RICHMOND looks increasingly likely to play finals but coach Damien Hardwick says nothing has changed when it comes to managing expectations placed on the team.
The Tigers' 27-point win over Fremantle on Sunday at the MCG was their 11th for the season, and gives them a game's break on seventh-placed Collingwood.
Hardwick was pleased with the win over the defensive Dockers, who are two points above the Tigers at fifth on the ladder, but said they wouldn't look beyond their week-to-week plans despite the growing chance of breaking their lengthy September drought.
"We've spoken about it from day dot; we just worry about our four walls and what we do within them," Hardwick said.
"The expectation, whether it's there or not, the reality is we just go about our business and worry about the process we go through on a weekly basis.
"There were some areas of our game today we weren't overly pleased with and there's some areas we did really well, so we've got some work cut out for us.
"We just worry about a formidable outfit next week in Sydney on their home deck, so it's going to be another great challenge for our guys and one we look forward to."
Richmond's leaders stood up in the final quarter when the Dockers got within eight points, with Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Daniel Jackson, Ivan Maric and Jack Riewoldt important.
Defender Alex Rance had a brilliant game with 30 disposals and five rebounds, which Hardwick said came on the back of a 10-week purple patch.
"I thought he was great. He certainly had some Alex Rance moments there at stages, which he always has," he said.
"There's no doubt the addition of Troy Chaplin down there makes him a better player and that's the reason we brought 'Chappy' in.
"He's very, very good at winning the ball back off opposition. Every contest he goes to is life or death, and that's the reason we love the way he plays.
"He's going to make some mistakes along the way, he's going to make some supporters and coaches tear their hair out at stages but he gives absolutely everything on the field and that's why we love him as a player."
Before Sunday, the Tigers had failed to beat a team above them on the ladder.
Midfielder Matt White, who recorded 17 disposals and one goal in his 100th game, said the win was an important mental boost for the players with games against last year's grand finalists to come in the next fortnight.
"It might start something, it might not – we've got to play Sydney and Hawthorn in the next two weeks so that's going to be two big games for the club," White said.
"They're two great sides we've previously matched up against pretty well and in saying that, they're going to really challenge our midfield and our style of play.
"To get the win over a great side like Fremantle who we haven't had a lot of success against lately, it's really confidence boosting."
Jennifer Phelan is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan.
