Dimma's presser today:
VIDEO:
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2016-04-28/hardwick-press-conference-april-28-------------------------------------------------------------
Tigers declare Deledio a certain starterHerald-Sun
28 April 2016BRETT Deledio is a certain starter for Richmond’s crunch clash with Port Adelaide on Saturday night, while coach Damien Hardwick remains “very confident” Jack Riewoldt will also play.
Deledio hasn’t played an AFL premiership season match since last year’s elimination final loss after suffering a quad injury late in the pre-season, and he was a late withdrawal for last week’s loss to Melbourne as a precaution.
When asked if Deledio would definitely take on the Power, Hardwick said: “Yes, which is a great result ... it was touch and go last week.”
“We thought about obviously playing him (against Melbourne), but there was still a little bit of risk there.
“We got another week into Brett, and he will train today and will be available selection, which is a pleasing result for us.”
Hardwick said Riewoldt’s injury had pulled up better than expected after suffering the injury early in the final quarter of the match against the Demons.
It blew up after the game, but the Tigers will name him tonight and the coach expects he will be right to play.
Brett Deledio will return for Richmond on Saturday. Picture: Mike Keating
“(He’s) pulled up remarkably well,” Hardwick said. “I am very confident he will play.
“Jack is very diligent in his recovery ... he has been at the club up and down, icing and all those sort of things that are required from a professional athlete.”
“Jack has given himself every chance to play. He will do a limited amount today but once again he has put his hand up to play.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/damien-hardwick-declares-brett-deledio-a-certain-starter-for-richmond-against-port-adelaide/news-story/444a35edff393d811d4499d66d91d2fd-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tall forward Ben Griffiths could return, with Hardwick looking for a "taller, athletic key position player" to come in after All Australian defender Alex Rance was suspended for two matches.
Small defender Nick Vlastuin is not available because of a knee injury and ran laps at Thursday's session along with tall forward Liam McBean, whose right calf was heavily strapped.
Third-year prospect Ben Lennon, who has been in and out of the team this season, trained with the forwards and did not appear troubled by a head knock he suffered in the VFL at the weekend.
Hardwick praised Rance for the way he handled the furore surrounding his suspension for striking Jack Watts in the back of the head but said the team had to move on quickly.
With Port Adelaide similarly reeling and under pressure at 2-3, the coach expected a desperate contest at the MCG.
"I'd be disappointed – and Ken (Hinkley) would be the same – if we didn't get that," Hardwick said.
"It is a very important game this week, make no doubt about that, and Port Adelaide would be saying the same thing.
"You can't keep giving sides a three or four-game head start and expecting to reel them back in towards the end."
Rather than 'putting the acid' on his team after its disappointing start to the season, Hardwick said he had tried to reinforce "the things we know work".
He dismissed criticism of the club's list management strategy, which has included aggressive mature-age recruiting in both the NAB AFL Draft and Rookie Draft.
"It does get questioned this time of year when you're not performing well," he said.
"As I said earlier this year, I think our squad is in a good place … we'll get some players back over the next two to three weeks and we'll start to see some better football.
"But I've got a group of 22 players who are going to represent our club this week who I expect a high level of performance from."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-28/hardwick-confident-jack-riewoldt-will-be-fit-for-crunch-game----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tigers focus on what works richmondfc.com.au
28 April 2016Positive reinforcement is a key part of Richmond’s approach to turning around its slow start to the 2016 season.
With the Tigers struggling on just one win after five rounds, coach Damien Hardwick underlined the importance of “reinforcing the things we know work, and doing them to the level of expectation we have”.
“We’ve got a number of things that we measure our game on, and the majority of those have been below expectation,” Hardwick said.
“There are some things that we’re covering off okay, but they’re not quite to the level that we know we can.
“We’ve got to reach our standard of performance of last year, before we can go onwards and reach a new standard of performance this year.
“So, we’re trying to get back to that standard of performance of last year, and then take those steps forward to get us back to where we need to be.”
Along with the positive reinforcement at Tigerland, is a hard-line attitude from the coaching group towards the players’ performance.
“We put the acid on players on a weekly basis,” Hardwick said.
“With their performance, they get rated incredibly heavily.
“We forensically examine their games, and they get adequate feedback on a weekly basis. So the acid is always there.
“It’s a performance-based industry . . . if you don’t perform, you play seconds football.
“We’ve dropped a number of guys this year because of that. No greater example . . . Anthony Miles goes back week previous, plays a great game of footy for us last week . .”
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2016-04-28/tigers-focus-on-what-works
