Wallace feels there has been a lot of "negativity" towards his club in recent weeks and believes a strong finish to the season – regardless of the outcome of is side's finals bid – will give fans hope heading into 2009.
The Tigers kept their finals chances alive with a stirring 16.9 (105) to 10.16 (76) win, the victory achieved without stars Nathan Brown and Nathan Foley, both of whom missed because of injury.
Wallace was uncertain if either would return to tackle Fremantle next week but he won't spend too much time worrying about that.
On Sunday afternoon, the Richmond coach wasn't talking finals but was buoyed by his team's most consistent game of the season.
"Last week [against Adelaide] we said we needed to win that one [to stay alive]," Wallace said after the match.
He said Richmond felt that Adelaide, with so many missing players, was a more beatable opponent than Hawthorn, "and it ends up flipping around the other way.
"I don't like looking at scoreboards and I don't like sitting here … having to stay awake at night trying to work out permutations and combinations [for the finals].
Wallace said one of the most pleasing aspects of Sunday's effort was the four-quarter effort.
"I thought it was probably our best, four quarter, disciplined, do the right things, nothing fancy, just get the job done, game that we've had," he said.
A week earlier Wallace had described his team's effort as shocking against Adelaide, but he said structurally Sunday's effort was as good as his team had been all season.
"It shows what you can do in a week in footy."
The Tigers were helped by some superb individual efforts, with veterans Matthew Richardson and Joel Bowden (21 marks each) leading the way.
Both men made life difficult at times for Hawthorn star Lance Franklin who, as ever, was the main focus for the Hawks when going forward.
Wallace said the Hawks may have been a little too Franklin-conscious at times – and pointed out Jarryd Roughhead had been dangerous against his side the past two times the teams had played – but could understand Hawthorn's eagerness to look for the most potent forward in the game.
"Yeah, I thought they put a few eggs in that basket today," Wallace replied when asked if he thought the Hawks had been Buddy-centric.
"But when a bloke's been as good as he's been over the period of time [and] when the bloke's nine goals off a hundred … I don't think they do it on purpose.
"I think players do it as a natural thing; that they want to see this bloke that's looked after them so much, they want to look after him and give them something back.
"Particularly when he kicks two goals in the first couple of minutes of the game [and] bangs one from the boundary line … why wouldn't you be trying to get the ball to him as often as you possibly could?"
