RICHMOND recruit Tim Taranto found himself in a strange situation on Tuesday.

Just months after Taranto took up a lucrative seven-year offer to join the Tigers, crossing from the Giants last October, the tough midfielder learned the news that the club's three-time premiership coaching legend Damien Hardwick was departing the club.

Hardwick's shock announcement hit hard for Taranto, as it did for every Richmond player, with his manager Matt Bain from TLA Worldwide taking AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable inside a Tuesday night meeting with his client this week.

"He was obviously disappointed, but you'd expect that," Bain told AFL.com.au's Gettable.

"He loves 'Dimma' and a lot of the boys were excited by this next little phase, too. But I think the good part about Richmond, which he's learned early on, is that the culture goes right through their club. It's not like there's one driver and that's it.

"As much as they'll miss him, I think it will be seamless enough because their structures and everything have been in place for a long time. He's excited and he loves being down here in Melbourne."

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Taranto has enjoyed an impressive start to his time at Richmond and has averaged 30.6 disposals, 6.8 clearances and 6.9 tackles per game. However, with the Tigers struggling and sitting at 3-1-6, the move has still attracted some criticism.

Hardwick was forced to defend Taranto's performances a fortnight ago, with Richmond parting with picks No.12 and 19 in last year's draft to secure his services from Greater Western Sydney.

"He's found it difficult," Bain said of the increased attention.

"Truthfully, it's one thing he weighed up a lot coming down here. He knew he would go to a big club, play in front of big crowds and in big games. But the other side of being at the Giants is you probably don't get the scrutiny as a player as you do if you're playing here every week.

"It's been a challenge for him to take all of that on and put it to the back of his mind and just play, but that's all of the things you weigh up when you're coming from Sydney town to big Melbourne media."