In searching for answers as to why the club has won just two of its first eight games this season after making the finals in 2013, Riewoldt gave a frank assessment of what might have gone wrong.

 

"Unfortunately we went one way with our game, and the game went the other way really," Riewoldt said.

 

He said the club had learned from its mistakes and would get back to playing "good, tough footy" but he denied complacency was an issue.

 

The 25-year-old key forward said the club had struggled to execute the plan put in place but it had learned plenty during the process.

 

"We probably tried to copy Hawthorn a little bit too much with our kicking style," Riewoldt said. 

"We probably need to rely a little bit more on natural progression, which I think we'll get back to, actually I know we'll get back to. 

"You try new things and unfortunately you learn from your mistakes. We've learned from it as a playing group, as a coaching group and as a football club as a whole."

 

Riewoldt, who has kicked 17 goals from eight games this season, said change was part of any club's search to get better.

 

Unfortunately it had not yielded the results Richmond hoped.

 

"I think we would be pretty boring if we didn't try new things. We're trying to be ahead of the game. We're trying to invent something new that can shape the game and get it on our terms," Riewoldt said.

 

Riewoldt said he was committed to helping the club work through the slump and thought a turnaround would come sooner rather than later.

 

"The two biggest things in AFL footy that lead to a successful side are momentum and confidence, and at the moment we don't have any momentum and there are a lot of guys are down on self-confidence and we need to find a way to get momentum back and get our season up and rolling," Riewoldt said. 

 

Richmond faces Greater Western Sydney this Saturday before games against Essendon, North Melbourne and Fremantle.