News Coaching Thread: The Hardwick Era

[Ben Drever]

You definitely haven’t seen a Dew effect but, literally, in your next sentence you describe a huge problem that Dew has played a good role in fixing for the moment

Nothing to say keeping the talent is Dew…
Could be Rhyce Shaw or could be steven king.. could be what Wayne Campbell has implemented
who knows..

All im saying is… Dew hasn’t managed to poach any player of value yet.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Nothing to say keeping the talent is Dew…
Could be Rhyce Shaw or could be steven king.. could be what Wayne Campbell has implemented
who knows..

All im saying is… Dew hasn’t managed to poach any player of value yet.

“He was stoked that I signed on and I was very happy to be able to recommit to him and show some faith in him and let everyone know I’m committed to the future of the club.” King on Dew after he re-signed.

 

[Stroppy]

The evidence so far is that Dew is not a great coach. For example, he does play favourites and he can't find room for inside mids who don't cover the ground that well but do a lot of other things really well.

But he is a good coach that has done the most important part of the Suns coach's job pretty well. He has got the best players on the team, most especially the best young players on the team, to buy in to what the club is trying to build. Not all on his own, but the coach is a big part of it. Sounds like Campbell and King and a few others have helped clear up some of the flaws he had when the other numpty was footy boss. But also sounds like Dew is coaching better this year than in previous years.

If Ando and Rowell sign on for market rate 3rd contracts (the first two contracts cover years 1-4 and are easier to get signed), then that phase of this list build is pretty much done. That would be a solid group of players who are committed to the club.

If they sign up, then the focus should rightly shift to on-field and playing finals consistently, and the end of next year and into 2024 he will be judged by on-field. If it is not going great he will rightly get the flick.

But there are short memories for some. At one point we were going so bad that we got an unprecedented set of draft and list concessions, and the blowback from most of the Vic media was pretty mild. We were that bad. Plenty down there said that it was a waste, that all the top 6 picks were all going to pack up and leave anyway, especially Ben King

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Ben King

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who was gone more than once.

Shits me when that part of the job gets downplayed. Have a look at how Prestia, Lynch and May are going in front of big crowds and with medals around their neck and tell me that it was easy to get the club and the playing list to this point.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Not a single A grade talent is bashing down the door to join Clarkson then he bemoaned Dew for not being able to bring in talent. Calls it the Clarkson effect that people want to stay when we have signed every player we wanted to keep bar 1 (because of a ridiculous offer from another club) for next year and beyond. I can understand not agreeing with some of Dews selection and his past development of players, but one thing he has done is got the group invested. Everyone is happy here, everyone wants to be here. Sick of the potshots.

The “Clarkson effect” has be reported on social media it’s not a Ben thing. I agree with you about the Crows offer and that Dew has certainly turned around the revolving door. I am as guilty as any at doubting Dews coaching ability, I’m far from convinced

 

[robo_1]

I’ve been critical of dew a lot at times the last couple of years but tbh the first 2 years of dew coaching should be wiped from his judgement..

the first year playing the first 10 games away from home very tough for any coach let alone a first time coach, lazy unfit always injured players

Second year basically had to cut the list back to the bare bones and turn over almost half the list

So you could almost say he is in his third year with a proper crack at it.. if next year misses finals then the criticism can pile on

Don’t forget Hardwick was almost sacked in 2016 when the focus on footy group were going to challenge the board and they won the gf the following year

People were obsessed with Malthouse before he went to Carlton like they are with Clarkson too and look how that turned out

 

[Young_Guns]

I’m as unconvinced as most on here when it comes to Dews ability as an actual coach. The playing favourites, being unable to get the most out of players unless they are exactly what he wants, baffling selections. He has done little to ease my concerns in these regards.

But complaining about his inability to attract star players, or keep players (lol) when we have been a basket case for 11 years and are only just looking like we might be past that, coupled with the inability of our list management team to prove that they can identify, target and bring in a player without absolutely being shafted and paying RIDICULOUS overs is just complaining for complaining sakes.

 

[Ben Drever]

I’m liking this well thought out discussion on this board.

snap for all

 

[Ben Drever]

Wish the Suns would add to there high performance team..
Think the boys need to be bigger and stronger… got man handled a couple of times last year..

Should give this guy a call. Get him at the club.

Seeing stars: The 'Majic' trainer helping players reach new heights

Personal trainer Gerard Majda has been helping a bevy of AFL stars put in the hard yards in the off-season

www.afl.com.au

 

[GC2015]

Just a thought if this continues - is Nathan Buckley still interested in coaching next year?

 

[TheSunGod]

Just a thought if this continues - is Nathan Buckley still interested in coaching next year?

