Damien Hardwick senses a breakthrough recreation is not distant for Tigers famous person Dustin Martin, who he described as a “spirit level” for the Richmond facet.
The Tigers will host Gold Coast on Sunday at Marvel Stadium, with each groups determined for a win to jump-start their AFL season.
Richmond have banked just one victory from six video games to sit down in unfamiliar territory close to the underside of the ladder however coach Hardwick mentioned it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
“If you look at outcome, we’ve had four losses in a row. But for four games we’ve been within a goal of the opposition in the last quarter, so there’s a lot of things we’re doing right,” Hardwick mentioned at Punt Road Oval on Friday.
“Unfortunately, the winning element is not the one that we’re nailing at the moment.
“It’s an extended yr … narratives are necessary within the AFL media panorama however nobody is aware of the place the season’s going.
“Sides that have been nine-zip in previous years have not made finals so we’ll just control what we can control, and we’ll work hard and we’ll get better.”
Tigers talisman Martin has been stable however not spectacular within the opening rounds, final Monday booting one aim and three behinds of their 18-point loss to Melbourne.
Hardwick felt the 31-year-old Brownlow medallist mirrored the Tigers, with each near regaining their finest type.
“He was this close last week to breaking that game open, and we know and he knows that he’s a real spirit level of our footy club,” the coach mentioned of Martin.
“Richmond spirit is based around certain players, and he’s one of those guys that brings that.
“We felt he was actually, actually shut – he had some nice phases of play final week and doubtless simply did not capitalise.
“He kicked one goal, three, and when he’s firing on his whole eight cylinders he’s probably kicking three-one which is a difference-maker to the competition.
“But he is constructing slowly into the season so we stay up for him ripping a recreation aside fairly shortly.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
