Richmond has moved on quickly from last week’s stirring victory over Hawthorn and is totally focused on the challenge posed by Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow (Friday) night.
“Once we review the game, that’s gone and the next challenge is upon us,” said the Tigers’ coach Damien Hardwick.
“The great thing about Friday footy is that it’s there for everyone to see. It’s at the forefront of our minds . . .
“It’s a big game, obviously, with Adelaide playing for a spot in the eight, and we’ve got to continue to solidify our position. So, it’s going to be an enormous challenge on their home deck.
“They play a really fast brand of footy, a very contested brand of footy as well. But we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
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Richmond won four of the five games played in July, which Hardwick dubbed “big boy month”, but that’s all history now as the Tigers prepare to face a determined Crows’ outfit.
“They were disappointing last week (against Sydney at the SCG) by their own admission, but they’re an incredibly proud football club playing for a spot in the eight, so it’s going to be a fierce contest, and one we’re looking forward to,” Hardwick said.
“We don’t really dwell on the past, or too much in the future, we’ve just got to worry about this week’s game.
“Our biggest hurdle at the moment is winning that first quarter (on Friday night). We just worry about what’s in front of us . . .
“Each opposition provides a unique set of circumstances. The thing with Adelaide, that they do really well, is they move the ball really quickly and their contested numbers are through the roof as well.
“So, it’s going to be a different challenge to the Hawthorn game . . . not so much a maintain-possession game.
“The philosophy will remain the same. We’ll try and slow them down as much as we can, because they do play an incredibly breakneck speed of footy.
“But the biggest one for us is their contested balls on the back of clearance dominance.
“It’s really important we get off to a good start in the centre bounce, and then make sure the clearance battle goes our way, because if the ball gets inside 50 for the Crows, they can be really damaging.”
