Coach Did Damien Hardwick fake exhaustion to graciously exit a declining Richmond?

[Mitchell Madness]

Honestly of the belief the tigs saw the writing on the wall and told him to make up an excuse to go

 

[kaiserchief13]

Well played by Hardwick

 

[Lunchtime]

Yes he left them for Gold Coast, but he brought them 3 flags so he owed them nothing.

Really good coach, rebuilt the team when he arrived and there was some pain along the way but no doubt he rebuilt the list. Then the success came = 3 Peemierships.

But his exit from the club, he left it in a mess, which was disappointing for them. So yeah good coach but could of done things better in the end.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Ironic as Damien Hardwick was nearly sack in the end of 2016. Richmond wins 3 flags in the next 4 years in 2017 , 2019 and 2020. I think by 2021, Hardwick knew Richmond were past their peak. Hardwick doesnt owe richmond anything, he got 3 flags.

Saying that, Wasnt Mark "Bomber" Thompson in a similiar situation at the end of 2010? He got Geelong flags in 2007 and 2009. Bomber didnt owe the cats anything once he was "Burnt out" by the end of 2010.

Yes Chris Scott got the cats to a Flag in 2011. Cats stayed as competitors for the flag after the 2010 departure after Mark Thompson left.

If Chris Scott decided to leave the cats at the end of this season or next season, I dont think many cats fans will complain after getting the 2011 and 2022 flags.

There were a few factors to Thompson's departure.

You've mentioned that Geelong remained competitive, which I expected, though an instant premiership was looking unlikely after the end to 2010. So we looked to be on the slide, but not to the extent of being a bottom four side within a year or two, like Richmond did in 2023. Another factor was that Thompson was leaving, but not to be the senior coach at another club. Which is a bit more palatable.

But probably the main thing for me was that Thompson seemed to be taking regular thinly-veiled swipes at Gary Ablett and his status with the Cats beyond 2010 in the media, basically pressuring Ablett to come out and make his intentions clear. The two weren't on speaking terms at times. Then it comes out at the end of the season that for months, Thompson has been setting up an exit to Essendon to work alongside Hird as a mentor. It just looked like an extremely scummy, shamelessly hypocritical way of conducting himself. And it was only because of the fortune of how things panned out: Geelong remained successful and relevant and Essendon had - well the decade from 2011-20 that Essendon had - that we don't really hold it against him.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Really good coach, rebuilt the team when he arrived and there was some pain along the way but no doubt he rebuilt the list. Then the success came = 3 Peemierships.

But his exit from the club, he left it in a mess, which was disappointing for them. So yeah good coach but could of done things better in the end.

On top of that, I'd suggest he made personnel moves over his final 12 months that were clearly an all-in move for a 2023 flag, at the expense of an inevitable hard crash to come in the mid-late 20s.

In other words, he mortgaged the future of the club for a chance to win a fourth premiership for himself (in my opinion). And then he fled as soon as it became certain that Richmond wasn't even a shot at making the top eight in 2023.

 

[Lunchtime]

On top of that, I'd suggest he made personnel moves over his final 12 months that were clearly an all-in move for a 2023 flag, at the expense of an inevitable hard crash to come in the mid-late 20s.

In other words, he mortgaged the future of the club for a chance to win a fourth premiership for himself (in my opinion). And then he fled as soon as it became certain that Richmond wasn't even a shot at making the top eight in 2023.

Yeah I agree. Again as I said above, good coach = 3 flags is testament to that, not many coaches in modern AFL footy achieve that. But his time towards the end and his exit was just messy.

 

[Taper]

Are we really surprised? He did the same thing on his marriage too

Hardwick, Dew and Clarkson were/are all very close mates going back to when they were all at Port a couple of decades ago.

Hardwick was more than happy to blatantly knife Dew instead of having integrity.
It was only a year earlier when the AFL wanted Clarkson to coach the Suns, but he turned it down because he didn't want to knife Dew.

