Richmond senior coach Damien Hardwick has challenged his players to show further improvement next season, after its return to the finals in 2013.

In his speech to the crowd at a sold-out Jack Dyer Medal event at Crown Palladium, Hardwick asked for a collective lift as the Tigers aim to build on this year’s elimination final appearance.

“I was watching a Roar Vision video last week.  The video was of Nick Vlaustin reflecting on his first season at AFL level,” Hardwick said.

“He made one comment that hit me right between the eyes.  He said ‘for Richmond to get better, I have to get better’.

“It is a pretty simple statement, but for me it says everything about him as a fine young leader and someone that is prepared to take on the responsibility of getting this Club to the top.

“It is the question everyone associated with the Club should be asking themselves between now and Round 1 in 2014. What can I do to make this Club better?

“We felt a collective pain when we lost the elimination final.  And it is a collective pain because it is a collective effort.

“The board, CEO, staff, coaches, players, sponsors, members, coterie groups, Fighting Tiger Fund donors, supporters and volunteers all invest in this football Club.

“We do it because we want to create a powerful, successful football Club.  We want to belong to a Club that stands for something and makes us feel good.

“So, when we lost the Elimination Final, it hurt.  And it must hurt.

“It must drive everyone to ask themselves that same question Nick Vlaustin is asking himself, what can I do better next year?  How can I help make this Club take the next step?

“I can guarantee you if everyone – and that means everyone - asks themselves that question, identifies something and acts on it, we will get better.

“And we must because this competition just gets harder and harder.”