Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was delighted with his side's hard-fought win over Port Adelaide at the MCG on Thursday night.
The 12-point victory following the bye moves the Tigers into the top eight, with a 7-5 record.
"It is (important), especially after the Sydney loss, against a really good side like Port," Hardwick said. "To win those games against sides vying for spots in the eight it's really important."
Hardwick also praised Liam Baker, who kicked the winning goal, along with 200-gamer Dylan Grimes, while he indicated Tom Lynch (hamstring) would be available next week.
The Tigers coach also reserved special praise for 18-year-old debutant Judson Clarke, who kicked two goals with his first two kicks in AFL.
"He's just a footy head, he's a smart player," Hardwick said. "He gets in spots that are really dangerous. Everything he does is clean. He's going to get better. The conditions probably didn’t favour him tonight. He's like another Kane Lambert."
