Richmond has rounded out its pre-season preparations with a 48-point loss to Port Adelaide in the Club’s final NAB Challenge match at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.
Of more pressing concern than the final result, however, is the fitness of some key Tigers two weeks out from Round 1, with Shane Edwards (upper shoulder), Shaun Grigg (hand), Reece Conca (hamstring) and Jacob Townsend (head knock) all leaving the game early through injury.
"It was a perfect storm … we had injuries early and they just seemed to continue through the night," Hardwick said post-match.
"Every time we looked up another player was half limping or coming off. It was a tough day for us."
From the opening exchanges, it looked like the Tigers could be in for the long night which unfolded with Port’s talls on top, kicking the first two goals of the game through Jay Schulz and Justin Westhoff.
Richmond were able to answer back quickly though, with Jack Riewoldt opening the host’s goal tally courtesy of a 50-metre penalty, before following up quickly after with a soccer effort from the goalsquare after holding back Alipate Carlile.
Ty Vickery was the recipient of a holding the ball free kick and duly converted from 15-metres out, and when Brett Deledio bobbed up with a supergoal off his left foot – just his third kick in anger of the year – the Tigers had pushed the lead out to 14 points in the blink of an eye.
The damage that Port’s talls looked like inflicting in the first term, was replicated, and then advanced, by the Power’s mosquito fleet in the second with the only four goals of the quarter from Matt White, Jake Neade and Grays – Robbie and Sam – coming in quick succession.
Schulz converted his second of the match to start the third quarter, before Vickery marked a quality Daniel Rioli kick inside 50 to goal and break the run of five consecutive Port Adelaide majors.
Port was able to accelerate again from that point on, booting the final six goals of the match through Chad Wingard (2), Brendon Ah Chee, Matthew Broadbent, Charlie Dixon and another to Robbie Gray, as the Tigers focus went to conservation mode.
In a positive for the Tigers in an otherwise forgettable night, Deledio got through his allotted minutes unscathed, picking up 11 touches and the supergoal.
Bachar Houli (27 touches) and Alex Rance (20) were the leading possession-getters for the Tigers out of defence, while Brandon Ellis (20) and Kamdyn McIntosh (19) got most of the midfield ball.
Across town, recruit Chris Yarran featured in Richmond VFL’s intra-club clash as he continues building towards an early-season appearance.
Richmond 1.3.2 1.3.5 1.4.11 1.4.12 45
Port Adelaide 0.2.3 0.6.7 0.9.7 0.13.15 93
Supergoals:
Richmond - Deledio
Port – Nil
Goals:
Richmond – Riewoldt 2, Vickery 2
Port – Schulz 2, Wingard 2, R.Gray 2, Westhoff, White, Neade, S.Gray, Ah Chee, Dixon, Broadbent
