hunt-for-early-kills/story-fnca0u4y-1226607152096
