Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has expanded on comments he made at his post-game press conference, following the team’s 36-point loss to Adelaide under the Etihad Stadium roof last Saturday, where he declared the Tigers might have to take a half-step back in order to go two steps forward.

“Probably the last three years, with those elimination finals, we haven’t been quite up to speed, or quite got where we needed to go.  So, we can keep going down the same track, or we can look at a few personnel adjustments,” Hardwick told 3AW.

“The last three years we’ve been found short, when the whips have been cracking, so we’ve got to make sure that we just don’t make up the numbers. 

“We want to make sure we’re a legitimate contender and, to do that, at some stage you’re going to have to make some hard calls. 

“That’s what we’re prepared to do, and the way we’re prepared to go. . .

“Sometimes you do have to take that little half-step back, to take those two (steps) forward – like  the addition of Kamdyn McIntosh down back. 

“That’s been brought on by a bit of necessity . . . We lost (Reece) Conca, and Chris Yarran hasn’t played for us yet. 

“These type of things we’re trialling at the moment, just to try and make sure we can get our game moving forward. 

“The addition of certain players up forward has been a positive for us. 

“Unfortunately, we’re not quite getting the results we’re after at the moment . . . But we feel like for us to be a genuine contender, this little half-step back has to be taken.”

Hardwick remains confident the Tigers can still play finals in 2016.

“I’ve got no doubt we’ve got the personnel in place that can take us forward . . ,” he said.

“We’ve got to remember, it is a long season. 

“We’re not playing anywhere near our best footy, we acknowledge that. We’ve got some work to do, but we’re excited by the challenge . . .

“Our best footy’s certainly in front of us.”