Hard loss for Tigers to swallow Glenn McFarlane
From: Herald Sun
May 20, 2012 RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick described the club's 19-point loss to Essendon as "a bitter pill to swallow", lamenting a slow start and some wayward ball-use at stages in the forward 50m.
Trailing by as much as seven goals early in the third term, the Tigers launched a bold second half bid to claim the points.
They took the lead early in the final term, but the Bombers regained control late in the contest.
"When you come from that far back, I think we we were down 35 at halftime, it was always going to be an enormous struggle," Hardwick said.
"To hit the front in the last quarter, you are always going to expend a certain amount of energy trying to get over the top. We just ran out of legs at the end."
Richmond had 66 inside 50s to the Bombers' 48, but at times the Tigers just lacked the composure to make the most of it.
"Look, Essendon played it very well, that's why they are up where they are (on the ladder),'' Hardwick said.
''But our ball use inside 50 was good at stages and then at other stages we just weren't quite as composed enough going inside 50, which probably cost us a bit.
"We will learn, we will get better, but it is a bitter pill to swallow once again."
The Tigers' cause was not helped by the loss of defender Dylan Grimes, who was subbed out of the game before halftime after suffering what Hardiwck said was a "minor hamstring" injury.
"It's not a significant one as compared to the corresponding game last year," Hardwick said of Grimes, who missed the second half of 2011 with a much more serious hamstring injury on his other leg.
"Hopefully it is OK, but it looks like a minor one at this stage."
The Tigers coach praised midfielder Brett Deledio for his game-high 35 touches and his 10 tackles.
"His (Deledio) ability to push forward and be really damaging inside 50m (has been important)," Hardwick said.
"His contested ball work has come on in leaps and bounds and that's probably one area of his game that I thought needed work, but he has just been enormous in that area this year.
"He has become an elite player in the competition, if he wasn't already there."
Hardwick also gave credit to ruckman Ivan Maric for his hard work in the ruck and Trent Cotchin for his tireless run.
"(Ivan) was fantastic, last week (against Sydney) I think I said he played an enormous game, this week was even better," Hardwick said.
"He was pretty close to this bloke (Deledio) as one of the better players on the ground."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/hard-loss-for-tigers-to-swallow/story-e6frf9jf-1226361190566Hardwick also praised the game of Tigers ruckman Ivan Maric, who had 22 possessions, nine marks and 29 hit-outs against the Bombers.
"He was fantastic. The amount of times he took a crucial mark when we needed [it] and used the ball well was fantastic," Hardwick said.
"I think last week I said he played an enormous game [against the Sydney Swans], this week was even better. Especially against a formidable combination of [Patrick] Ryder and [Tom] Bellchambers, I think he was … one of the better players on the ground."
Hardwick said defender Dylan Grimes, who was substituted out of the match late in the second quarter, had suffered only a minor hamstring strain. Significantly, he said Grimes' injury was not to the same hamstring he injured in last year's Dream Time at the 'G game, an injury that ruled him out of the rest of the 2011 season.
However, Hardwick said Grimes' injury had left Richmond's defence undermanned against Essendon's tall forwards but he was pleased with the way his defenders had coped.
"[Jake] Batchelor had to play taller. [Matt] Dea had to play taller. We were probably under the pump a little while," Hardwick said.
"But I was really pleased with the way those guys fought it out. Ryder was dangerous early … but overall I thought the guys battled manfully in the second half."
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