The Tigers are stuck in a vicious circle of poor form and media scrutiny – and only a win can save them.
MORE: Western Bulldogs officially show interest in banned Bomber | Video: Rebecca Judd blows off Tony Jones' kiss in incredibly awkward moment
Sitting in 13th position with just seven wins and an 88-point pasting at the hands of GWS last time out, Richmond’s failure to meet expectations after flirting with the top four last season has heaped pressure on coach Damien Hardwick.
Hardwick’s two-year contract extension he signed earlier this year - tying him to the club until the end of 2018 – will save him from the chopping block. With no get-out clauses in place, moving Hardwick on would cost Richmond at least $1 million.
Still, according to former Collingwood and Carlton coach Mick Malthouse, the speculation over possible coaching changes for 2017 – at least two Richmond assistants were told Monday their positions weren’t guaranteed, according to the Herald Sun - is definitely affecting the team’s performance.
"The more that the media line up out the front, the more that the players feel a threat of insecurity,” Malthouse told SEN’s Breakfast with Frank and Ox.
“The players will run down that race feeling that pressure and you wonder why you get performances like this.
"That type of pressure never improves the team's output and it only detracts from the style and the way the players want to play.
"Standby, because it will not be good football from teams with coaches under pressure because the players also feel it."
Richmond plays Collingwood, Geelong, St Kilda and Sydney in the last four rounds.
