Hardwick, 2014 results, and a contract extension.

[BF Tiger]

Damien has presided over a steady rise of the Richmond Football Club. Initially signed for three years from 2010 he was granted a contract extension of two years to guarantee his tenure as coach through to the end of 2014.

Each year we have seen improvement in the W-L column, which is a credit to him and the staff of the club. However we still have our bogey sides, and we seemingly have trouble with a plan B when things start going against us.

I take it that Damien is very well liked by the players and respected by board.

That said, what result is needed for Damien to be coaching at Richmond beyond 2014?

How much will that be influenced by what experienced coaches may or may not be available?

Will this plan work and how much longer do we stick to the plan, to which Damien is intrinsically tied? Could another coach build and improve upon what Damien has started?

For mine - to be guaranteed a contract extension we need a top 4 finish, for which I would give him two more years. If we don't make the finals he is on very shaky ground. 5-8 will get him one more year, maybe, depending on which experienced coaches are available, of which there are not too many. I think we would be an attractive proposition for any coach, with a solid list and top class facilities.

 

[juss]

I'm not sold on him as a match day coach, but as long as he gets us to the finals next year he will be renewed imo. Top 4 should be the aim, but not a pass/fail result. We will most likely have a tougher draw and you never know how injuries will play out.

Regardless of ladder position, winning a final would be a pass mark for next year.

 

[Tigersman]

Top 4 will be tough next year as our draw will be tougher. A spot in the eight a d a year where we can consolidate our place as a top 6 side would be great.

 

[TJTIGER]

Damien has presided over a steady rise of the Richmond Football Club. Initially signed for three years from 2010 he was granted a contract extension of two years to guarantee his tenure as coach through to the end of 2014.

Each year we have seen improvement in the W-L column, which is a credit to him and the staff of the club. However we still have our bogey sides, and we seemingly have trouble with a plan B when things start going against us.

I take it that Damien is very well liked by the players and respected by board.

That said, what result is needed for Damien to be coaching at Richmond beyond 2014?

How much will that be influenced by what experienced coaches may or may not be available?

Will this plan work and how much longer do we stick to the plan, to which Damien is intrinsically tied? Could another coach build and improve upon what Damien has started?

For mine - to be guaranteed a contract extension we need a top 4 finish, for which I would give him two more years. If we don't make the finals he is on very shaky ground. 5-8 will get him one more year, maybe, depending on which experienced coaches are available, of which there are not too many. I think we would be an attractive proposition for any coach, with a solid list and top class facilities.

I agree with what I've highlighted. For me the pass mark would be finals again. Having said that, I'm not inflexible when it comes to that and quite a few things have to go our way to achieve that. At this stage as far as I'm concerned things would have to really go pear shaped for the club to consider letting Dimma go. All areas of the club have to continue to strive to improve (footy dept). This is a given, and I think Dimma etc is under no illusions regarding this. We expect loyalty from our coaches and players and for me this is a 2 way street. As far as I'm concerned as I think I said things have to go very bad for the club to consider letting Dimma go.

 

[I Rock]

I'm not sold on him as a match day coach, but as long as he gets us to the finals next year he will be renewed imo. Top 4 should be the aim, but not a pass/fail result. We will most likely have a tougher draw and you never know how injuries will play out.

Regardless of ladder position, winning a final would be a pass mark for next year.

That's where I sit ATM, to lose a game the same way to the same team in a matter of a few weeks is not great. Gutted about yesterday; hopefully it becomes a positive to drive the club and makes the players hungrier for finals success.

 

[acr2751]

steady improvement of the players and game plan as he has done over his first 4 years.

I would not put a must make finals attached to his renewal anything could happen with injuries etc.

 

[The Goon]

That's where I sit ATM, to lose a game the same way to the same team in a matter of a few weeks is not great. Gutted about yesterday; hopefully it becomes a positive to drive the club and makes the players hungrier for finals success.

True, but it happened to the Swans this week too, and it's been happening to Hawthorn for years. Carlton also kicked 18.8 - freakishly accurate. Whether it's in the head or how the match ups work some teams just have a bogey side. Will certainly be looking forward to R1 to see if we can fix it.

