AFL: Damien Hardwick BLASTS Richmond after their embarrassing defeat by North Melbourne 

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has slammed his side’s ‘diabolical’ performance after their AFL finals hopes took a hit in a stunning four-point upset loss to North Melbourne.

Cam Zurhaar kicked six goals – including the match-winner – as the Kangaroos triumphed 14.8 (92) to 11.22 (88) at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

The result snapped last-placed North’s 14-match losing streak, four days after David Noble was sacked as coach.

Damien Hardwick has blasted his Richmond side after their defeat on Saturday night

‘Our general intent in the first half was poor and our pressure rating of 1.6 was abysmal,’ triple-premiership coach Hardwick said.

‘Our system itself held up … we just didn’t execute.

‘It’s not as if they were hard shots on goal – we kicked 1.9 from inside 30 metres.

‘We’re paid to kick goals, we didn’t, and that’s the reality of it.

‘It was a good win by North – their hardness and their ability to play quick was good – but all in all, if you look at that template, we should win.’

Struggling AFL side North Melbourne ended their 14-game losing run at Marvel Stadium

Hardwick claimed ‘Richmond are killing Richmond’ as errors cost the aimless Tigers

Veteran spearhead Jack Riewoldt was the worst offender in front of goal with 2.6 to his name, while third-gamer Noah Cumberland kicked 3.4.

The shock result came in Leigh Adams’ first match as caretaker coach and was eerily similar to the Kangaroos’ maiden outing under Rhyce Shaw in 2019, when they upset flag-bound Richmond immediately following Brad Scott’s exit.

‘We knew they were going to come back at us really hard and, to the boys’ credit, when we lost that lead, the character they showed to dig in was sensational,’ Adams said.

‘We got some real reward in the end.’

Both sides lost players to injury, with North forward Nick Larkey (heel) and Tigers youngster Josh Gibcus (shoulder) substituted out in the second half, while Richmond ruckman Toby Nankervis was reported for kneeing Flynn Perez.