Damien Hardwick says “I was the problem” in 2016, calls sentiment around Tigers in close games “unfair” on Fox Footy’s On the CouchJune 19, 2017 9:48pm
Max Laughton
FOX SPORTSRICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has opened up on his struggles, both professional and personal, during the Tigers’ disappointing 2016 season.
After playing finals for three straight years Richmond dropped to just eight wins last year, being eliminated from September contention with a month left in the season.
But speaking on Fox Footy’s On the Couch, an honest Hardwick said he was the problem as he overthought things and didn’t allow input from his players.
“I felt I segregated myself from players, I was working harder than I had to, I was trying to find the solution myself but in effect I was the problem,” he said.
“I was looking for things and creating things that weren’t actually there half the time. I ended up being too worried about the micro and not the macro. So I had a really poor year.
“(My workload) was out of control. And you’re at your worst, you’re locking yourself away — I wasn’t in a good spot at that stage, there’s no doubt about it.”
Hardwick admitted the toll of the season impacted him on a personal level as well, changing him from his usually affable self.
“I went off the path I normally was (on),” he said.
“I’m usually a happy, vibrant personality around the club and I like to think I still portrayed that but deep down I wasn’t happy in myself and the way I was going.
“And I sort of just needed that endpoint of the season to end to finally unpack it, put it to bed and move on.”
The coach said his low point came around a month away from the end of the season, which would have been near the time his club was mathematically eliminated from playing finals.
“I was just like, whatever I try, whatever I do, it’s just not happening,” Hardwick said.
“And I was changing things and players ... and the reality is our game is a relatively simple game. You get the ball and you move it forward. It hasn’t changed in 150 years.
“Unfortunately as coaches sometimes you try to reinvent the wheel.”
But with Richmond now well in the finals race having recorded seven wins and come close to four others, Hardwick said he has changed.
“We’ve been really fortunate to bring in some new staff that have reinvigorated me, reinvigorated the playing group,” he said.
“We’ve probably changed our philosophy a little bit about being more of a defensively orientated side, more so than offensive, and I think the numbers probably suggest that as well.
“It’s been built up to be something that’s big and grand but it’s amazing how quickly things can change by just a couple of per cent working in a different way.”
Hardwick also defended his team’s 2017 performances from those critical of their record in close games, calling the sentiment “unfair”.
Richmond has lost four games by a single-digit margin, but he pointed out that many of their wins should also be classified as close games as well.
“You’ve also got to realise that we’ve won a lot of close games as well at the start of the year,” he said.
“We’ve blown sides out by two to three goals at the end but the majority of our games have been close apart from maybe the Carlton game and the Brisbane game which we won quite comfortably. The Essendon game at three-quarter-time, West Coast was, Melbourne was as well.
“It’s probably unfair to tarnish us with ‘we’ve always had these close losses’. We’ve also won some really tight games that have been really competitive.
“The great thing about our footy club is I reckon our fans come to every game and know they’re going to get a fierce contest.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwick-opens-up-on-professional-personal-struggles-during-disappointing-2016-season/news-story/235aca5007291b59b4af3f00bba16258