 

[I Rock]

True, but it happened to the Swans this week too, and it's been happening to Hawthorn for years. Carlton also kicked 18.8 - freakishly accurate. Whether it's in the head or how the match ups work some teams just have a bogey side. Will certainly be looking forward to R1 to see if we can fix it.

51 point turn around in one and a half quarters of football is inexcusable and people need to be made accountable and heads need to roll.

 

[Calcium Man]

Now is the absolute worst time to bow to supporter disappointment and sack people/heads will roll. Thats what we've done for 30 odd years. And its hardly just Hardwick, he might have the final say but there is a group of coaches in the box who will all have input into a game plan and reactions to what is happening on the ground. Nor can he make the players run harder which was clearly where we fell down after half time. Even Jackson was out on his feet not picking up players.

No next year we continue to build on what we did this year. More money into the football department. Grab a voss or Ling or somebody of quality to come on as an assistant. Improve our fitness team and another Vlastuin like player (Dunstan, Salem, Sheed) and hopefully somehow manage to nab Adams as well. Another solid trading and free agent period, improvement from Helbig, Arnot, McBean, McDonough and Elton or Griffiths.

Next year we have our own VFL team with full time development program now at reserve level. This might take a few years to really show the full value of but hopefully a guy like Griffiths will play forward and really develop or a McDonough will play full time midfielder instead of being moved around to half back or forward to fill holes at coburg.

65,000+ members most likely next year and the money and support coming from that and the right models and people in place (i.e. like Geelong, Sydney, Freo and hawthorn) where we work together to move forward. There is no Messiah, there is no one person bigger then the club. We are not Essendon with Hird, Collingwood with Buckley, Carlton with Judd and Malthouse or Melbourne with Roos. These clubs may do okay in the near future but they will not win the ultimate prize because this is modern football not 1970's, 80's and even 90's football.

We are Richmond, We are one club, Hardwick alone is not responsible for our failure yesterday or for our success in the future we are all responsible for everything we achieve. From the players, admin, football department to us the fans whose pressure and overreactions in the past have caused us to seek a saviour and bad aid solutions.

 

[CotchinAwesome]

I like Hardwick, and think he's doing a great development job, but I'm also in the boat of questioning his ability as a match-day coach.

He seems to be a bit slow to react to opposition changes sometimes, and will persist with losing matchups.

Also, I die a little inside every time the players hold the ball up to 'slow it down'.

 

[TigerTime88]

I would say he needs to make finals again next year for another extension. Really if we back 2013 up with a bottom 8 finish Dimma would be gone. Great development coach but one appointment that could really help would be a Senior Assistant with some tactical nous.

Not sure what Vossy was like on game day but would be worth a look.

 

[CotchinAwesome]

Although I don't think it's a big enough deal to get rid of him, particularly with the huge number of clubs scrambling for coaching talent at the moment.

 

[CotchinAwesome]

Great development coach but one appointment that could really help would be a Senior Assistant with some tactical nous.

Not sure what Vossy was like on game day but would be worth a look.

Yeah, he mentioned he was looking for an assistant gig a while back.

 

[TJTIGER]

Now is the absolute worst time to bow to supporter disappointment and sack people/heads will roll. Thats what we've done for 30 odd years. And its hardly just Hardwick, he might have the final say but there is a group of coaches in the box who will all have input into a game plan and reactions to what is happening on the ground. Nor can he make the players run harder which was clearly where we fell down after half time. Even Jackson was out on his feet not picking up players.

No next year we continue to build on what we did this year. More money into the football department. Grab a voss or Ling or somebody of quality to come on as an assistant. Improve our fitness team and another Vlastuin like player (Dunstan, Salem, Sheed) and hopefully somehow manage to nab Adams as well. Another solid trading and free agent period, improvement from Helbig, Arnot, McBean, McDonough and Elton or Griffiths.

Next year we have our own VFL team with full time development program now at reserve level. This might take a few years to really show the full value of but hopefully a guy like Griffiths will play forward and really develop or a McDonough will play full time midfielder instead of being moved around to half back or forward to fill holes at coburg.

