But, the Richmond coach remains upbeat the Tigers' "best football" – on display for much of the second half in their two-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Saturday – can contend with the competition's better sides.
The Tigers have now lost to Gold Coast and the Dogs, with their only win coming last Thursday night against Carlton.
Next Friday night they face Collingwood at the MCG before copping the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba – a ground they do have a good recent record at – and Hawthorn and Geelong before their round eight bye.
Dogs hold-on against fast-finishing Tigers
"It would have been better to go in [to the Collingwood game] in better circumstances but we know our best footy is capable of beating some very good sides," Hardwick said.
"We've just got to make sure we maintain that consistency for longer periods.
"A half hour last week, a half hour this week … we've just got to make sure we eradicate those and get ourselves out of the spot we've put ourselves in.
"We've only got ourselves to blame and we've got to get ourselves out of it playing some of our best footy.
"It's just a challenge. Obviously it's a brutal industry our game, and the season is going to be as close as we've seen for a long period of time.
"You've got to be playing at your best all the time."
The low-possession, highly contested game saw the Bulldogs lead by 37 points at half time before the Tigers started winning the contested possessions and ascended at the stoppages.
"It would have been better to go in [to the Collingwood game] in better circumstances but we know our best footy is capable of beating some very good sides," Hardwick said.
"We've just got to make sure we maintain that consistency for longer periods.
"A half hour last week, a half hour this week … we've just got to make sure we eradicate those and get ourselves out of the spot we've put ourselves in.
"We've only got ourselves to blame and we've got to get ourselves out of it playing some of our best footy.
"It's just a challenge. Obviously it's a brutal industry our game, and the season is going to be as close as we've seen for a long period of time.
"You've got to be playing at your best all the time."
The low-possession, highly contested game saw the Bulldogs lead by 37 points at half time before the Tigers started winning the contested possessions and ascended at the stoppages.
Five talking point: Western Bulldogs v Richmond
But it was their second term that cost them with Jack Riewoldt stymied by Dale Morris and a lack of delivery into the forward line keeping him to one disposal at half time.
"Probably the thing that killed us was our second quarter that was nothing short of shocking," Hardwick said.
"We had one really, really poor quarter of footy and made a couple of errors with our ball movement that actually gifted them some goals so we've just got to take stock and readjust and get our season up and going again."
Hardwick didn't want to deeply analyse the two late free kicks that resulted in Bulldog goals late in the game.
The first was against Tyrone Vickery, who clumsily infringed Will Minson at a stoppage on the 50m line for the ball to land with Stewart Crameri, who pushed the Dogs nine points clear at the 21-minute mark.
The second was paid to Daniel Giansiracusa, who drew Brandon Ellis under the ball deep in attack with two minutes left, which caused the young Tiger to panic and cling on to the veteran Dog.
Giansiracusa then kicked the goal that gave the Dogs their winning two-point lead.
"Yeah, it was disappointing [Vickery's infringement] but you can look at one free kick or can look at the fact we were seven goals down," he said.
"He's a smart player, 'Gia'. I could see it happening, it was just one of those things, you hope they call play on ... he's a very good player."
Young defender Nick Vlastuin will be monitored this week after being subbed off with concussion in the first half following a collision with Dylan Grimes.
Hardwick said they were hopeful of regaining midfielder Brett Deledio to face the Pies.
"He's got an aggravation of his ankle/achilles so we'll see how that goes," he said.
"It's a little bit tricky at stages but he's a good player and we've got to make sure he's right for the remainder of the year."
Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan
But it was their second term that cost them with Jack Riewoldt stymied by Dale Morris and a lack of delivery into the forward line keeping him to one disposal at half time.
"Probably the thing that killed us was our second quarter that was nothing short of shocking," Hardwick said.
"We had one really, really poor quarter of footy and made a couple of errors with our ball movement that actually gifted them some goals so we've just got to take stock and readjust and get our season up and going again."
Hardwick didn't want to deeply analyse the two late free kicks that resulted in Bulldog goals late in the game.
The first was against Tyrone Vickery, who clumsily infringed Will Minson at a stoppage on the 50m line for the ball to land with Stewart Crameri, who pushed the Dogs nine points clear at the 21-minute mark.
The second was paid to Daniel Giansiracusa, who drew Brandon Ellis under the ball deep in attack with two minutes left, which caused the young Tiger to panic and cling on to the veteran Dog.
Giansiracusa then kicked the goal that gave the Dogs their winning two-point lead.
"Yeah, it was disappointing [Vickery's infringement] but you can look at one free kick or can look at the fact we were seven goals down," he said.
"He's a smart player, 'Gia'. I could see it happening, it was just one of those things, you hope they call play on ... he's a very good player."
Young defender Nick Vlastuin will be monitored this week after being subbed off with concussion in the first half following a collision with Dylan Grimes.
Hardwick said they were hopeful of regaining midfielder Brett Deledio to face the Pies.
"He's got an aggravation of his ankle/achilles so we'll see how that goes," he said.
"It's a little bit tricky at stages but he's a good player and we've got to make sure he's right for the remainder of the year."
Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan
