I don't understand how you can be so degrading of a new coach after only 7 games and with the youngest list in the league to put out on the paddock? We all knew this would happen but I think we all hoped it wouldn't. Now that reality has hit and hope is all but gone we are all looking to blame someone but Jack Hardwick is not the target you should be pointing the finger at.
Hardwick is not about winning games this year. If we do it is a bonus not an absolute must. Hardwick is foremost a teacher, he is their to develop and educate our young list. Everyone is having to not only start from scratch but also attempt to erase what they had had ingrained in them for over 5 years. You mentioned some players have gone backwards, well this is why. Existing players are not playing by instinct but rather relearning how to play and what to do. Instead of focusing on attacking they are asked to prioritize defense. it is chalk and cheese and will take more than 7 games to learn. Magnify this by a plethora of experienced players and add a large group of raw recruits and you find the reason why our ship appears rudderless at the moment.
Patience is not an easy pill to swallow especially when the last batch we given gave us the runs but it is the medicine we must take in 2010. Our new coach is just trying to build up a strong foundation of skills and individual strategy at the moment. He has to find out who can play and how we can best play as a group. If he follows Wallace's lead and tries to save face with a few meaningless wins this year then what does that achieve?
Hardwick needs time and judging him on his win/loss record or even our game plan is far too premature. We all need to step back, give him and the list time and measure his success as a coach on the development of players and the team as a whole after a lot longer than 7 games!
Stripes
