Tigers can be in premiership race in 2022 Hardwick

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick concedes his side “is not good enough”, with finals this season appearing all but over after a 39-point loss to Greater Western Sydney at Marvel Stadium, but he has declared the Tigers should be well placed to launch another premiership run next year.

The Giants’ clinical win over the Tigers on Friday night has elevated them into seventh spot and strengthened their finals aspirations with one home-and-away round remaining. They face Carlton next weekend and may need to win this to rubber-stamp a September berth.

Tigers head coach Damien Hardwick said the team was “clearly not good enough” at the moment.Credit:Getty Images

However, the Tigers are facing their first September off since 2016, having won only two of their past nine matches. They face Hawthorn next week and will be at least one game outside the top eight come the end of the round.

“It’s just been a really difficult year. We have had a tough year like most clubs. We have been in hubs, it’s been incredibly hard at various stages. We haven’t won the games we have needed to,” Hardwick said.

“We have lost probably three or four games by under 10 points ... but the fact of the matter is, at the moment, we are clearly not good enough. There are sides certainly a lot better than us playing in the finals at the moment.”

Hardwick said the Tigers were still hungry for success, but the bottom line was they were weary from four long finals campaigns, including back-to-back premierships, while injuries - the absence of Dustin Martin in particular - and even age have taken a toll.

However, the Tigers will have four selections inside the first two rounds of the national draft to play with, and Hardwick says his side can rebound quickly.

“I would hope so. The situation for us is, when we have a good pre-season, I think we will be a hell of a lot better. It’s been a tough road, three out of the last four years, long deep into September then, obviously, the last year we have had. I am not going to lie, this year has been as hard as it’s ever been,” he said.

“I think whoever wins this year is going to have an enormous tick beside their club. If our guys do refresh, regenerate a couple of things, get some young talent in and invest in the talent we have already got, I think we will be reasonably placed to have another crack.”

Triple-premiership veteran Bachar Houli, an unrestricted free agent, said on Friday he wants to play on next year. Houli, 33, is nursing an ankle injury which has derailed his season and his spot at half-back has been taken by Daniel Rioli.

Hardwick said Houli had been a “fantastic player for us” but the club and Houli’s management were working through whether he remained at Punt Rd.

The Tigers were clinically torched by the Giants, who curtailed the Tigers’ premiership blueprint of scoring from turnovers, while making it a strength of their own on a night they backed up their stunning performance against Geelong last week.

They were also polished with the ball and regularly refused to play on after marking, ensuring the Tigers’ defence was unable to set up.

Tigers’ skipper Trent Cotchin (31 disposals) and Jayden Short (32) worked tirelessly through the midfield but the depth of talent was not there. Dion Prestia had little impact, while Shai Bolton was unable to provide a spark. Key forwards Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch combined for three goals.

Giants coach Leon Cameron was delighted with his team’s ball movement, particularly in the first half as his side stormed to a 50-point lead.

“We haven’t won two in a row for a little while, that was really pleasing,” he said.

“We have known the equation for five weeks, that is just to keep winning. It is a unique season, it (the ladder) is really jammed up.”

Stand-in skipper Josh Kelly, having signed an eight-year contract extension worth close to $8 million through the week, was “first class”, with Cameron acknowledging his 32 touches, while also pointing to his 11 tackles.

Callan Ward and Jacob Hopper were fearless. The move of Tim Taranto to half forward worked a treat, and he had four goals before half-time.

“Firstly, his attitude was outstanding. He was our best player in the midfield last week ... going through the week, I shifted him up forward. He got on with business, he has been doing that all year, up forward, in the mids, some chopping and changing,” Cameron said.

The Giants had six inclusions and can welcome back more of their established names next week, including Toby Greene, who sat out because of suspension. Skipper Stephen Coniglio (toe) played 60 minutes of a scratch match on Friday against Richmond but Cameron did not declare him an automatic selection.

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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.

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