Damien Hardwick calls for smaller bench Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
April 19, 2010RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has endorsed a radical change to the AFL's bench system to just two interchange players and two non-replaceable substitutes.
First-year coach Hardwick says the modern running game has become so quick that traditional ruckmen may become obsolete.
Yesterday his young Tigers lost to the Demons by 55 points, after defeats of 56, 72, and 55 points in the first three rounds.
His young charges were again over-run, but second-round pick David Astbury kicked three goals and Aboriginal forward Troy Taylor kicked a clever goal and was lively.
Yesterday's game was free of flooding and defensive zoning, but those aspects have featured in most contests this year.
While most AFL coaches want the league to increase the number of players on the interchange bench, Hardwick agrees with the league's concerns about the breakneck speed of the game.
"I think the game's a little bit too quick. You don't want to see guys tearing hamstrings. I read this morning that Daniel Kerr's gone down. I think something has to be done about it," he told SEN yesterday.
"I am not too sure what. Maybe it's reducing the interchange bench by two, but putting in two substitutes that can come on.
"What's going to happen is that the rucks are going to find themselves out of a job. You can't afford to have players not having a great influence out on the ground."
Richmond was only six points down at halftime yesterday after its best half of football for the year.
Hardwick said Astbury, Taylor and fellow debutante Matt Dea would play again next week, but there were no guarantees for dumped trio Ben Cousins, Luke McGuane and Dean Polo.
The Tigers' draw only gets harder -- away clashes against Fremantle, Geelong and Adelaide -- but Hardwick saw encouraging signs.
"I think you take the third quarter out of the game -- I wish you could -- and we lose by 11 points," he said.
"Come and watch Astbury, Taylor and Dea. Dustin Martin and Ben Nason. You see the future of the footy club right there. The further development of Brett Deledio as a player, Trent Cotchin, I thought Richard Tambling was very good today. We had to use him in various roles, but they are positive signs for us."
Dea's errors gave away two early goals, but Hardwick said the first-gamer had not gone into his shell.
"He had a blunder with his first possession, but he battled on really well. He puts his body on the line, he jumps on loose balls, so I was happy with his game," Hardwick said.
Cousins would be expected to win a recall after his club suspension this week, but Hardwick will make him sweat it out.
"Though we lost by 50-odd points, we had some really solid contributors in some of the positions, so by no means are they certainly guaranteed to come back in," he said.
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