READ MORE:<\/strong> Icon lashes controversial F1 change<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Grim reality check in Joey's Ponga admission<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Hardwick even went on to reference NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo's recent press conference<\/a> when he bristled at reporters for asking if the Bucks' season was a failure.<\/p>\n Those comments weren't the most eye-opening to come from the press conference though, with \ufeffHardwick challenging anyone suggesting he's lost the players to "come and say it to my face".<\/p>\n "It's their narratives. That's the reality, it's easy to sit there and say those comments when they're sitting behind a desk \u2013 come and say it to my face," he said.<\/p>\n Hardwick also admitted his side has contributed to the narratives. \ufeff<\/p>\n "Narratives are part of the AFL landscape, we understand that, and look where we are on the ladder probably opens itself to that," he said.<\/p>\n "If you want to change the narrative, win some games, that's up to us.<\/p>\n "I think our list is well and truly capable, a lot of people say 'you're kidding yourself' \ufeffbut I've got incredible belief in this group of players. We're not anywhere near where we need to be … when we get our game up and going, get some players back in the side, we're going to pretty hard to beat."<\/p>\n Discussing Hardwick's comments on SEN Breakfast<\/em> on Friday, AFL great Kane Cornes claimed the 'say it to my face' reference was a 'mistake'.<\/p>\n "I'm not sure what he gains by saying that," he said.<\/p>\n "It's a mistake for him to do that, because even if you did say it to his face, I mean, what, what's he going to do? He's not going to punch you.<\/p>\n "There's nothing an AFL coach is going to do if you say it to his face. So that was a mistake from him.<\/p>\n "But it was also a mistake from the journalist to ask and probably a mistake from the Richmond media department not to brief him accurately, because no-one actually said that he's lost the players."<\/p>\n David King sympathised with Hardwick though, implying the coach is too busy to be aware of all comments made around his side. \ufeff<\/p>\n "In fairness to him though he was asked a question alluding to the fact that someone had said that," King said.<\/p>\n "It's not up to him to be across everything."<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
![\"'Carnage'](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/tn-lloyd.png\")
<\/p>\n