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

[exit]

Here's my ranking out of 100 for each player on Richmond list. This takes into account their form this year, previous years, finals series.
Below 40 = DELIST
40-49 = E
50-59 = D
60-64 = C+
65-69 = C
70-74 = B
75-79 = B+
80-84 = A
85-100 = A+


A+ Graders
NONE

A Grades
NONE

B+ Players
Alex Rance 76
Jack Riewoldt 75
Brett Deledio 75

B Players
Trent Cotchin 72
Dustin Martin 71
Shane Edwards 70

C+ Players
Anthony Miles 69
Brandon Ellis 68
Bachar Houli 68

C Players
Ivan Maric 64
Nick Vlastuin 64
Kam McIntosh 61
Ben Griffiths 61
Troy Chaplin 60
David Astbury 60

D+ Players
Nathan Foley 59
Reece Conca 58
Taylor Hunt 55

D Players
Chris Newman 54
Dylan Grimes 52

E Players
Tyrone Vickery 49
Steven Morris 48
Jake Bachelor 46
Ricky Petterd 40
Shaun Grigg 40

FAIL
Matt Dea 38
Matthew Thomas 29
Sam Lloyd 21
Nathan Gordon 20
Shaun Hampson 11

Not disagreeing with you, but interested to know how you arrived at these figures.

Did you use some specific criteria/formula, or just your general observation/view?

 

[Bloods]

What's the definition of an A-Grader? Top 10? Top 50?

If it's the former, he's right. If it's the latter, he's off the mark.

The problem with the media is that they are so reactive to small samples. The collective thought from the media a month ago was that Rance is clearly the best key defender in the game. Just complete rubbish.

 

[Sol23]

Delidio martin cotchin jack and Rance are all A graders. Easy to bag them when the team is underperforming.

 

[Yellow Feathers]

How the hell is Riewoldt not an A-grader? The most underrated forward of all time. He's a colmen medalist FFS.

 

[B4Bear]

Houli would be one of our A graders if he wasn't so easily negated, but his skills are very near A grade when he's on his game.

This.

The trouble is Houli is seen as your most effective weapon coming out of the back half. Hence he ends up getting alot of attention from the opposition.

Now by rights this should allow the rest of the back half to be open, but for what ever reason it just isn't happening.

He was great against Carlton in round 1. His movement through the corridor was beautiful to watch.

Of all the players at Richmond, Houli is the one I rate the most.

 

[HBFlanker]

How the hell is Riewoldt not an A-grader? The most underrated forward of all time. He's a colmen medalist FFS.

wow

 

[HBFlanker]

Delidio martin cotchin jack and Rance are all A graders. Easy to bag them when the team is underperforming.

deledio - No
Martin - yes
Cotchin - no
Jack - yes
Rance - maybe

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I'd count Cotchin Riewoldt and Martin as A Graders.

That said, grades are just a made up arbitrary term that dont really mean anything.

 

[Lsta062]

Players like Deledio, Martin, Cotchin, Riewoldt and Rance I would consider "A-Graders", although they aren't at that level consistently.

I would see an A grader as a player whose consistent best is up there in the best of the league, and have shown that. So according to my definition, Rance, Deledio, Martin, Cotchin and Riewoldt are considered A graders because they have all shown this at a stage in their career. I would only revoke the A grade title once a player has shown that they can no longer perform at that high level, and none of these five players have shown that they can no longer perform at that high level consistently anymore. Until then, I would say they are A graders.

No one else is an A grader in my opinion. I would not even consider someone like Shane Edwards, who is performing well at the moment, as an A grader as he has not yet proven he can perform at a high level consistently.

The problem with Richmond's A graders though is that they are not "A grade" leaders. Yes, they can be superb when they are in-form, but their leadership on field is not up there with the rest of the league, hence why they rarely ever drag the team over the line after a half-time deficit (Richmond have only won once from a half-time deficit since the beginning of the 2012 season, and they were leading in the first half all game in that one win). So, Richmond lacks A grade leadership, not necessarily A grade players, and this is what other clubs have that they don't. There is no one on the Richmond list that is an A grade leader.

