One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on August 30, 2017, 09:34:49 PM
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The best I've coached, says Richmond coach Damien Hardwick
Michael Gleeson
The Age
31 August 2017
Damien Hardwick believes this Richmond team is clearly much better than any he has coached and the style of game they play will stand up in finals.
The Tigers played an aggressive contested fast style of game that was suited to finals, Hardwick said, admitting that across the board he felt this side was significantly better than any he had coached.
"This side is a lot better, more consistent" than previous finals teams, he said, with the Tigers going into the finals as a top-four team.
"They play a game style that I feel is certainly finals calibre, we play it a little bit differently because we had to, the personnel, the leadership and the way they play the game is going to hold us in good stead.
"We play a high-pressure game, high-contested game, high-tackle game – those are the sort of things that finals footy are all about. Our guys love it the way they play the game. It is not the prettiest game that we play at certain stages but it is fast, physical and pressured, so they are a lot better than what I have coached in the past, no doubt.
"It's certainly a unique group. I said after the game on the weekend when we clinched top four – a lot of people have said why we can't do it and the reasons we can't win – but our guys stick to a process, they don't worry about the outcome too much and we know if we get that template right and we play to the best of our ability on those measurables, then we are really hard to beat."
Hardwick was candid, open and enthusiastic about his team on the eve of the finals, admitting that in the past he had tried to blinker out the finals buzz from his team but this year he wanted the players to embrace the hype and enjoy the finals so as not take them for granted.
"I want our guys to embrace the hype of the finals series. There are 10 other sides sitting there wishing they could be us and seven others," he said.
Hardwick said he was often unmoved about his own teams and reluctant to watch replays of games afterwards but this team excited him.
"I am not normally a big watcher of us, but I go home and watch our tapes and watch us play with my kids and sit there and marvel at what these guys have been able to do. I enjoy it.
Hardwick enthused that Richmond was exciting as they had only one player on their injury list – Nathan Drummond –and the VFL side was also doing well. He said Josh Caddy would be fit for the first final and would be picked but the club must decide if he should play VFL this week before next week's final.
He said the club would enjoy the fact they would draw close to a sell-out crowd at the MCG for the game – especially after only 3000 Richmond fans could get into Simmonds Stadium last time they played.
"We are the No. 1 drawing club in the AFL at the moment and these guys are incredibly resilient," he said. "We lost three games by a kick or less, so they have real grit in the way they play.
"That is what held us in good stead thus far and will hold us in good stead."
The small forward line had been constructed out of necessity from early in the year when viable tall forwards were not available but now the fleet of small forwards had become the club's first choice structural set-up.
"I think it is our one wood. We look at it and we accept it for what it is – they are small but they are certainly quick and they fight like buggery and we have found a second key forward in Jacob Townsend [said with a laugh]."
Hardwick said there was no monkey on the club's back about winning a final as "the game doesn't sort of know that you have got a monkey on your back ... it's a different side than we have had over the previous years. This side is as good as I have had."
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-best-ive-coached-says-richmond-tigers-coach-damien-hardwick-20170830-gy7ekm.html
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What happened to the "we are a low tackle sort of side?" :whistle
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I thought with the thread title and that Hardwick was saying it is the best he personally has coached
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"We play a high-pressure game, high-contested game, high-tackle game – those are the sort of things that finals footy are all about."
I wish he came to this conclusion when he started like the time when he was appointed and gave us that most stirring speech about playing for the jumper and winning your own ball and blueprints etc.
So we've had to wait for a review and a new crop of assistants so he could finally realise what a lot of us with any brains could clearly see?
Wasn't it only last year he (and some OER apologists) was trying to defend the lowest tackle count the league has ever seen?
But we as supporters have had to endure the most obviously soft, boring, self defeating, excruciatingly frustrating outdated game plan for 7 years. :banghead
Thank goodness he's come to his senses and listened to people that actually understand footy. I hope he doesn't do anything that will jeopardise what's already been accomplished.
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Don't lose heart, we will probably have a bad spell next year and then people can go back to their comfort positions
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stuffn poofter
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Don't lose heart, we will probably have a bad spell next year and then people can go back to their comfort positions
next year? he wouldn't want to choke again or it could be sooner than you think
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Don't lose heart, we will probably have a bad spell next year and then people can go back to their comfort positions
next year? he wouldn't want to choke again or it could be sooner than you think
Yes you are right
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Don't lose heart, we will probably have a bad spell next year and then people can go back to their comfort positions
For the love of god - can you please tell me where Claw is ??
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Don't lose heart, we will probably have a bad spell next year and then people can go back to their comfort positions
For the love of god - can you please tell me where Claw is ??
Since you are both in WA I think you need to start the air and land search
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He was last seen leaving Domain at halftime with thousands of disgruntled Dockers supporters.
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He was last seen leaving Domain at halftime with thousands of disgruntled Dockers supporters.
:lol
That would explain it he is probably posting on their boards
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He was last seen leaving Domain at halftime with thousands of disgruntled Dockers supporters.
To be fair, by his own admission Claw doesn't attend games.
Probably still holed at some dingy pub in Cockburn Central though.....
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WA? Isn't that another country now? I think the young libs over there were demanding their right to introduce slavery or something.
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...and rightly so...
(https://americainchains2009.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/slavery_01.jpg?w=450&h=360)
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its only taken 8 yrs for dimwit to get some basics right. And here he is again getting in front of himself.
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Thanks for dropping by Clawski, and better luck next time.
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Thanks for dropping by Clawski, and better luck next time.
Your welcome.
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its only taken 8 yrs for dimwit to get some basics right. And here he is again getting in front of himself.
I agree. How stupid is the bloke seriously? Every man and his dog critical of his blueprint game style and now he expects us to forget the dribble he's been peddling since he got employed?
For me the only thing (next to a premiership) that may stop my criticism of Him if he's able to orchestrate a win against the cats. If he can up with something (we all know Scott has and will) that can counter the dominance of Selwood Dangerfield and the others in their midfield then maybe I'll be more forgiving of the mediocrity he's allowed to exist at the club.
This is his moment of truth.
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All the trademarks of stating what people want to hear. Just like the pressers post game, if you read anything into those and take a mountain of belief of the spoken word, then you know little about footy.
As far as I'm concerned I don't care about the past, I only care about the here and now and the pending future, and from where I sit the future looks solid.
We will beat peelong then meet gws in the prelim which we will win as well...
Next year, we will be just as impressive as this year and a whole lot more, so watch out if you think we are going to be easy beats.
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At least now we know where getting ahead of themselves comes from.
#Balmey #Caracella #NFI.
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Thanks for dropping by Clawski, and better luck next time.
Your welcome.
You're welcome
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Word is Hardwick will be named Coach of the year
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Word is Hardwick will be named Coach of the year
By Dio :shh
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Proxy award for Blake & Leppa.... :shh