Coach Damien Hardwick says Richmond must step up in Round 1 blockbuster Richmond coach Damian Hardwick at Richmond training today. RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick says it's time for the Tigers to step up, as the club embraces the increased expectation before tomorrow night's season-opening MCG blockbuster against Carlton. The Tigers have not beaten the Blues since Round 1 in 2008 and have not played finals since 2001. "The best place to be is when expectations are high, that's where you get your best results," Hardwick said. We've put the pressure on our guys this year to march their way up the ladder as have probably 17 other clubs. We certainly look forward to rising to the challenge ... I think there's some 14 sides that are going to be challenging for that final eight position and we're going to be one of those. Richmond defender and former skipper Chris Newman told Melbourne radio this week Richmond feared no side when it was playing at its best, and Hardwick was buoyed by that attitude. "The thing that we've seen this year is we have not played well over the course of the pre-season, but still got the results we were after," he said. And that's what good sides do and that's what we're starting to become. The guys just have to deliver that on a consistent basis...I think that's something our guys are starting to deliver, that steely resolve about getting over the line. I'm really glad Chris put that on the agenda because it's time to step up. Hardwick said the Tigers were better placed than when they were trounced by 44 points by the Blues in Round 1 last season. "Our list has improved again, they've got further experience, we think we're better prepared so look, overall we think it's going to be a good result for us going into Round 1," he said. The fourth-year coach said the Blues were a completely different side under new coach Mick Malthouse. "You look two years ago how Collingwood played, as Mick said, it's probably going to take them a little bit of time to come up to the standard that he had the Collingwood sides, but we've got no doubt they're going to be a formidable outfit," he said. Mick coaches, very,very well. They're very much a down the line side now as Collingwood have been years previous. He's had great success with that game plan over the course of what, two decades, there's no doubt he won't divert much from that plan and why would he with that success rate. Hardwick said first round draft pick Nick Vlastuin and former Port Adelaide defender Troy Chaplin were a chance to debut for the Tigers tomorrow night. Pic gallery: Tigers tune up for Carlton clash