Is Damian Hardwick the right coach to lead Richmond forward ???

[djspank]

We are in trouble. I said it last year that I was worried some supporters were getting ahead of themselves and had conveniently forgotten about our horror start last year, which at year 5 of Dimma's tenure was very ominous.

Haven't been able to cover Tuck and Jackson, so we now have no grunt.

Couldn't even manage to cover Jake King in the trade period. Some players need to be moved on, and that may include one or more of our so called "stars", if they are in fact just coasting.

Coach to be moved on end of this year. Time to go shuppin'!

 

[Lsta062]

I say it around this time every year - Dustin Martin is the only leader at the Richmond football club.
Now perhaps this year I can include that young kid Miles. I think Miles has the potential to also lead Richmond football club.
I suspect Martin is the only player on their list capable of becoming an A-Grader, he does have the right tools. And while young Miles mightn't make it to A-grade status, he is equally as important as any A-grader is to their own club.

He tends to stand up when things are not going Richmond's way. He did that throughout last year

 

[Spook]

Sorry why is that ok for Josh but not for Alex, at the start of 2013 Alex had played 66 games. Funny thing is Richmond were a fairly good team in 13 n 14, those times Alex was very close to, if not, an A grader. So is it silly to say he could become a Josh Gibson?

He has now played 113 games and as you said is not an A grader at Richmond. I am saying that Gibson was always going to be an A grader its just that he changed clubs, so the club did not matter. Rance is not an A grader after 113 games therefore changing clubs would make no difference.

 

[Spook]

3 of those players are among the most maligned in the game (along with Naitanui). The other has played 1? 2? games for the season.

Yes true but sorry but I don't see a point?

 

[TheKanga]

I'd consider Jack Riewoldt an A Grader.
Apart from that the list gets pretty thin.
Cotchin & Martin are possibly the most overrated players in the game.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Also. Deledio is

I'd consider Jack Riewoldt an A Grader.
Apart from that the list gets pretty thin.
Cotchin & Martin are possibly the most overrated players in the game.

Both are what they are. Put martin at hawthorn where he would be defending space and kicking it inside 50 people would froth at him

Hes just not a pure midfielder like people want. Hes an outside midfielder whos a bit one paced but a brilliant kick and a clever player. I think he gets a pass because richmond want to turn him into some goal kicking clearance winner.

How much better did richmond look when that bloke came out of nowhere last season and was a maniac for about 10 games in the middle? I daresay richmond with priddas/lewis/armitage any gun clearance winner/contested ball winner would look 300% better

 

[The Joker]

He has now played 113 games and as you said is not an A grader at Richmond. I am saying that Gibson was always going to be an A grader its just that he changed clubs, so the club did not matter. Rance is not an A grader after 113 games therefore changing clubs would make no difference.

Lets get one thing straight, i did not say he was not an A grader.

He made a run at the All Australian team in 2013 and got there in 2014. Surely this would have to mean at the very least he is a B++ player. This in a half decent team.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Very #concerning for the Tigers. Jason Dunstall, on Fox Footy's On the Couch program last night, claimed that Deledio (injured) can be considered an A-grader and Rance when he is 'up and running' (bad form, lack of discipline re. 50m free kicks, in the last few weeks after a strong start to the season) can also be considered an A-grader but Cotchin and Martin cannot be considered A-graders 'the way they are playing'. Therefore, on present form the Tigers are bereft of quality, leadership and class. They highlighted that Martin has not taken a one-on-one mark in the forward 50 this year when he averaged 1-in-2 last year #concerningtactics. Why is Dimma not throwing the downhill skier forward? Cotchin is also a headscratcher. Not a Marc Murphy in terms of softness at the contest and in leadership but not as hard as a Selwood, Hodge or Boak either by a long way. And the kicking of these two supposed guns and a number of Richmond players is #concerning. Richmond are neither rebuilding nor contending, so where are they going long-term?

#hashtag

 

[Milanista28]

Cotchin is an A grader at training I reckon gets great meters gained @ training.

Riewoldt should demand a trade to a good team reckon he could kick 100 at say Freo.

 

[schnoods]

Cotchin is an A grader at training I reckon gets great meters gained @ training.

Riewoldt should demand a trade to a good team reckon he could kick 100 at say Freo.

Pass. He wouldn't suit the defensive pressure Freo have.

Honestly i think they have A graders in Richmond, just none are in good form, A few structure issues, and they are missing a good big bodied midfielder, someone to fill the inside mid void of Tuck when he departed, just hasn't been the same since he left.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

The longer Hardwick is at Richmond the better it is for all of us. Richmond are a decent team and should be making finals regularly.

