After only kicking one goal in Richmond's thumping 71-point AFL win over Essendon, the last thing Jack Riewoldt expected was a radio interview.
"I thought you were punking me saying you wanted to interview me after that performance," the Tigers star told 3AW.
But whatever Damien Hardwick might make of Riewoldt's game in their Dreamtime At The 'G mauling of the Bombers, the Tigers coach is rapt with his full-forward.
Hardwick says Riewoldt is playing even better than last season, when he was the only tall forward in their unconventional attack and played such a crucial role in Richmond's premiership.
"Once again he's in great form and he's certainly a big part of the reason why we're turning 9-2 at halfway," Hardwick said.
Riewoldt had a quiet night, but in-form forward Josh Caddy booted four goals and overtook him as Richmond's leading goalkicker for the season.
Caddy has 27, two more than Riewoldt, who has topped Richmond's goal kicking in every season since 2010.
Riewoldt won the Coleman Medal for the first time in 2010 and Hardwick famously said early the following season that Richmond needed him to kick fewer goals if they were going to improve.
Hardwick's point was that the Tigers needed a more even spread of goalkickers, something that now defines their potent attack.
"There's no doubt it gives us a better look, with the even distribution of goals," Hardwick said.
"Goals are one thing you can measure, they're an outcome of how we play.
"A lot of our goals are created through Jack, through his contest work."
Callum Moore, playing as a second tall forward, kicked two goals against Essendon and probably should have scored a couple more.
Hardwick also wants to bring Mabior Chol into the side as another tall forward option, but he is out of action after breaking his foot last week at training.
It is a rare setback for the Tigers, who are second on the ladder and well-primed halfway through their premiership defence.
Hardwick said their two losses to Adelaide and West Coast had given them plenty of food for thought.
"We still have some work to do - we learned some lessons from those two games," he said.
"They (Richmond's players) are very humble and they're very hungry.
"Trent (Cotchin) leads from the front and you only have to look at Dustin (Martin), he just loves winning.
"If one of the best players in the competition loves winning and loves winning on a weekly basis, I don't need to prompt these guys that much."
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