Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has called Damien Hardwick's complains about playing at Marvel Stadium "precious", bemoaning AFL coaches for talking down the game.
Hardwick echoed the message of Richmond CEO Brendon Gale after the Tigers' comeback win over the GWS Giants, declaring he "hated" coming to Marvel Stadium.
After Richmond were denied the ability to play the fixture at their usual home ground, the MCG, just 18,798 fans showed up to watch what ended up being a terrific contest.
The complaining from Hardwick and Richmond as a whole did not sit well with Cornes, who said the Tigers had received the "biggest fixture free kick" in recent years.
"One of the most precious things I've ever seen. They are so precious at the moment," he told Nine's Footy Classified.
"They have had the biggest fixture free kick in the history of the game for the last four years, to the point where they've played home finals at the MCG that they haven't deserved.
"I just get the feeling that every time I turn the TV on or on social media you hear coaches whinging at the moment.
"From where we were last year, Richmond would've loved to have 18,000 at Marvel and produce one of the great games of the year.
"The coaches have a responsibility at times to talk the game up. It's never been better, but every time the coaches are talking, they're talking it down at the moment."
According to The Age's Sam McClure, Hardwick and Gale's comments could result in the club receiving a personal please explain from AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.
"The comments haven't gone down well at AFL House," he told Footy Classified.
"No one at AFL House thought that (Richmond) was going to go again with the coach after the game, particularly after Richmond had significant issues last year by twice breaking COVID-19 regulations in the hub.
"I would not be surprised at all if Gillon McLachlan picked up the phone to Brendon Gale this week."
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