Pressure will test as crowd gathers
Players must step up: coach
RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick conceded the crowd would play a factor in the highly-anticipated preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney today but warned his side would have to bring its best pressure game to salute.
Speaking before the Tigers’ open training session yesterday morning, which was attended by thousands of fans, Hardwick said an expected Tiger army of more than 90,000 at the MCG this afternoon was an exciting prospect but would be far from a deciding factor.
“We’re pretty fortunate at the Richmond footy club that we get to play in front of big crowds most weeks,” Hardwick said.
“This is probably a little bit different obviously. There’s going to be a pretty parochial Tiger crowd behind us.
“But once they cross that white line the reality is they don’t get kicks, marks or handballs.
“Our players have got to fulfil the duty to get the job done.”
A win would see Richmond to its first grand final berth since 1982, giving it a chance to collect its first premiership cup since 1980.
However, Hardwick said that history was not something that had been a focus for his side as it prepared for the clash.
“The game doesn’t know what’s happened in the past, it just continues to look at what you’re going to bring this week and that’s all we’ve had our focus on this week, what we can possibly bring to the game,” he said.
“Even last fortnight’s game against Geelong is in the past as well. We can’t bank on that so we just go about what we do.
“We know our defensive template’s very strong. If we play with great intent and work rate then that will keep us in good stead.”
Richmond has made no changes for the match to the line-up which beat Geelong by 51 points in the qualifying final.