If you consider an A grade player as being a player that is also an A grade leader, then yes, Richmond don't have A grade players. But according to my definition, they have around 5 A-graders.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

If you consider an A grade player as being a player that is also an A grade leader, then yes, Richmond don't have A grade players. But according to my definition, they have around 5 A-graders.

And theres the rub. Everybody has different definitions. According to Dunstalls definition Richmond have none. Theres no wrong or right, its just words.

 

[Lsta062]

And theres the rub. Everybody has different definitions. According to Dunstalls definition Richmond have none. Theres no wrong or right, its just words.

Yes, it is really ambiguous using that term, as people have different definitions for it. Some would scold at Dunstall for saying what he said because of their definition of an A grader while others would totally agree with him

 

[Wargreymon90]

Richmond have good players. The issue is that Cotchin martin and deledio are the exact same players they were 4 years ago (cotchin gone backwards). There appears to be a lack the desire to improve.

They must also stop bringing in free agents. Apart from miles, the players they have brought in makes it seems as if they are accepting mediocrity.

 

[Yellow Feathers]

wow

So a 2x Colemen medalist, All Australian and B+F winner isn't A-grade in his position?

Tell me, how many Colmen medals have North won in the past 20 years?

 

[HBFlanker]

So a 2x Colemen medalist, All Australian and B+F winner isn't A-grade in his position?

Tell me, how many Colmen medals have North won in the past 20 years?

About the same as Gold coast i think.

Coleman medal is the most overrated achievement in the modern game. I would rather have 4 players kick 40 goals that one player kick 90.

Jack is probably an A grader. But there is about 10 forwards in the game i would have in front of him

 

[Yellow Feathers]

Coleman medal is the most overrated achievement in the modern game.

The only other recent Coleman medalists alongside Jack are Franklin and Roughead. They both play for sides that are winning flags, and are arguably their team's most important players.

I agree that a spread of goals is more valuable, but I really do think people underrate Riewoldt because he has a bad public image.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

I think my favourite part of it all is the run and gun game plan that Hardwick has seemingly introduced, despite not having anything close to the personnel to achieve it successfully.

Also that article where Troy Chaplin said they need to grow up, and then referenced the Tigers being a "team built on a foundation of good foot skills". Lolololololol.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...grow-up-and-act-like-men-20150511-ggyo7d.html

What an absolute mess.

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

Steady on. We are many things at the moment but disgraceful isn't one of them.

Richmond are going nowhere. They were going nowhere for 5 years under Wallace and now they have been going nowhere for 6 years under Hardwick. I'd be looking at dismantling the side getting a new coach and starting again from scratch. Keep whichever of the current side show some leadership over the rest of this season, keep a few promising kids like Ellis and Vlastuin and get what you can for the rest. Or maybe wait a year since this year's draft isn't supposed to be much chop.

I've said before, I'm actually somewhat surprised that Richmond still have supporters. The way that club has operated for a long time now, they simply don't deserve the support of those who have stuck by them.

While we haven't got a lot to show for 5 and a bit seasons under Hardwick (2 finals appearances for 2 losses), I don't think we'd need to do a full rebuild this time around and start from scratch. The core of the team is still a good age and there's quite a few youngsters who perhaps should be getting more games than some of the players ahead of them.

There's a bit of junk to be moved on/cleaned out but I don't think our problems require extensive surgery to the list - I think a better game plan with better structures (for example I believe we've won the inside 50 count in every game we've played this year but haven't been able to capitalise on that with scoreboard pressure) across the ground would go a long way to seeing some improvement in most of the current players.

I think a better coach and a mini rebuild (similar to Collingwood) might be enough - we've reportedly also got a fair bit of cap space and coin for free agency which might help net some more quality (if they can be convinced to come to us).

 

[tugga]

Richmond have good players. The issue is that Cotchin martin and deledio are the exact same players they were 4 years ago (cotchin gone backwards). There appears to be a lack the desire to improve.

They must also stop bringing in free agents. Apart from miles, the players they have brought in makes it seems as if they are accepting mediocrity.

