Hardwick laments last-quarter fades (RFC site)

[one-eyed]

Hardwick laments last-quarter fades
richmondfc.com.au
By Cameron Noakes
8:46 PM Sun 04 April, 2010

BROWNLOW medallist Ben Cousins is a chance to return for Richmond next week but not even that news could brighten coach Damien Hardwick’s mood, who was again in despair after watching another second-half mauling.

For the second consecutive week Hardwick’s Tigers were beaten badly in the latter stages of the game after showing fighting spirit and the ability to stay in the contest in the first half.

But the new coach reminded fans that his team was extremely young and playing against far more seasoned opponents.
 
“It was very similar (to round one),” Hardwick said. “I thought our intensity, our competitiveness, was pretty good for the first half, maybe two-and-half quarters and then young legs fell away.

“The Bulldogs have been playing with each other for six or seven years and probably just run over the top of us from that point of view.

“But we’re disappointed with that last quarter again….probably very similar to last week. We’ve just got to get that better and over the course of time hopefully that will improve.”

But improving is going to be tough, especially with some torrid games on the horizon that takes them to Sydney, Subiaco, Geelong and Adelaide in the next five weeks.

“We’ve just to get experience. We’ve got a young list, young side, we’ve just got to get better,” Hardwick said.

Once again skill errors returned to haunt the Tigers, which gave the Bulldogs easy possession and scoring opportunities.

“We did give the ball back too which probably didn’t help,” Hardwick said.

“I think in the last quarter they kicked 4.5 (it was 3.7) or something from our direct turnovers straight out of our defensive 50 which didn’t help our cause.

“They had something like 20 inside 50s for the quarter so from that point of view it really was a disappointing finish for us.”

But Hardwick was buoyed by the performances of Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio and Will Thursfield - who was given the daunting task of taming Barry Hall.

“[Cotchin] was terrific. I thought Dustin Martin was good too, worked his way into the game. There were some pleasing signs,” he said.

“We’re really disappointed with the loss, don’t get me wrong. But the positives are: [Ben] Nason looks like he can play this game, Martin, I thought Deledio was good on [Adam] Cooney - he did a good tagging job, and Cotchin was terrific.

“We’ve just got to wait for those guys to get more mature and get more games into them and just keep playing some kids and learn how to play together.”


Damien Hardwick coaches the Tigers from the bench at the MCG on Sunday

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/91642/default.aspx

[jackstar is back again]

Would think its last half fade outs.
Also 7 goals in a game of footy is hardly good enough

[TigerTimeII]

when clarko took over the hawks they were poo also

ppl have short memories

this will take time , be patient

we were never goona win today, but i tell u what , the kids had a dip, thats what we wanna see, they will come good

just gotta get rid of teh poor kickers, that will come at yrs end, will take 2 yrs b4 we see what hardwick is building

[jackstar is back again]

when clarko took over the hawks they were poo also

ppl have short memories

this will take time , be patient

we were never goona win today, but i tell u what , the kids had a dip, thats what we wanna see, they will come good

just gotta get rid of teh poor kickers, that will come at yrs end, will take 2 yrs b4 we see what hardwick is building

Big issue here.
Okay having a dip , but there is no structure when we get the ball and go forward, none whats so ever.
Even Melbourne have structure

[TigerTimeII]

when clarko took over the hawks they were poo also

ppl have short memories

this will take time , be patient

we were never goona win today, but i tell u what , the kids had a dip, thats what we wanna see, they will come good

just gotta get rid of teh poor kickers, that will come at yrs end, will take 2 yrs b4 we see what hardwick is building

Big issue here.
Okay having a dip , but there is no structure when we get the ball and go forward, none whats so ever.
Even Melbourne have structure

in time the structure will come
one step at a time we need the cattle, soon the other young boys will come in, but we cant chuck them all in a once

[jackstar is back again]

waste of time playing the game if you aint going to have players forward of the ball when we gain possesion.
End up kicking 7 goals each week if thats the case.

