After a bizarre draw against Fremantle, a re-signing, retirements, milestone games and off-field dramas have ensured it's been a big week for AFL club Richmond.
It's been an emotional week on several fronts for Richmond - and the AFL heavyweights don't do things by half-measures.
Liam Baker's two-year contract extension was some positive news on Thursday amid ongoing speculation around injured superstar Dustin Martin's playing future.
The 24-year-old dynamo's sought-after signature came just days after Kane Lambert's injury-enforced retirement and Matt Parker's decision to move home to WA for family reasons.
Shane Edwards will become the fifth Richmond player to reach 300 games in Sunday's clash with flag contenders Brisbane, which is crucial to the 10th-placed Tigers' finals hopes.
Three-time premiership mentor Damien Hardwick will take part in his 500th competitive fixture as a player or coach in the same match.
He will do so after avoiding sanction over an ugly incident where he gave opposition players an expletive-laden verbal spray at a VFL match last weekend, and later conceded he overstepped the mark.
It all followed a bizarre draw against Fremantle in round 19, during which the Tigers coughed up multiple chances to win before being forced to settle for a result that could prove costly in an extremely tight finals race.
"It has been an emotional week," Hardwick told reporters on Thursday.
"But one thing that we do know is our people are our greatest asset and what we celebrate is the things that those players bring.
"Then we take that into the celebration of Shane's 300th this week.
"He's such a significant player for our football club and I hope we're up for the challenge.
"Brisbane are a formidable outfit playing some really good footy and they're in the top four for a reason.
"It's going to be a challenge for us but we hope to rise to the occasion for Shane."
Edwards will sit alongside Kevin Bartlett (403), teammate Jack Riewoldt (321*), Jack Dyer (311) and Francis Bourke (300) as players in the Tigers '300 club'.
Hardwick lauded the 33-year-old triple-premiership star as the ultimate team player.
"The measure of a great player is how good he makes those around him and Shane's first-class in that facet of the game," Hardwick said.
Baker was a regular in Richmond's 2019 and 2020 premiership sides but has enjoyed a breakout season in 2022.
The much-improved utility faced a huge decision on his playing future, with strong interest from West Coast in luring Baker back to his home state.
"A WA boy that's got a close-knit family and the attraction of going home will always be there," Hardwick said.
"But we hope our environment and our culture is strong enough and good enough that he wanted to stay here and move to Perth when he finishes or he's retired from footy.
"I think our playing group have got a lot to do with it.
"He's so well loved not only by our fans but our people of our footy club and that's what makes him a special player, and we're incredibly happy he's stayed."
