Jack out of the box - Hardwick's higher hopes for Riewoldt (RFC)

[one-eyed]

Jack out of the box
richmondfc.com.au
By Steve Lavell
1:37 PM Wed 05 Jan, 2011

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick hopes key forward Jack Riewoldt can spend more time up the ground in 2011 after dropping three kilos in his recovery from finger surgery.

The 22-year-old played out last season and October's International Rules Series in Ireland with a damaged finger tendon in his left hand, and has done little more than run throughout the Tigers' summer program.

Riewoldt, whose breakout 2010 season won him the Coleman Medal as the competition's leading goalkicker and the Jack Dyer Medal as Richmond's best and fairest player, returned to full training just before Christmas.

"He's down to about 90 (kilos) now. He came in at 93 and probably got a little bit heavy towards the end of last year," Hardwick said.

"With the way the game's going to go this year - he played a lot of game time anyway - but we'd like to see him a bit more up the ground.

"His running today was outstanding. I think he finished in the top four or five in the 500m test, which was great."

Richmond kicked off its year at the Tan Track at Melbourne's Royal Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, with midfielder Matt White and former Bomber Bachar Houli the standout performers over distance.

Seven players posted personal-best times, with Hardwick impressed with the general condition of his group.

However, he expected it would be close to the end of the month before the five players on modified programs would rejoin their teammates.

Nathan Foley continues his recovery from the lower leg injuries that have hampered his last 18 months, while fellow midfielder Trent Cotchin will be eased back in after a strong pre-Christmas block.

"We're just going to take our time (with Foley)," Hardwick said.

"As we've said, we were never going to rush Nathan. When he's ready to go, he'll let us know.

"He's doing a lot of training and will come in fit and firing. We've just got to persevere and take some time with him."

Hardwick has been particularly pleased with the contribution of Houli, Shaun Grigg (Carlton) and Brad Miller (Melbourne), who all joined Richmond in the off-season.

He said the three players were quality characters who - in various roles - would complement the side as it built on its 15th-place finish of 2010.

"We've just got to improve in every facet of our game; not only our football, but the Richmond Football Club in general," Hardwick said.

"If we strive for that continuous improvement, we'll get to where we need to go. We still realise we've got a hell of a long journey in front of us, but we're making small steps, which is a positive.

"If we get incremental improvement into players, that's when we start to make progress. When we get that ... that's when we'll start making steps up the ladder."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/106599/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Jack Riewoldt ready to fire, says Hardwick
Greg Buckle
January 5, 2011 - 12:44PM
 AAP

The slimmed-down version of reigning Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt is set for a big 2011 AFL season and will spend more time up the ground.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick couldn't hide his delight on Wednesday at seeing the 195cm key forward among the leading runners in time trials at the Tan Track.

Riewoldt had finger surgery following his 78-goal season and has returned in excellent shape.

 "Yeah he's great. He's dropped about three or four kilograms," Hardwick told reporters at Melbourne's Botanic Gardens.

"He's down to about 90 now which is great.

"He probably got a little bit heavy towards the end of last year.

"The way the game is probably going to go this year, we'd like to see him a bit more up the ground.

"His running today was outstanding. He finished in the top four or five in the 500-metre test which is great."

Midfielder Matt White led the field around the 3.87km Tan Track in 13 minutes and 12 seconds with former Bomber Bachar Houli second.

"We've got to improve, there's no doubt about that," Hardwick said.

"We finished 15th on the ladder so we've got a hell of a lot of hard work to go.

"We've got to improve in every facet of our game."

The second-year coach said he was excited to see how the new substitute rule would work, suggesting it could lead to more elite midfielders rotating through the forward-line.

In the 2011 AFL home-and-away season, all clubs will field three interchange players and one substitute, with the sub able to be used at any time and the player he replaces not eligible to return to the field.

"Andrew Browne, one of our rucks, after the rule came in he sent me a rest-in-peace thing for the second ruckman," Hardwick said.

"We've got some time to trial it which is great, that's what the (pre-season) NAB Cup is for.

"We'll see what works best for us, whether it's an impact player off the bench or another runner.

"We're going to see probably more midfielders push forward which will be great, to see the better players on the ground for longer.

"We'll see how it goes. Hopefully it's a positive impact for our game."

Hardwick said Nathan Foley (leg) and Trent Cotchin (Achilles) were among those set to resume full training later in January.

"We're never going to rush Nathan," Hardwick said.

"We've just got to persevere and take some time with him."

Foley was leading the club's best and fairest count before suffering an ankle injury in round 14, 2009 and played only four games last year.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/jack-riewoldt-ready-to-fire-says-hardwick-20110105-19fo0.html

[tony_montana]

I think a lot of ppl (excluding tiger supporters) think Jacks 2010 was one out of the box and expect him to go back to status quo good average young fwd in 2011.

This guy is one of the most driven individuals at the club, I have no doubt he'll build on a coleman year and improve again.

