Hardwick's post-match media conference / We were manhandled around the contest

[one-eyed]

A snippett from Dimma's presser:

* We were manhandled around the contest. Lost contested footy & tackles by a fair margin. North were outstanding. Every down the line contest they had more numbers and swarmed from there.

* Hard to win consecutive games in this comp. We were going for 4 in a row. It's so even that if you're off 10% you get smacked around like we did tonight. Nowhere near our best footy but that's taking credit away from North.

* At half-time, we were only 4 points down but to be honest it felt more than that. North were on top. We changed some things at half-time but they then kicked 6 straight.

* Lynch tried hard. We perhaps could have protected him more.

* North last two weeks have gone down more the line which is more like how they had traditionally played in previous years. Earlier this year they had been reluctant to do this.

[Buddysucks]

We struggle against any team that brings constant physical pressure. Even injury free, we lack a few bruisers that can stand up and dish it back. Every time we got tackled tonight they would grind us into the ground after the play left the area. I really hate North Melbourne and everything that stand for.

[Diocletian]

oh look....

[one-eyed]

‘Manhandled’ Tigers not hitting panic button

Jon Ralph,
Herald Sun
1 June, 2019

Damien Hardwick believes his side can quickly bounce back against Geelong despite being “manhandled” by North Melbourne’s midfielders in a disappointing 37-point Marvel Stadium loss.

The Tigers dropped to 7-4 ahead of a Friday night date with Geelong next week, belted in close and exposed in defence because of North Melbourne’s midfield ascendancy.

Captain Trent Cotchin got through the game well after seven weeks out with hamstring issues, but despite three goals from Dustin Martin the Roos’ midfield was brilliant.

Hardwick said complacency was no issue but after six wins in the past seven weeks he conceded stringing together long sequences of games was tough in an even competition.

“It was disappointing. We got manhandled in and around the contest, we lost the contested possessions by 20, we lost the tackle count. North Melbourne were outstanding. Their ability to break tackles and clear the ball was very good. Every long down the line contest they seemed to have more numbers and swarmed from there.

“But I am confident we will bounce back. There hasn’t been a great sequence or a long streak of winning games. The competition is incredibly even and if you are off by 10 per cent you can get smacked around like we did tonight.

“That is taking little away from North. They were outstanding in the contest and taught us a lesson.”

Richmond’s defence looked disorganised given the Roos’ dominance, with Garry Lyon saying in the SEN box the Tigers at one stage looked a “shambles”.

But Hardwick was confident the issues were in the midfield rather than a back six missing Alex Rance.

“I thought they smashed us at the contest. You can put your best plans in place but if you are belted around the contest you will always look disorganised. That is going to happen when you don’t compete as hard as you possibly should.”

Hardwick said new Roos coach Rhyce Shaw had tinkered with the club’s game style but playing down the line more than Brad Scott, who favoured aggressive ball movement.

“Previously they were reluctant to go long down the line. Tonight they defended the front half a lot better.”

North Melbourne physically targeted Richmond forward Tom Lynch, but Hardwick wasn’t overly concerned with the treatment.

“Tom battles and creates contests and kicked one but Tom has come up with that through his career. He is a good player and could he have been looked after a bit more (by the umpires?) Probably.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/damien-hardwick-confident-richmond-will-bounce-back-despite-loss-to-north-melbourne/news-story/61c4b38ca9780d5097219c7dd7e27074

[one-eyed]

Dimma disappointed after Tigers got 'smacked around' by North

AFL.com.au
Marc McGowan
Jun 1, 2019

A DISAPPOINTED Damien Hardwick is tipping Richmond to bounce back against Geelong next week after being "manhandled" by North Melbourne on Friday night.

The Tigers significantly lost the contested possession (153-131) and tackle (72-55) counts and the final 37-point margin may even be flattering after they conceded eight straight goals at one point.

Richmond entered the contest inside the top four and fresh from four straight victories, but never looked likely other than a brief patch late in the first half where it briefly hit the front.

"What we're finding in the competition at the moment is it's very hard to win consecutive games on end," Hardwick said.

"I think we'd won four on the trot (but) there hasn't been a great sequence of long streaks winning games, so the competition's incredibly even and you can be off by 10 per cent and get smacked around like we did tonight.

"It's disappointing. We've played some good footy but tonight was well below our best.

"But that's probably taking a little bit away from North. I thought they were outstanding in the contest and taught us a lesson."

Hardwick noticed changes in the Kangaroos' style under caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw, including a greater reliance on kicking down the line after they were reluctant to do so this season.

The confidence to do so was, perhaps, aided by North's big forwards – Ben Brown, Mason Wood and Nick Larkey – combining to take seven contested marks.

However, the Tigers' coach was quick to defend his backline, pointing the finger squarely at how easily the ball was coming in.

"We were just getting smashed in and around the contest, so once again, we spoke about that after the game," Hardwick said.

"You can have the best plans in place to play but if you get belted up around the contest, you're always going to look disorganised, and that's what happens.

"The amount of times they just come in with smooth possession chain, and our backs are left hanging out, that's going to happen when you don't really compete as hard as you probably should."

Captain Trent Cotchin played his first match since round three after a hamstring injury and had 15 of his 23 disposals to half-time.

"He got through OK," Hardwick said.

"We knew there was going to be some rust, and the speed of the game and the competitive nature of it was going to take some time, but he'll be better for the experience.

"I thought he contributed well, though."

Hardwick also said star forward Tom Lynch, a physical target of North's all game, could have received more help from the umpires.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-05-31/dimma-disappointed-after-tigers-got-smacked-around