Dew is on record saying he hasn't spoken to Hardwick since the latter knifed him for his job.

 

[Lunchtime]

Hardwick, Dew and Clarkson were/are all very close mates going back to when they were all at Port a couple of decades ago.

Hardwick was more than happy to blatantly knife Dew instead of having integrity.
It was only a year earlier when the AFL wanted Clarkson to coach the Suns, but he turned it down because he didn't want to knife Dew.

Dew is on record saying he hasn't spoken to Hardwick since the latter knifed him for his job.

Good points.

Question is though, would the Gold Coast Suns be 6-4 under Dew this season, as they currently are under Hardwick at the moment?

 

[Cleansweep17]

I heard he was fully abusing the players in 2023 because they kept losing, obviously he had the job lined up and didn’t want his rep to be tarnished.

Usually multiple premiership coaches have an ego problem when they start losing. The success goes to their heads.

 

[JackFlash]

Hardwick saw the writing on the wall, his whole departure was contrived.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Really good coach, rebuilt the team when he arrived and there was some pain along the way but no doubt he rebuilt the list. Then the success came = 3 Peemierships.

But his exit from the club, he left it in a mess, which was disappointing for them. So yeah good coach but could of done things better in the end.

I don't know about others, but I'd trade a few years of mess for three flags.

 

[Lunchtime]

I don't know about others, but I'd trade a few years of mess for three flags.

Yep and from that point of view, he absolutely delivered =

 

[dumb]

he was exhausted, and players get homesick.

technically not bullshit, because he was exhausted coaching richmond and at the prospect of continuing his tenure. but white lies do make for a smoother out and in. can't exactly go by the 'no longer align culturally' playbook you would in a regular job interview.

 

[skinnyP]

No.

He was sacked.

 

[Xtreme]

He definitely abandoned them, don't think anyone can dispute that, it's all so glaringly obvious.

This
Couldn't stand the heat, so he got out of the kitchen. A cowardly move.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Ah yes another "BigFooty says you're faking" thread. Never misses the mark.

McCarthy goes home

Looks like he has thrown in the towel - very unprofessional by the youngster. I tip he wont play a game this tear. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-29/homesick-cam-mccarthy-granted-indefinite-leave-by-the-giants

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Jirik13]

Good points.

Question is though, would the Gold Coast Suns be 6-4 under Dew this season, as they currently are under Hardwick at the moment?

I would say 6 years was enough for Dew to prove himself. He should go probably one year earlier.

Dimma did get a great gift of 4 academy kids who all look like future guns plus Clohesy in rookie draft.

 

[HairyO]

Were your misguided strategies the reason they were going down the gurgler?

Misguided in the sense that he won them 3 flags including one only a year after there was a massive push to have him sacked because he had no clue what he was doing?

Have you seen any legitimate Carlton flags?

 

[Franc de Borges]

Misguided in the sense that he won them 3 flags including one only a year after there was a massive push to have him sacked because he had no clue what he was doing?

Have you seen any legitimate Carlton flags?

Yes, but I’m not sure what that has to do with anything.

 

[Farang83150]

On top of that, I'd suggest he made personnel moves over his final 12 months that were clearly an all-in move for a 2023 flag, at the expense of an inevitable hard crash to come in the mid-late 20s.

In other words, he mortgaged the future of the club for a chance to win a fourth premiership for himself (in my opinion). And then he fled as soon as it became certain that Richmond wasn't even a shot at making the top eight in 2023.

Well summed up.

 

[Yesterday Dog]

You can fake exhaustion but you can't fake James Harmes

22

James Harmes

Age

29

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.4

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

10.0

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.4

4star

D

16.3

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

8.9

4star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.6

3star

CL

1.9

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

0.2

2star

 

[juss]

I'd have way more respect for his handling of the situation if he'd said, 'Look, I eked every ounce I could out of this group and we won three flags together. We had a go at keeping things on track, but it's clear now it's gonna be a huge, long-term task to climb that mountain again and I'm not up for it. Best give it to the next bloke.'