[Stripes]

I'm actually hoping the goals are much more shared amongst the forwards and rotating midfielders. If this means Jack doesn't kick as many goals individually but as a team we increase our average goals, I would be wrapped!

[Dice]

"If we get incremental improvement
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/106599/default.aspx

Eff me ! Did Dimma go back and grab a literature degree over Chrissy ? 
I've been driven incre mental just following the Tiges 4 eva 

[mightytiges]

If Jack is going to play as a 'high' forward further up the ground then it'll be interesting to see how we structure up and who we play closer towards the goalsquare. I'd presume Vickery is one the coaches will hope can step-up playing the dual role of tall forward and 2nd ruck.

HF:  Riewoldt              Griffiths     mid-size forward
F:    small forward        Vickery      resting mid

Miller  to be the fall-back option if a young tall can't step up at FF.

[Smokey]

If Jack is going to play as a 'high' forward further up the ground then it'll be interesting to see how we structure up and who we play closer towards the goalsquare. I'd presume Vickery is one the coaches will hope can step-up playing the dual role of tall forward and 2nd ruck.

HF:  Riewoldt              Griffiths     mid-size forward
F:    small forward        Vickery      resting mid

Miller  to be the fall-back option if a young tall can't step up at FF.

Griffo and Jack might rotate through the forward line a bit?

[WA Tiger]

Please Mr Hardwick dont try and fix what isn't broken....., some of our other coaches have tried the same with some of our ex-players and it didnt work. I honestly thought Hardwick would have tried to bulk him up just a bit more and use him as a power forward...oh well lets hope it works, not sure who play his role at FF then..

[Oiafi]

Please Mr Hardwick dont try and fix what isn't broken....., some of our other coaches have tried the same with some of our ex-players and it didnt work. I honestly thought Hardwick would have tried to bulk him up just a bit more and use him as a power forward...oh well lets hope it works, not sure who play his role at FF then..

What is broken is the fact that Jack kicked 78 goals last year then the next highest total was 15 from a player that's now listed by Carlton. I would think the reliance on Jack to kick goals would be more than a little bit of a worry for Dimma. If Jack goes down whose going to kick a score for us? Our resurrection last season was built fair and squarely on Jack's shoulders. We have been criticised for being too Richo-centric in the past, now we run the risk of doing the same with Jack.

I like the idea of getting Jack out of the forward line and making the other youngsters kick goals. Unfortunately if no one stands up then we may look like we've gone backwards. Hardwick has to hold his nerve and believe in his plan.

I share your sentiment, I hope it works. We'll be a better team if it does.

[Penelope]

I think your on the money there Oiafi.
It will interesting to see what role role Jack plays and how the forward line structures up, but ultimately we need more goalscorers and moving Jack up the ground may long term be of benefit, even if short term it is not. Time will tell.

[tony_montana]

Please Mr Hardwick dont try and fix what isn't broken....., some of our other coaches have tried the same with some of our ex-players and it didnt work. I honestly thought Hardwick would have tried to bulk him up just a bit more and use him as a power forward...oh well lets hope it works, not sure who play his role at FF then..

What is broken is the fact that Jack kicked 78 goals last year then the next highest total was 15 from a player that's now listed by Carlton. I would think the reliance on Jack to kick goals would be more than a little bit of a worry for Dimma. If Jack goes down whose going to kick a score for us? Our resurrection last season was built fair and squarely on Jack's shoulders. We have been criticised for being too Richo-centric in the past, now we run the risk of doing the same with Jack.

I like the idea of getting Jack out of the forward line and making the other youngsters kick goals. Unfortunately if no one stands up then we may look like we've gone backwards. Hardwick has to hold his nerve and believe in his plan.

I share your sentiment, I hope it works. We'll be a better team if it does.

yep good post - potentially 1 step back for 2 steps fwd in the future. We know Jack can play deep fwd and do it well, so does every other team in the comp now - we need to add more strings to the bow in order to be serious contenders and now is the time to experiment with fwd line setup bc lets face it we're not going to be playing finals this season so lets develop some other fwd options and make Jack a better more complete player.

[WA Tiger]

Yep good comments, I just hope Jacks development is not to the detriment of the team, I would have welcomed the change after this year, I mean Jack has really only shone last year. I would have liked to see our forward line develop more with him there. Perhaps Post, Goudis or a couple of others could have been experimented with up the ground first.

But I will wait, go Jack.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Yep good comments, I just hope Jacks development is not to the detriment of the team, I would have welcomed the change after this year, I mean Jack has really only shone last year. I would have liked to see our forward line develop more with him there. Perhaps Post, Goudis or a couple of others could have been experimented with up the ground first.

But I will wait, go Jack.

Good point WAT.

[Mr Magic]

Cannot wait to see what Jack serves up for us this year. 

[Coach]

Trade him if he doesn't kick a 100+