"This is as poor as we're going to get" - Hardwick

[one-eyed]

The only way is up: Hardwick
richmondfc.com.au
By Jennifer Witham 11:15 PM Thu 25 March, 2010


RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick believes the only way is up for the Tigers after their 56-point loss to Carlton on Thursday night at the MCG.

Hardwick, after coaching his first official game, said he would use lessons learned from the defeat to hasten the development process his young squad was facing.

"This is as poor as we're going to get, as poor as I'm going to be as a head coach and as poor as the team is going to be also," a disappointed Hardwick said after the game.

"It's a learning progress and we've just got to get better a hell of a lot quicker.

Hardwick noted that 14 players had been brought to the club since he took the reins, and said that developing a new style of play would take time.

He singled out debutants Ben Nason, Relton Roberts and Dustin Martin as showing good signs in their first matches, and also highlighted the efforts of some more experienced players.

"Jack Riewoldt showed he could be a really good player for this footy club," Hardwick said.

"We've just got to add to that talent and continue to develop the talent we've already got."

The coach believed a combination of tired legs and lack of composure accounted for his team's lack of run in the second half, when the Blues blew the margin out from 19 points to almost 10 goals.

"We've got a fair way to go, we know that. There were some good signs but we're still disappointed with the way we faded out," he said.

"I thought we were in the game in the first half but the third quarter was diabolical, really.

"We missed tackles, turned the ball over and progressively got worse after about two and a half quarters.

"Whilst there were some really good signs early, we were disappointed with the way we faded out."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/91088/default.aspx

[Mr Magic]

"This is as poor as we're going to get, as poor as I'm going to be as a head coach and as poor as the team is going to be also," a disappointed Hardwick said after the game.

Pssst Dimma we play the Bullies next week. 

[mightytiges]

Next week won't be pretty to watch 

Having said that Hardwick and the match committee can't afford to overreact to the loss last night and bring in more mature players like Tucky, Jordie, King and co. who aren't our future in some desperate attempt to try and minimise scoreboard damage next week. We need to persist with the kids and just suck it up this year and possibly next.

[Mr Magic]

Next week won't be pretty to watch 

Having said that Hardwick and the match committee can't afford to overreact to the loss last night and bring in more mature players like Tucky, Jordie, King and co. who aren't our future in some desperate attempt to try and minimise scoreboard damage next week. We need to persist with the kids and just suck it up this year and possibly next.

Sure but some of those kids aren't going to be part of our future either based on tonight.
I think we will win the spoon quite handsomely I am afraid to say.

[mightytiges]

Sure but some of those kids aren't going to be part of our future either based on tonight.
I think we will win the spoon quite handsomely I am afraid to say.

No doubt about the latter but we already knew before the ball was bounced we are vying with the Dees for the spoon.

Some of the kids won't make it. That's just the reality of the draft. But unless we play these kids we won't find out who is up to it or not quickly so we can continually turn over our list quickly and keep only the cream of the crop. Bringing back older players who have been in the system for 5 years or more and who we know are only state league players at best will only hamper our "transformation" to use the Club's catchcry.

[one-eyed]

Tigers not as bad as before

  * Jon Ralph
  * Herald Sun
  * March 26, 2010


RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick feared a repeat of last year's Round 1 capitulation after last night's horrific start against Carlton, but was ultimately encouraged by his side's effort.

The Tigers conceded the first five goals of the game within 13 minutes, surged back into the contest before being done in by inexperience and lack of fitness.

The Tigers lost by 56 points - well short of the 83-point margin in last year's opening round.

Hardwick said a "diabolical" third quarter and second-half turnovers cost them the game.

"I don't think I can say what was rushing through my head in the first 10 minutes, to be perfectly honest," he joked.

"I must admit I was having incarnations of Round 1 last year. But our boys, to their credit, stuck to their guns and the ball started to come our way."We are disappointed with the loss, but I thought we were in the game in the first half."

Richmond trailed by 19 points after Mitch Morton's goal after the halftime siren, but the Tigers kicked just two second-half goals as Carlton piled on seven majors.

"The third quarter was diabolical. We missed tackles, turned the ball over and it progressively got worse. We were disappointed with the way we faded out," Hardwick said."It was just a complete lack of run. An inexperienced side got tired and because we missed a lot of tackles during that third quarter we ended up chasing backsides for that whole quarter. We just failed to regain that composure for the remainder of the match."

There were mixed performances from the youngsters, but Hardwick said the club had "found a few players tonight".