65,000+ members most likely next year and the money and support coming from that and the right models and people in place (i.e. like Geelong, Sydney, Freo and hawthorn) where we work together to move forward. There is no Messiah, there is no one person bigger then the club. We are not Essendon with Hird, Collingwood with Buckley, Carlton with Judd and Malthouse or Melbourne with Roos. These clubs may do okay in the near future but they will not win the ultimate prize because this is modern football not 1970's, 80's and even 90's football.

We are Richmond, We are one club, Hardwick alone is not responsible for our failure yesterday or for our success in the future we are all responsible for everything we achieve. From the players, admin, football department to us the fans whose pressure and overreactions in the past have caused us to seek a saviour and bad aid solutions.

My candidate for post of the finals series, well said Calcium Man!! We live or die together there is no other long term solution.

 

[Top_4_Tiger]

Sign him up in October for another two years.

He's earned it IMO. Completely changed our culture for the better and our win-loss column has improved every season. He favours the right type of players, hard and tough, and that attitude becomes the norm for everyone so it means we get more out of payers who would be chronically soft in another team.

 

[Tiger2709]

51 point turn around in one and a half quarters of football is inexcusable and people need to be made accountable and heads need to roll.

This was the first attempt at finals by the majority of players, we had the same scoring shots as the Blues and were at a disadvantage of losing Conca early, this is a part of the reason for the late fade out, I cant see why heads need to roll, if it happens again next year fine, but this was a learning experience and losing your first attempt at finals is common.

 

[Stylo]

Every year the Hardwick/Gale administration has chipped a little more marble from the eventual masterpiece they'll forge. 2013 has been no different and I'm excited to see what they deliver in 2014

 

[I Rock]

This was the first attempt at finals by the majority of players, we had the same scoring shots as the Blues and were at a disadvantage of losing Conca early, this is a part of the reason for the late fade out, I cant see why heads need to roll, if it happens again next year fine, but this was a learning experience and losing your first attempt at finals is common.

The team faded because no one took the game on or had the courage to drag the team up with them. There are a number of players who are not up to it and there heads need to roll. Too many players went missing in the second half when the heat was on. This was a combination of the passenger approach of the players and the game plan.

First finals or not; a 51 point turn around in that fashion against that team after losing in a similar manner a few short weeks ago is inexcusable. The reasons need to be found out and rectified immediately. Anyone happy with how this year finished and patting themselves on the back need to take a good hard look at themselves. Accepting that result is accepting mediocrity, great the team made the finals. So what, lets all feel good that the record books will show Richmond made the finals for the first time in 12 years. Sunday showed just still how far back from the pack the club is, thinking that this year the club achieved anything of note means a greater chance that the next step up will not be taken.

 

[Bird Man]

There is no one to replace him with so I guess we must hope that dimma learns even if it takes 3 times

 

[DrMike]

We're actually looking for a new President, Gary March is stepping down.

 

[Stylo]

We're actually looking for a new President, Gary March is stepping down.

Choccoooooooo

 

[wart101]

Im a bit disgusted with some of the supporters on here, the team has done great this year and hardwick is getting better as a coach (including match day performance) i want to see hardwick with the tigers a min a 10 years, we need this as a club.

 

[TJTIGER]

Not sure if I agree with 10 yrs wart101 but I agree with the idea of stability etc

 

[I Rock]

Im a bit disgusted with some of the supporters on here, the team has done great this year and hardwick is getting better as a coach (including match day performance) i want to see hardwick with the tigers a min a 10 years, we need this as a club.

Based on the projection of the side over the past four years; this years result was simply a pass mark. The side made the finals as they should have. It was not a successful season beyond what the result at minimun should have been. To suggest otherwise is accepting mediocrity, again.

 

[TheAnt]

Fitness, Fitness, Fitness..look at what Port Adelaide were able to do hiring the guy from Liverpool. Not my stat but Richmond were +347 points in first halves and +33 points in second halves in 2013 (including yesterday). That's pretty damning.