Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson has highlighted plenty of positives from Friday night’s Dreamtime in Darwin, despite the Tigers falling 15-points short of Essendon.

A quick glance at key statistical categories would suggest a Richmond victory, with the Tigers recording more disposals (287-275), inside 50s (40-29), hit-outs (23-6) and contested possessions (120-108), but it was inefficiency in attack that ultimately proved to be the decisive factor.

Richmond kicked just 3.10 (28), with the Bombers more damaging with their 6.7 (43) return.

Ferguson praised both teams for a high-quality game and believes in the brand the Tigers showcased on Friday night, but understands the importance of building scoreboard pressure to take advantage of the strong play.

“I’m really proud of our group of how we applied ourselves. I thought we got the game very much on our terms in the second half, but we couldn’t finish it off,” Ferguson said.

“I thought we played a great brand of footy, I know we didn’t get scoreboard nourishment, and we wanted to take more shots in front of goal and kick more goals and create more opportunities…3.10 and 10.3 looks a bit different.

“I thought we were over-running them in the second half and almost had them on the ropes, but we just couldn’t take those moments, and they were really good at taking some moments that took the energy back in their favour.

“I thought we were so tough, so mentally strong, played out every moment and when challenged, we just fought back. I thought we were really getting at them, but we just couldn’t get that finishing touch.”

Despite the encouraging signs, the result leaves Richmond with an 0-3 record ahead of next week’s clash with the unbeaten Demons.

Discussing the win-loss record, Ferguson explained how it is a balancing act of not getting caught up in how the campaign might play out and instead keeping the focus on executing a Richmond style of game.

“The challenge is to not worry about what that might mean or what that looks like going forward versus we play like this, and we continue to make subtle adjustments, and we can still get so much better,” he said.

“If we maintain that energy and that style of footy, and that hunt and that work rate, that togetherness, and that exciting (footy)…our game progressed and looked much more like the game we wanted.

“Invest in that and not get too worried about what that might mean or what might happen in the future.”

Ferguson confirmed there is no injury concerns for captain Katie Brennan, who was nursing what appeared to be a jarred hand or wrist in the second half, while adding Grace Egan (lip) and Bec Miller (soreness) should both be available for selection next week.