Although Geelong has made its worst start to a season since 2004, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick is fully aware of what the Cats are capable of, when the two teams meet at the MCG on Saturday.

“They’re a great side.  Their one and three win-loss record is not reflective of who they are,” Hardwick said.

“They’ve got some terrific players and they’re probably a little bit like us, they’ve got a couple of players out through injury. 

“It’s going to be a tough, old game.  They’re going to have a bit of sting in the tail, as will we, so we’re really looking forward to the challenge. 

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“We haven’t beaten Geelong in a long time – it’s about time we did . . . We’ve just got to make sure we take this challenge head-on. 

“Contested ball is going to be crucial.  They’re going to have some fireworks early, we’ve just got to make sure we take that battle on and get the points we’re after . . .

“If Geelong is allowed to dictate through uncontested possession, they’re going to beat most sides.  So we’ve just got to make sure we deny them the ball as much as we can and defend really well.”

Goalkicking accuracy has been a focus for Richmond leading into the Round 5 clash with Geelong.

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“Last week (against Melbourne), we kicked 6.15 and we had 3.10 from in the corridor, which was disappointing,” Hardwick said.

“If you don’t take your opportunities, and you don’t put scoreboard pressure on, it certainly comes back the other way . . .

“We’ve just got to make sure we continue to challenge our players, put them in those pressure situations, where they can hone their craft, and get the result we’re after, because at the moment we’re not kicking anywhere near well enough at goal, and the pressure comes.”