No coach was under more pressure to perform coming into the 2017 AFL season than Damien Hardwick.
Richmond looked defeated and directionless at the end of last season and few thought that ‘Dimma’ would be around long enough to chase an illusive finals victory.
Fast forward to Round 12 and Hardwick has defied the critics. The Tigers currently sit inside the top-four and could have been even higher if not for some bewildering brain farts against GWS and Fremantle.
After years of mediocre recruiting, Richmond finally nailed their off-season. Toby Nankervis has been a monster presence in the middle and around the ground, Dion Prestia has relieved the ball-winning pressure on Trent Cotchin and Josh Caddy has provided handy depth.
Their defence has been absolutely rock solid too, conceding the second-least number of points to Round 12. Alex Rance remains clearly the best defender in the league, while Dylan Grimes and David Astbury have provided great support.
While Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt are having excellent seasons, the continued reliance on them to kick goals is a concern for a finals aspirant ranked 10th for offence. The mosquito fleet of Jason Castagna, Daniel Rioli, Dan Butler and more recently Shai Bolton are helping with their pressure, but the Tiges will be really under the pump should either Riewoldt or Martin miss games.
For the first time in a long time, the future is looking promising at Tigerland. They are playing a much exciting brand of footy, their coaching ranks have been bolstered by the arrival of the highly touted Blake Caracella and former Brisbane coach Justin Leppistch, they have an extra first round pick in the draft and most importantly are looking good for a finals berth.
It’s now up to Hardwick and his team to stop teasing, and finally deliver some sustained success for the long-suffering Tiger Army.
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