Richmond is relishing the challenge of facing three of the competition’s top five teams in the next three weeks.
The Tigers have a tough few weeks coming up, with clashes with the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn to follow Sunday's game against Fremantle.
Hardwick said the key to the next three weeks was consistency, with the coaching staff happy with some aspects of the way they're playing and disappointed with occasional lapses.
"We've beaten the sides below us that we probably thought we should, North Melbourne being the obvious exception there," he told SEN on Wednesday morning.
"We didn't have a great game and they played an outstanding brand of footy.
"We've been found out a little bit short against sides above us and that's been the disappointing thing from our point of view.
"We certainly look forward to the challenge of playing those sides again … and improving our record against sides above us."
Richmond has fallen short against top four sides Geelong and Essendon so far this season, but got within one point of the Dockers in the corresponding match between the two sides in Round 5 at Patersons Stadium.
The Tigers are likely to regain Bachar Houli for this Sunday’s match, after the defender missed last weekend’s win over the Gold Coast Suns.
Testing times for Tigers
Richmond is relishing the challenge of facing three of the competition’s top five teams in the next three weeks.