I couldn't find this on the net yet so I scanned it in..
Rawlings sees only positives
By Glenn McFarlane
Sunday Herald-Sun 19 JUL 2009, Page S05
JADE Rawlings will not be intimidated by any high-profile candidates seeking the Richmond coaching position, saying he believes his intimate knowledge of the list gives him an edge.
Rawlings, who will coach the Tigers for the fifth time today since replacing Terry Wallace in Round 12, intends to fight hard to keep the Richmond coaching role heading into the next decade.
"You don't put yourself in this position if you think you are not capable of helping the club move forward,'' Rawlings said this week.
"There are going to be some good applicants contending for the job, but you cannot be fazed by what other people are doing or have done.
"I think I am doing an OK job at the moment. I could not be more enthusiastic or passionate about wanting to coach this group.''
Rawlings, 31, is the youngest person to coach an AFL team since Mick Malthouse took on Footscray in 1984. But he believes his knowledge of, and relationship with, the Tigers' players could work to his advantage.
"I have got a real rapport with the group,'' Rawlings said. "They have reacted well to what I have put in place.
"It is hard to express just how much you love doing the job. I have really enjoyed working with the players and the staff, and seeing the things you put into place come to fruition on the field. It is happening slowly, but we are getting there.''
Rawlings said he was positive the club had better long-term prospects than many critics have attested.
"We are taking some steps now, and hopefully we will take some more for the rest of the season,'' he said.
"You see all the positives in the group. I think they have just scratched the surface.''
Rawlings said he was initially reluctant to promote himself as a long-term successor to Wallace.
"There were bigger fish to fry in those first few weeks,'' he said of the initial need to get the players up and running again after a frustrating first half of the season.
He coached them to a win over West Coast in his debut game before three subsequent losses to St Kilda, Adelaide and Carlton.
The Tigers have been more competitive in recent weeks, and Rawlings hopes that new edge can be rewarded with a win today against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
Rawlings said Tiger veteran Matthew Richardson -- his brother-in-law -- could return from injury within three weeks.
He also said the performance of Ben Cousins in recent weeks had been impressive, saying the young Tiger midfield group was learning plenty from him.
"He is a beauty, I love coaching him,'' he said. "As much as his individual form has been improving each week, he has been great for the playing group.''