I agree.
Free agents are fine if their names are Rory Sloane, Dylan Shiel or Patrick Dangerfield, but not when their names are Nathan Gordon, Shaun Hampson, Ricky Petterd or Taylor Hunt.
We have perfectly good kids running around in the twos (Elton, Lennon, McBean, McDonough) who were all high(ish) draft picks and yet we still don't know whether they can cut it or not because they don't get games despite continually getting named among the best players and yet the recycleds get first crack at every game.

 

[blitzer]

Meh, I'm still happy to call the group of Riewoldt, Martin, Cotchin, Deledio and Rance A-graders. I guess it depends on your definition. These guys aren't the problem. Its the rest of the best 22 particularly the bottom 4-8 players.

 

[Jak!x]

Struggles with the tag, but no doubt about it Deledio is an A-Grader. Would make every side's best 22 either as a flanker or outside mid, more than you could say for the rest of the blokes. Rance is a great player but has too many down games when he's suppose to be the pillar of Richmond's defence. I think Martin, Riewoldt and Cotchin beat up on lesser opponents and struggle more against good teams

 

[t_94]

My memory might be playing tricks on me but I always remember Cotchin's 2012 season as being ridiculously good, to the extent that it was almost Brownlow worthy (checked this He got 26 votes). Don't quite understand why He's gone backwards. More attention? More Pressure? Less damaging kicking? The way He was playing that year He should be a top 10 player in the competition by now.

For Mine though that level of talent doesn't just fade. He's still only 25 and can get back to that level.

 

[Tiger_man322]

I remember Port's captain Dom Cassisi a few years back said exactly the same thing.. Port are doing pretty well since and have A grade players in the mix now.

Its just one persons opinion.

Know what changed between Cassisi saying that and Port being contenders? he club basically did a whole rebuild in the space of an off-season. Coach, CEO President and many others gone. Playing list pretty much stayed the same, with them getting a few names to their club and drafting well.

Richmond might jst have to do the same to get to the next stage

 

[bugalugs213]

He's just getting richmond supporters back for everytime they say that Lockett, Carey,Ablett, Stoneham, Reiwoltd, Loewe, Coleman, Hudson, Richardson as forwards are all well ahead of him.

 

[Tiger_man322]

My memory might be playing tricks on me but I always remember Cotchin's 2012 season as being ridiculously good, to the extent that it was almost Brownlow worthy (checked this He got 26 votes). Don't quite understand why He's gone backwards. More attention? More Pressure? Less damaging kicking? The way He was playing that year He should be a top 10 player in the competition by now.

For Mine though that level of talent doesn't just fade. He's still only 25 and can get back to that level.

Thing is, he wasn't seen as the 'go to guy' at Richmond at that time, Lids was. So Lids got the heavy tag and Cotchin was allowed to do his thing early on which gave him some confidence and boom, has a great year. These days, he usually cops the number 1 tag. We also don't have any bodes like Dan Jackson or Tuck who would see that they would help Cotchin and Co out with their tags. Blocking, shepherds and all that. I very rarely see a Richmond player these days shepherd or block the run of somebody elses opposition. Too busy running off to try and create that quick style ball movement.

 

[Tiger_man322]

Richmond have good players. The issue is that Cotchin martin and deledio are the exact same players they were 4 years ago (cotchin gone backwards). There appears to be a lack the desire to improve.

They must also stop bringing in free agents. Apart from miles, the players they have brought in makes it seems as if they are accepting mediocrity.

Dimma keeps saying that thee players were brought in for 'depth,' yet continue to automatically get games while Lennon and others langish in the twos because Dimma thinks they 'aren't' ready. They never will be if you don't play them, they will get so used to playing ressies that when you bring them into the seniors they look lost and a tad slow. Then Dimma drops them the next week for one of the 'depth' players.

 

[Spitta09]

Dustin Martin is an A-grader. The media are very harsh on him. He's been playing well for years, averaging 26.5 possessions a game this year and they're not dinky little kicks either. They are long, accurate kicks. He kicks goals too.

Don't worry about the stats he turns the ball over at will and has been seagulling off the half back line for a lot of this year. He was responsible for numerous of our goals on the weekend. I think hardwick plays him out of position to be fair but that could be because he has a lot to learn defensively