If AFL club Richmond want to make the top four, they've got to beat the top four.
That's the blunt message from Tigers defender Bachar Houli as premiership favourites Hawthorn loom in Richmond's latest in a series of mini-finals.
After beating Fremantle a fortnight ago, then having premiers Sydney back the truck over them last weekend, Richmond now take on the Hawks at the MCG on Saturday.
The Tigers can boast having beaten Hawthorn in their last meeting in mid-2012, but Houli says consistently beating good sides is critical to achieving the top four position they remain in the hunt to snag.
"If we want to become that top four team, we've got to start beating these teams in the top four," Houli said.
"We can't expect to (just) beat the bottom eight teams and expect to be top four.
"We're as confident (against Hawthorn) as any other team we go in against.
"We've had a massive focus this week on what we've been doing right this season."
With another three players inking contract extensions over the past fortnight - Jack Riewoldt, Daniel Jackson and Dylan Grimes - attention now turns to the Tigers' biggest out-of-contract fish Dustin Martin.
Houli is confident that with others resisting bigger deals elsewhere to remain at the Tigers with a view to regularly playing finals, Martin is smart enough to follow suit.
"I think Dustin's management group is smart enough and speaking to Dustin, he's pretty passionate to stay, so we're pretty confident he will stay.
"He loves being at the club because he has got a great bunch of players and coaches who support him all the way."