That's basically what he did. He used the cooking the sausages analogy, he's tried 1000 different ways and doesn't have anymore for this group. In various semi private public events he's also spoken more about this too, that when he thinks he can't take us any further he would leave.

That day came and that's what he did.

 

[Farang83150]

Shows the character of the guy, would've had a lot more respect for him had he the backbone to stick with richmond for another year or 2, get them moving in the right direction, not just dump it on the incoming coach.
Can only imagine his reactions had he fought to try and sort his mess out if the media came after him as they with did Adam Simpson.

 

[GastevsBeard]

I suspect the AFL themselves were probably into Dimma at some point during the 2022 off-season... forecasting it isn't working with thunder thighs, and that he would be a good fit. When the wheels starting falling off the parachute plan surely became more attractive

It is a good result as Dimma is one of the most decorated & successful characters in the sport & was becoming a bit of a curmudgeon at RFC, fearlessly teeing off at the AFL. Now he is back in the fold of HQ

 

[Wolfgang West]

Did nobody else find it odd that Hardwick was so eager to coach again so soon after putting on a performance for the media telling everyone how exhausted and tired he was? Half way into this season, it is becoming clear what's going on.

The Richmond parallels with Hawthorn 8-10 years ago are uncanny to say the least. Hawthorn won three flags in a row before bowing out of the finals in straight sets in 2016. At this point Clarko decides now is the time to move on some of the old guard (Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis) and instructs the club to trade the farm for Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara; two midfielders in their twenties. This was Clarko's Grand Plan for a revolutionary snap rebuild where they wouldn't have to bottom out like other rebuilding clubs, but instead, continue to add free agents and big name trades and stay at the top. Proceeded to bring in Wingard, Scully, Patton among others, but missed out on Shiel, Lynch and Coniglio. All of this ended badly, leaving Hawthorn with a broken list and in need of an extended bottoming-out period.

Richmond won 3 out of 4 flags from 2017-2020. Following the 2021-2022 years it was becoming apparent the list was getting old and on the way down. What followed was a similar scenario: instead of going down the standard rebuilding path of prioritizing youth recruitment, Dimma decided he wants to try the Clarko snap rebuild, instructing Richmond to trade the farm for Hopper and Taranto. Fast forward half-way through the 2023 season, it is now abundantly clear Richmond won't be contending for a long time, and knowing this, Dimma decides to call it quits, citing fatigue.

Just a few weeks later he decides he's eager to coach again, and conveniently, the Gold Coast are looking for a new coach, have one of the exciting young lists in the competition, and are desperate to pay big money to any proven Premiership-winning coach.

As of Round 10, 2024, the Gold Coast are young, fast, exciting, just thrashed Geelong, look primed for their first finals appearance ever and will likely be contenders over the next 5-10 years. As for Richmond, they are in the dumpster. Their youth is poor (possibly the worst in the competition), they are full of injuries, they are still heavily dependent on older players who aren't performing, and are virtually certain to spend the next 5-7 years hanging around the bottom like Hawthorn. By the time that list is ready to compete, Hopper and Taranto will be grandpas.

With all this in mind, Hardwick's alleged fatigue all seems just a bit too well-timed. I suspect it was a load of rubbish. He's ambitious and impatient. He doesn't want to go through the whole rebuild thing again, he wants to coach a contender. This is precisely why he recruited Hopper and Taranto to Richmond in the first place, and why Clarko brought in Mitchell, O'Meara, Wingard (and tried to bring in Lynch, Shiel and Coniglio). While Clarko spent a few years trying to make it work, Hardwick quickly realized Richmond was sinking faster than the Titanic and abandoned ship.

Can’t believe this question took so long to be raised. You are spot on. Left a sinking ship then kicked the women and children out of the life boat. Waved white flag, deserted his post or what ever else fits the crime. Shit effort tbh.