Tigers remind flag hopefuls of brutal realityBen McKay
Yahoo7
25 Aug 2018Richmond assistant coach Justin Leppitsch has sent a message to Tigers players hoping to snatch a premiership medallion in 2018: keep working.
Senior coach Damien Hardwick put the heat on his fringe players this week, saying players would be "stiff" to miss September action but he wouldn't hesitate to axe underperformers.
Leppitsch said "the selection pressure was real" and could fire Richmond.
"(Kane) Lambert is yet to come back and he's in our best team obviously. Dan Butler (too)," he told AAP.
"If they're fit and available we have to take out a couple more. It puts pressure on everyone in the team currently. This will be a good thing."
For Saturday's meeting of the last two premiers, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia and David Astbury come back in for Richmond, with Ryan Garthwaite, Liam Baker and Sam Lloyd omitted.
Leppitsch insisted Prestia had overcome hamstring issues.
"He wanted to play last week," he said.
"The conservative side of you always wants to rest players at this time of year but we've also got to put the work into them knowing there's a bye next week."
The Tigers have circled the contested footy as a key marker for their last hitout before the AFL finals begin, with Richmond red-hot favourites to claim back-to-back flags after winning their first minor premiership in 36 years.
Hardwick's side cannot be dislodged from top spot and will cherish a free hit against the Western Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs, though, have set a different course since winning the flag from seventh place in 2016, undergoing a rebuild that will see them miss the finals twice in succession.
But three wins in a row means the Doggies will present a tough challenge to Richmond, with assistant coach Justin Leppitsch highlighting a few boxes he'd like to see the Tigers tick.
"Injuries are the first thing we don't want to have," he said.
"The rest is getting our game style back to where we want it to be.
"We want to see a competitive side and we want our contested footy to be good."
The Bulldogs have promoted Bailey Williams and Roarke Smith at the expense of injured pair Tory Dickson and Lin Jong.
The match could have a celebratory feel as Richmond could show off the McClelland Trophy for finishing on top of the ladder.
Leppisch urged a focus on further tasks.
"Last year we had to win games late in the season and we were still hoping we were good enough," he said.
"We know now that we are. We've done the job before so it can be done again.
"We know the journey and we have to make sure we get there."
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