Would be surprised if Buckley was interested in us. He couldn't get out of Queensland quick enough the last time. Ross Lyon was the one we needed.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Would be surprised if Buckley was interested in us. He couldn't get out of Queensland quick enough the last time. Ross Lyon was the one we needed.

Agree, smart, hard and honest

I think his very presence would cause some to realise they are on a knifes edge. A high tide lifts all boats

 

[Deleted member 2402071]

Blake Caracella

Blake Caracella

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for me if we want fresh & hungry. Still think he is the best senior coaching candidate waiting for his shot.

Dew has been great for getting the kids to re-sign but his team selection and game day coaching is diabolical. He isn’t a finals coach.

 

[SandyToes]

Dew has been great for getting the kids to re-sign but his team selection and game day coaching is diabolical. He isn’t a finals coach.

The same qualities that make him a player favourite make him a crappy coach
He's blinded by love

 

[Jarman3]

Blake Caracella for me if we want fresh & hungry. Still think he is the best senior coaching candidate waiting for his shot.

Dew has been great for getting the kids to re-sign but his team selection and game day coaching is diabolical. He isn’t a finals coach.

Scott Burns is lurking in the wings. I think he's already applied for our senior job twice previously and missed out? I suspect he came on board as an assistant with an eye towards sliding into the top job if/when Nicks gets moved on

 

[TheGoldPersons]

Was Dean Soloman any good? Can't remember, doesn't he live in Kingscliff now?

 

[SandyToes]

Was Dean Soloman any good? Can't remember, doesn't he live in Kingscliff now?

Not going to be any better than Dew
That's our problem now
We're on this train and it's not stopping at any stations to pick up anyone new

 

[Stroppy]

Dew has been great for getting the kids to re-sign but his team selection and game day coaching is diabolical. He isn’t a finals coach.

I still think the re-signing of young players to something like market value contracts was the most important job for the club as a whole and Dew in particular. We were going nowhere when money was king. The buy in from players feels real and a million miles from where we were even 3 years ago.

Izak going was the anomaly from the last few years rather than the norm. If we paid Izak $900,000 a year to get him to stay when he actually wanted to go, that is how you crack any foundations you have laid.

And feeling more like a club includes bagging and judging the coach for game day stuff. If the wins don't come this year, and we go backwards in on-field performance, he should and probably will go. This is year 6, the young players are re-signed and not that young any more, and a no excuses year. So bag away for mine, but the journey to here still counts.

 

[Jen2310]

Bit of talk here on Dew and whether it was the right choice to re-sign him. But that it was player led, and there was talk they had to listen to the players given there was so much issue in retention.
But discussion around never listen to the players in the final decision

 

[Jirik13]

Bit of talk here on Dew and whether it was the right choice to re-sign him. But that it was player led, and there was talk they had to listen to the players given there was so much issue in retention.
But discussion around never listen to the players in the final decision

Not going to listen to Caroline. That lady is insane

 

[Jen2310]

Not going to listen to Caroline. That lady is insane

Hahah I know. I just skipped to the relevant part plus it wasnt her talking at time.

 

[Deleted member 2402071]

Not going to listen to Caroline. That lady is insane

Unfortunately there is a decent chance we could be 0-5 in a few weeks. There will be a crap load more media rumblings if that eventuates. As the club has said, anything less than finals this season is a fail.

 

[Bjo187]

The problem is that all the good experienced coaches that were available last year are now signed up elsewhere. Buckley is the only one left, but he seems disinterested in coaching again. The lure of coaching in a place with a talented list and a lot less media scrutiny might appeal to him though, but I think his kids are in school in Melbourne and he is now divorced so the kids wouldn't move with him.

The other two are Simpson and Hinkley. Neither get me too excited though, but would still be an upgrade.

 

[robo_1]

The problem is that now all the good experienced coaches that were available last year and now signed up. Buckley is the only one left, but he seems disinterested in coaching again. The lure of coaching in a place with a talented list and a lot less media scrutiny might appeal to him though, but I think his kids are in school in Melbourne and he is now divorced so the kids wouldn't move with him.

The other two are Simpson and Hinkley. Neither get me too excited though, but would still be an upgrade.

You see voss has gone okay with a second chance. the media were saying last week pyke or Leppitsch could get a second go

 

[Supersuns]

I don't see it as finals or bust this year.

What I do expect / demand is at least noticeable improvement over last year and so far I'm not seeing it. But if we're going to sack Nicks, it needs to be after we sack Ogilvie.

Wrong board mate.

 

[Jarman3]

Wrong board mate.

Ooops, apologies - it came up in my notifications and I responded without looking. Thought it was our board. I'll delete my post.

Apologies again.