Richmond covered his absence with aplomb, despite Jayden Short (33 disposals) being the only Tiger in the game’s top nine possession getters.
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Noah Balta (four goals) starred in the void left by Jack Riewoldt (fractured thumb), while the Tigers – coming off a round one loss to Carlton – were also without Dylan Grimes, Nick Vlastuin and Dion Prestia.
Hardwick said Grimes would return for Sunday’s clash with St Kilda, while both Prestia and Riewoldt were chances to play if fully fit.
“I was really happy with the players I had in the side, so there are going to be some hungry players,” Hardwick said.
“It’s tough to make changes. Don’t get me wrong, those guys are really good players, but we’re really happy with the guys and what they did.”
Dustin Martin is taking personal leave.Credit:AFL Photos
But Hardwick said his side’s pressure was back to where it needed to be, while the Tigers also made use of their strong 1-2 ruck combination, with both Toby Nankervis (15 disposals, 21 hitouts, one goal) and Ivan Soldo (two goals) having a strong impact.
“I love the look of it,” Hardwick said.
“Those tall guys, we’ve always wanted to have that philosophy, and at various stages we have, but Soldo’s basically missed 18 months of footy, and he’s only going to get better.
“He was a little bit disappointed with his game last week, but it just takes time. He was a little bit rusty, but I thought today he took a step forward again, and he’ll get better for the run as the season progresses.”
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No clarity on Dustin Martin’s return, says Hardwick
Source: Philippines Alive