No they're not, they're ordinary.

 

[WCEbrody]

Will happily take B-Graders in Cotchin and Dusty at my club please.

Will a 2nd round pick and McGinnity get it done>?

 

[chunkylover53]

How do you measure the worth of a coach? Hardwick has extracted more from many of his players than many had perceived. He's turned battlers like Grigg into one of his most important midfielders. (Sad to say for us).

He has developed a bunch of softies into a team that challenges for finals on an annual basis. The "Ninthmond" joke is rarely made anymore.

Will this team win a flag under Hardwick? No, but neither would they under Al Clarkson. On the flipside, Hardwick would probably win a flag with Sydney's list, for example.

Agreed. From their game on the weekend, I would classify the following players as 'battlers':

Grigg, Edwards (just), Houli, Grimes, Batchelor, Chaplin, Gordon, Hunt, Morris, Newman.

The majority of these players have hit their ceiling, and I don't think someone like Clarko or Roos could extract anymore out of them. Hopefully they have kids that can come in and replace at least 4 or 5 of these guys in the next 2 years.

I recommend you don't take the Carlton route and sack Dimma and employ a bloke who doesn't change the list in his first off-seaosn.

 

[DrMike]

So wait, when a player is playing crap, they're not an A Grader? No shit Dunstall.

Here's his next comment, the team that scores more than their opposition on the day wins the game.

 

[WSmith]

Corchin martin deledio reiwoldt rance
They are B+ for me.

All very VERY good players but thats the problem ...
Hawks - hodge, lewis mitchell bourgoyne lake gibson

You want flags you need 6 or more a graders.

Richnond just dont have em. But they have more b graders than most other teams hence why they should be 7-10th but are playing under themselves atm which would mean Hardwick isnt doing the job so they need a new coach. Why they dont make that call is beyond me.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I'm glad I don't watch 'On The Couch' anymore

 

[juss]

The more appropriate analysis would be Richmonds best players have been in poor form the last few weeks and its really cost them this season.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

So wait, when a player is playing crap, they're not an A Grader? No shit Dunstall.

Here's his next comment, the team that scores more than their opposition on the day wins the game.

A graders don't have prolonged periods of crapness.

 

[Super Hans]

Could name 20 midfielders I'd take before Cotchin, he's captain cheap kicks. 2012 is the only year he's been elite.

Deledio is a gun when fit, and Riewoldt is a jet WHEN played in the right position..

 

[go you pups]

So wait, when a player is playing crap, they're not an A Grader? No shit Dunstall.

Here's his next comment, the team that scores more than their opposition on the day wins the game.

Rance and Martin have poor games.......na no A graders at Richmond

 

[yyou]

Does a lack of form mean someone isn't considered an A-grader? Was Ablett not an A-grader prior to surgery?

Who on earth has considered Ablett to NOT be an A grader, injured or fit?

 

[copthat]

Aside from Rance no one has been playing to an 'A-Grade' standard this year. Shane Edwards is knocking on the door.

If we'd kicked straighter v Melbourne and actually had a functional forward line I doubt we'd be talking about this however. It's compounded by the fact we are in horrendous form overall. I still agree that our best players haven't fired this year and unfortunately most of them lie in the midfield.

 

[SdKfz 181]

5 years of Hardwick for nothing but 2 limp showings in elimination finals, and now it is time for a rebuild again. Disgraceful club.

People quickly forget how much of a shambles of a club we were prior to Hardwick taking over in 2010, we were in a far worse position at all levels than any other club has ever been since Fitzroy..

We can be a bit harsh on Martin and Cotchin because they are judged at A grade standards, but there has never been any conclusive evidence that they are equal to the Judds, Selwoods, Fyfes of the AFL world.

Cotchin coming equal second in the 2012 Brownlow medal says otherwise, though his game has gone backwards in the last two years since becoming captain.

 

[Roy boys]

Is Cotchin in the same bracket as Ablett, Selwood, Pendlebury?

Is Riewoldt in the same bracket as Hawkins or Franklin or Pavlich? (Or Nick?)

Is Rance in the same bracket as Lonergan or Lake?

That's what I'd define as "A grade". Do any of those three measure up? Questionable......

Riewoldt is better than Hawkins and Rance is better than Lonergan.

 

[Freomaniac]

Shane Edwards can hold his head up high.
OP, no offence but your analysis leaves much to be desired and doesn't warrant a serious reply.

This from some thats out side looking in. There would be 3 guys in my opinion that are A-graders: Riewoldt who is a multiple coleman winner, Delideo for his versatily and Rance for his versatily as well. Those 3 would be in freos 18 at the moment.