Frawley's disappointment
6:45:44 PM Mon 28 June, 2004
Jordan Chong
Sportal/exclusive to afl.com.au
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Danny Frawley didn't think it would end this soon.
Frawley resigned as Richmond coach on Monday afternoon, with the decision effective from the day after the club's round-22 match against the Sydney Swans.
At a packed media conference in the Richmond board room at Punt Road, an emotional Frawley spoke of the disappointment of having it end this way.
Alongside him were the club's director of football Greg Miller, who will oversee the search for a new coach, president Clinton Casey and captain Wayne Campbell.
"I thought I was going to be here for the next 10 years. I haven't thought anywhere past the next nine weeks and I'll continue to do so. I'm just looking forward to turning up each day and try and improve each player as much as we possibly can," Frawley said.
"It's a tough decision, but it's one that's going to be in the best interests for the Richmond footy club first, the players second and Danny Frawley third."
"I take responsibility for the on-field and the buck always stops with the senior coach. It was always going to be a big year for the Richmond footy club and probably Danny Frawley as the senior coach."
He said the support he has received over the last four-and-a-half years, from the president to the property stewards to the members, had been enormous.
Richmond is 15th on the ladder, with only four wins from 13 rounds.
He has been coach since 2000, with the best result a preliminary final appearance in 2001. His record with the club is 45 wins and 59 losses.
In a recent newspaper interview, Tigers president Clinton Casey stated his personal view was that the club needed an 'experienced coach'.
But in a statement released by the club, Casey 'complimented' Frawley on his 'selflessness, great loyalty and his strength of character'.
"Danny’s legacy to the club will be felt for many years to come. His dignity, morality and his courage under fire will be instrumental in life lessons the playing group will carry over to the next era,” Casey said.
“His decision will alleviate the continual media pressure on both him and his family," Casey added.
Frawley played 240 games for St Kilda between 1984 and 1995 and was captain between 1987 and 1995. He was then an assistant coach at Collingwood for four years.
Describing the prospects of seeing September action 'mathematically possible' but unlikely, Frawley conceded his time in charge was up after the loss to Carlton.
"Obviously the last few losses haven't been great for the club and after the Carlton game, I called Greg and Clinton and had a chat. After a few days deliberation and thinking it over with the family, there was no point in seeking another contract," Frawley said.
"Once the realistic chance of playing in the finals was out, it was always my intention to finish off the year. I owe that to the players to really make sure that ... I'm not speaking for the players at all but if I've taught them one thing over the five years, it's to be up front and honest."
"After a couple of ordinary years, obviously playing in the finals was going to be a key criteria for me to maintain this job."
"It's going to be a tough nine weeks but it's something that I'm really looking forward to."
Frawley thanked the club for giving him an opportunity to coach at senior level and described it as 'one hell of a ride'.
He didn't regret 'too many things' about his time as coach but made mention of the club's efforts after making the 2001 preliminary final.
"We're all wiser in hindsight. In 2002, as a young coach you look at it and think you're a game off the grand final. We were probably further away than we thought."
"When you get to a preliminary final and you think you're not far away ... looking back now we were playing against one of the greatest teams of all time and we did really well to get to a preliminary final. But when you look back, we were still a fair way away."
In terms of highlights, Frawley nominated Wayne Campbell ('making people realise the player that he is') and Andrew Krakouer ('he is going to be an absolute beauty') as two.
He declined to indicate what plans he had after finishing out the year, declaring his focus totally on the remainder of the season, where he will try to give his players new challenges and try new things in what he hopes to be as normal an environment as possible.
But he did say he still had a passion for the game and had learnt a lot along the way.
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