Hardwick on SEN (audio and summary)

[one-eyed]

Dimma was on SEN earlier tonight (Friday) with Ox and co.


Here's the audio links:

Part 1:
http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Richmond-coach-Damien-Hardwick/1396

Part 2:
http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Richmond-coach-Damien-Hardwick/1397

[one-eyed]

Summary

* Allstars game will be exciting. We'll go up there with our full squad. Pretty tough conditions up there as you can imagine but something we're lookinbg forward to. A chance to play together and get games into our young and inexperienced list.

* It is exciting when the young guys come back to preseason training. Just to see the development; some increase their muscle mass but some have even grown. It's amazing how excited you get when they grow a cm. The great thing about our group is they are very diligent. They've been away 6-8 weeks and they've worked very hard. They've started to come together as a group. Exciting times for us.

* Jack Riewoldt - he needed a finger operation at the end of the year but we felt he should go to Ireland as it's good for his development as well as leadership to go in those programs and mix with those players. If he learns one thing from the trip it's valuable. It may hinder his preseason as he's had that op later but in 2-3 years time if he's learnt some quality things from a coach like Mick Malthouse and the quality players it's going to be an experience well worth it. He thoroughly enjoyed and probably would've like to play better by all reports.

* As supporters and spectators I'm not too sure we get excited about guernsey numbers but Martin didn't know what number he was getting until today so he was continually bobbing his head in asking what number it was. Been given the #4 was a mssive buzz for him as getting the #12 was for Astbury. As a match committee we sat down and decided when the draftees come in we didn't want to reward the first pick with a high guernsey number. We wanted all of them to come in on a level playing field and once they earn their stripes they can get a more recognisable number. Hopefully it's something that will become a tradition from here on then.

* The players can put in a request for a number but sometime club historians like to link players with jumpers. Astbury being a tall with the #12 although not sure how much Dusty is like Royce Hart (laughs). Nah Geoff Raines wore it before him successfully. We like to have a historical link there.

* Troy Taylor - we've spoken to him a couple of times and he's obviously got some cultural issues he's working through. We're just prepared to give him the time that he needs. We think he'll be a good footy player for our club but we just want to work through those things with him and get him back a.s.a.p. How long that takes we are not too sure but when we get him back we'd like him to play some good footy for us. So we are just working through those issues now and I'll spend some time with him and hopefully he'll come back and deliver on the footy field for us.


* Foley going well. He's going to be effectively a first round pick for us this [next] year. Running around unhindered for the first time in 12-18 months. Exciting for the coaches as much as the supporters as Dimma's only witnessed him playing half-a-dozen games. The game against Hawthorn especially. When he gets up and going.

* Who surprised you coming back to training?
  Contin - struggled early on this year but has come back in ripper shape. Halfway through spoke to Sam Mitchell about diet and how to get his body right. Progress has been outstanding. He won our time trail; has beautiful footskills; he's working in a lot of areas. Effectively had no break and has come back in ripping nick. Hopefully he can deliver that form when the season starts.

* Miller - Been training with us for only the past 2-3 weeks. Outstanding individual; provides leadership and presence around the club. Effectively a on-field coach for us. Key forward are a unique breed with their body and Brad's already been working with Postie. The number of tips he's passed on I struggled with as a nuggety back-pocket. Brad may play one game; he may play no games; he may play 15 games. Hard to stay. We get though a terrific character and someone who can come in and compete straight away. For a rookie pick wherever he falls we fell we'll have a win with that one.

* Vickery .... can he put on weight or is he a Josh Fraser type?
  He's put on some fair size over the preseason. One of those guys who'll fill out when he's 23-24 years old. A bit to his detriment last year [2010] we played him in the ruck a little bit too much so we'll train him pretty much as a forward who can pinch hit as a ruck. Like a Kurt Tippett type. People forget he's only 19 and he's played 25 games which not many rucks at that age have. Play him up forward so he learns how to use his body. He's got exceptional speed and a good mark. If we can find a position up forward for him and pinchhit in the ruck it'll be a massive win for us.

* Cricket club has been outstanding in the way they're going. It'll be fantastic to have our own ground as it is a real pain to organise grounds to train on. We're going to have one of best facilites not only in Melbourne but the world. Own ground and fantastic facilities right in the hub of Melbourne. Us coaches jog around the tan and there's some great sights David [Schwarz] lol.

* Houli - hope to get him. He's training with us at the moment. He's an impressive kid; solid family man; outstanding left foot which is what we're after. Outside player who can hit a target. Riewoldt is already best friends with him. Another quality midfielder who we feel can deliver inside 50. One of things we'd like to tick off in the draft also. There's also Grigg so we feel we've added two quality players which will help our footy club.

[WA Tiger]

Great positive stuff really without getting carried away, there seems to be a real buzz there ath the moment and a new level of professionalism moving forward.

[WA Tiger]

BTW, thanks for all the reports OE, I thought it was hard getting reports about the club in WA.......sheesh....try Zambia.. . Really appreciate it!!

[one-eyed]

BTW, thanks for all the reports OE, I thought it was hard getting reports about the club in WA.......sheesh....try Zambia.. . Really appreciate it!!

No probs WAT. Tell them to pedal faster

[Penelope]

* Miller - Been training with us for only the past 2-3 weeks. Outstanding individual; provides leadership and presence around the club. Effectively a on-field coach for us. Key forward are a unique breed with their body and Brad's already been working with Postie. The number of tips he's passed on I struggled with as a nuggety back-pocket. Brad may play one game; he may play no games; he may play 15 games. Hard to stay. We get though a terrific character and someone who can come in and compete straight away. For a rookie pick wherever he falls we fell we'll have a win with that one.

Seems dimma is pretty happy with Miller being taken as a rookie. I wonder if it will quell the talk that it is all Cameron's doing?

[bojangles17]

cheers OE , great wrap up

[wayne]

Good news that Contin is really keen to be the best he can.

I like the look of him.

[yellowandback]

Al, he's hardly going to bag the decision or blame Craig Cameron is he?
Sheesh wasn't it you bagging posters for not putting any thought into thread discussions?
"people in glasshouses shouldn't walk around in the nude"
hardwick presents very well, hope it delivers results.
Don't agree with b miller but do understand the logic.

[Penelope]

No, Y&B, he's probably not going to publicly bag the decision if he doesn't like it.
What he has said however, comes across a glowing endorsement rather than spin to give the impression of  unity.

I don't know if Cameron actually does have the power to make list management decisions if the coach is opposed to it, but do you really think he would bring a player into the club if the coach was dead set against it?

Walking around naked in a glass house isn't so bad after all, is it?

[Hellenic Tiger]

Walking around naked in a glass house isn't so bad after all, is it?

If you have a firm but soft bum and a good pair of DD breasts that's eye candy we all can agree on.

[yellowandback]

Even if he was opposed to it, we would never know and he wouldve moved on. That is something I see as real progress at the club.
"united we stand and all that"
I just had this feeling you'd answer the glasshouse question that way!!!

[Dice]

Nice one OE 
Reckon we've finally got a good one in Dimma.
Liked his comments on Vickery and Miller

[Smokey]

Walking around naked in a glass house isn't so bad after all, is it?

If you have a firm but soft bum and a good pair of DD breasts that's eye candy we all can agree on.

    Never met Al have you Tucker!   

[Hellenic Tiger]

Walking around naked in a glass house isn't so bad after all, is it?

If you have a firm but soft bum and a good pair of DD breasts that's eye candy we all can agree on.

    Never met Al have you Tucker!   

No but if I ever went to Darwin I'm sure Al would know where to go to help me find them.