RICHMOND vice-captain Brett Deledio can't remember much from the tackle that landed Essendon's Courtenay Dempsey a four-match ban, but he remembers thinking mid-air "this won't end well".
 
Deledio was lifted and slammed into the MCG turf by his opponent on Saturday night, in a driving tackle that left him briefly unconscious and with a stiff neck in the following days.
 
He regained consciousness as the Richmond trainers came to treat him on-ground and said he was "very grateful it didn't end up a lot worse".  
 
"I remember being picked up (by Dempsey) and thinking this is not going to end well," Deledio told the club's website.
 
"The next thing I remember, Anthony, one of our trainers, had his hands on me saying, "don't move, stay still".
 
"I can't really remember a whole lot, but after the game he (Dempsey) definitely said sorry.
 
"My neck was a little bit stiff for a couple of days, but I trained today and I passed my concussion test with flying colours apparently."
 
Deledio said he was certain to face a depleted North Melbourne on Friday night in a clash the Tigers must win to secure a home final at the MCG.