[Hellenic Tiger]

It's one of two things.

1. A fitness thing. The kids are spent by the time the last quarter comes. Looking at the stats we are about 70-100 stats down at 3 quarter time in both our games. It takes its toll on the players chasing all day.

2. Psychological. The kids are making an effort chasing and all the one percenters but due to poor execution of skill despite work rate the pressure of the scoreboard is taking its toll and hence maybe the heads drop once the result becomes a formality.

It may be a combination of both. I don't think the younsters recruited from 2008 onwards would have had baggage from previous regimes ingrained on their psyche but then again who knows.

1 2 8 in two last quarters as opposed to 7 12 54.
It is a worrying statistic yet what I think is more worrying, we have not won any of the eight quarters we have played this season.

[jackstar is back again]

9 goals Round 1
7 Goals Round 2.
Say no more

[tiger till i die]

9 goals Round 1
7 Goals Round 2.
Say no more

thats two goals less than last time .. IMPROVEMENT

[jackstar is back again]

9 goals Round 1
7 Goals Round 2.
Say no more

thats two goals less than last time .. IMPROVEMENT

And 39 inside F 50 isnt good.
They had 73

[Infamy]

9 goals Round 1
7 Goals Round 2.
Say no more

thats two goals less than last time .. IMPROVEMENT

And 39 inside F 50 isnt good.
They had 73

What do you expect you drop kick, it was a team of toddlers playing the preseason premiership favourites?

[Danog]

when clarko took over the hawks they were poo also

ppl have short memories

this will take time , be patient

we were never goona win today, but i tell u what , the kids had a dip, thats what we wanna see, they will come good

just gotta get rid of teh poor kickers, that will come at yrs end, will take 2 yrs b4 we see what hardwick is building

Big issue here.
Okay having a dip , but there is no structure when we get the ball and go forward, none whats so ever.
Even Melbourne have structure

What, kicking it to Petterd?

[TigerLand]

Jack its obvious,

Hate to be negative but the likes of the following aren't yet developed anywhere near enough to be successful at AFL level against any team let alone a flag favourite:

Jackson
Simmonds
King
Edwards
Hislop
Vickory
Nahas

and our next level struggle under pressure

Tambling
Connors
Moore
McGuane
Thursfield

and our forward line is very very thing. Riewoldt and Morton are dangerous at times but that is it.

It will take 2 seasons to develop things to a competitive level or weed out the ones that fail to do so. Harsh but true. Theres no point laying the boots in as you'll be doing it 22 times this year save your breath.

[one-eyed]

Hardwick vows to maintain approach
SAMANTHA LANE
April 5, 2010
 
 
Damien Hardwick speaks to his coaching staff from his dug-out at the MCG. Photo: Joe Armao

DAMIEN Hardwick will continue to coach Richmond from the boundary line - a break from tradition the rookie coach described last night as a ''good teaching tool'' following the Tigers' 72-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

In just his second match steering Richmond at the top level, Hardwick spent the entire game stationed in a boundary-side dug-out at the MCG, equipped with a clipboard and a headset connected to his off-siders in the coaching box, so that he could deliver instructions face-to-face with his players.

While the strategy, employed time-to-time by other senior coaches, most notably Sydney's Paul Roos, will divide opinion in AFL circles - the Bulldogs' Rodney Eade said last night that he would never consider it because he would not be able to see the play - Hardwick said it was beneficial for his young team.

''I just think it's easier with our young players to actually coach them better. You can give them direct feedback. It's something we trialled during the pre-season and I've actually found it works pretty well from that point of view. You can actually empower the guys a little bit more on the bench and send them on with some instructions,'' he said.

''I thought it worked reasonably well. We tried some things that worked, but over the course of the game, the guys got tired in the legs, which led to them getting tired in mind.''

Hardwick was unsure whether he would do it again at the SCG this Saturday night, saying: ''It depends on the ground, to be perfectly honest.''

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/hardwick-vows-to-maintain-approach-20100404-rloh.html