Ben Nason looks a talent, but Mitch Farmer and Relton Roberts were quieter.

Dustin Martin, the No. 3 draft pick, ended up with 18 touches, six of them in an excellent last term.

Trent Cotchin (19 touches) looked short of a run, and while Richard Tambling (12 possessions) had eight first-half tackles he could win only two possessions to halftime.

"I thought Dustin probably tried to handball and do too much early, he probably got a bit overawed," Hardwick said.

"But he still had close to 20 touches. He will be a very good player for us in the future and Relton Roberts did some nice things. He is going to be an exciting player. (Nason) is going to be a very good player.

"The result wasn't what I was after. But there are some things I have to work on, and the team has to work on.

"This is as poor as I am going to get - as poor as I am going to be as a head coach, and our team is as poor as it's going to be. It's a learning process, our team just has to get better a hell of a lot quicker."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-not-as-bad-as-before/story-e6frf9jf-1225845608298

[Francois Jackson]

Next week won't be pretty to watch 

Having said that Hardwick and the match committee can't afford to overreact to the loss last night and bring in more mature players like Tucky, Jordie, King and co. who aren't our future in some desperate attempt to try and minimise scoreboard damage next week. We need to persist with the kids and just suck it up this year and possibly next.

correct but i want to see Post & Collins in for Hislop & Edwards.

The last 2 will not take us to a flag so why play them.

[one-eyed]

Hardwick can see positive signs after Tiger thrashing
Herald Sun
March 26, 2010 3:08PM

NEW Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he can see signs of rapid improvement from his players after the Tigers were thumped by Carlton in the season-opener.

Hardwick's coaching career began with a 56-point defeat, but Hardwick was confident his team would not be as bad again this season as it was against the Blues.

He drew encouragement from the efforts of his first-game players, Jack Riewoldt's two goals and strong marking in attack and the emphasis he has put on change since he began rebuilding.

"You bring in 14 new players and you transform a game plan, it takes a bit of time, so we're going to get better a hell of a lot quicker," he said.

"We're going to develop players.

"You see the signs. Ben Nason showed some really good things, Relton Roberts, Dustin Martin, the emergence of some players.

"I thought Jack Riewoldt showed he could be a really good player for this footy club.

"What we've got to do is add to that talent and continuously develop the talent we've already got."

Richmond's immediate challenge is lifting to match the Western Bulldogs, who boast plenty of scoring power and posted two easy wins over the Tigers last year.

"You can't dwell too much on the loss and you learn a few things," Hardwick said.

"We went through a quote by Thomas Edison - every mistake you make you've got to learn from it, go back to the drawing board and move forward - so that's something we'll do."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, one of Hardwick's coaching mentors, offered his former colleague empathy today when he reflected on his own coaching debut five years ago, which brought a 63-point defeat to Sydney.

"It's a tough caper," Clarkson said.

"He's taken on a group of players that he's going to build from the ground up and I reckon he's going about it the right way ... I'd be suggesting they're making a lot of ground behind the scenes, we're just not seeing it in wins."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/hardwick-can-see-positive-signs-after-tiger-thrashing/story-e6frf9jf-1225846057917

[Ox]

ok folks.
This statement contains more bull poo than anything Wallace ever said.

[Tigermonk]

a good kicking coach would be what we need & have needed for years
if we kicked straight it help confidence

[Chuck17]

a good kicking coach would be what we need & have needed for years
if we kicked straight it help confidence

There is no worse kick than that crazy irishman, unless he is aiming at the ass of of his own player that is

[Mr Magic]

ok folks.
This statement contains more bull poo than anything Wallace ever said.

Yep. I reckon Dimma needs to play a very straight bat at the pressers and just get on with it.

[one-eyed]

The media are already feeding off Dimma's "this is as poor as we're going to get" comment....


It's not getting any easier for Damien Hardwick
Courtney Walsh
The Australian
April 01, 2010

First up, the Tigers met a Carlton side determined to prove there is life for the Blues after Brendan Fevola and fell well short of fans' hopes, if not expectations.

Worse, though, looms this weekend against a Western Bulldogs side determined to get their bite back following the opening-round thrashing by Collingwood.

Full article:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/its-not-getting-any-easier-stuff/story-e6frg7mf-1225848239861

[eliminator]

Unfortunately it is not as poor as we will get. Hate to say it but I expect we will get some worst floggings by seasons end.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Don't like these bold statements that sometimes get said. With Dogs on Sunday Sydney is Syd next week and Geel in round 6 could be a few awful floggings on the horizon.