Tigers ready, willing and able for season restartWhether it’s quarantine hubs, fly in-fly out, or any of the other myriad of options being floated as a possibility to get the 2020 AFL season restarted, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has declared that the Tigers are all in.
“We can’t wait . . . We’re dying to get back and we’re dying to play,” Hardwick said.
“The public health is always the number one. It’s for the greater good of the community that we’ll always first and foremost make a judgment call, as will the AFL. But understand, Richmond Football Club, as a whole, will play anywhere, anytime,” Hardwick said.
“What we will then, though, look at is each individual case for our players.
“We will not force a player to play if they’ve got a reason that they don’t want to play.
“The Club is in, but from an individual point of view, we’ll respect and support each individual choice when it comes to hubs.
“There’ll be no hard feelings from our point of view.
“We’ve got a great playing list that’s capable of maintaining a good win-loss record along the way, but first and foremost, we’re looking to play anywhere at any time.”
It was revealed early this week that, in the worst-case scenario, players could be quarantined in hubs for 20 out of 21 weeks (if they made it all the way through to the Grand Final). Hardwick, however, strongly doubts that extreme option would eventuate.
“I think there’s a very, very low probability of that happening, especially with the great job the community is doing in flattening the curve and continuing the trend that we are the moment,” Hardwick said.
“There might be a stage where we go into the initial hub, but it’s something that the AFL will work through and keep co-ordinating and communicating with clubs . . .”
Hardwick is sure the Tigers will be well prepared for their return to on-field action, whenever that is.
“We’re very fortunate . . . We’ve got a terrific strength and conditioning staff and medical staff that have put together a very thorough program to prepare the players. And our playing group are very driven as well to get back and play. They’ve been doing a power of work to make sure they’re ready to go when the whistle comes,” he said.
“Obviously footy will be a little bit different because they haven’t been able to train as a collective group. But we’ve got a really strong game plan that’s been implemented and embedded over a number of years.
“We’re very confident that our boys will be ready to go when we come back.”
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/588508/tigers-ready-willing-and-able-for-season-restart
