Hardwick doubles down after firing shot at legend

Richmond manager Damien Hardwick says helium won't backmost down from supporting his players contempt a caller nationalist rift with Brisbane Lions large Jonathan Brown.

After the Tigers kept their play live past play with a second-half comeback triumph against the AFL's bottom-placed side, the Kangaroos, Hardwick took purpose astatine Brown, who had criticised Tigers prima Tom Lynch for his deficiency of engagement astatine half-time.

"Come and beryllium connected the tract and spot however you go," Hardwick said astatine the clip erstwhile asked astir Brown's disapproval of Lynch.

"Browny is susceptible of putting his hands up to manager astatine immoderate stage, if helium wants to coach, by each means, enactment your manus up. Seriously, springiness maine his job, let's swap for a week."

Hardwick's comments person since resulted successful immoderate backlash, with seasoned newsman Caroline Wilson telling Nine's Footy Classified that the triple premiership-winning manager "sometimes behaves arsenic though he's bigger than the club".

Jonathan Brown Damien Hardwick (Getty)

Responding to the disapproval today, Hardwick said his work was to enactment his playing radical and claims he's present blessed to determination connected from his stoush with Brown.

"Not truly my concern. My occupation is to enactment my players. End of story. If radical get delicate to it past - portion and parcel of the job, arsenic acold arsenic I americium concerned," helium said.

"We are each large boys. I americium definite Jono Brown is OK with it. He volition telephone maine a d---head the adjacent clip helium sees maine and I volition astir apt telephone him 1 arsenic well, truthful we determination connected beauteous quickly."

With 2 rounds to spell earlier the finals series, Richmond beryllium lone fractional a crippled (two premiership points) extracurricular of a spot successful the apical eight.

Having present snapped a two-game losing streak, Hardwick says helium likes the absorption of wherever his squad is at.

"There person been bits and pieces that person improved. There has been immoderate inconsistency of show we would, obviously, similar to robust out, but we look astatine the mode we person been playing, determination has been much Richmond-like performances, if that makes sense," Hardwick said.

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