Hardwick's aftermatch media conference / Coaching staff got it wrong

[one-eyed]

Summary

* Gave away too many goals. 23 goals is a sign the side didn't work hard enough defensively. Mental errors on the goal-line - there were at least 3-4 goals we could've touched or rushed through that we didn't. A bit of work about that this week.

* First 45 mins? All the numbers were equal - inside 50s and clearances - we just didn't take our opportunities and they just scored quickly; Gilbee kicked 3 in a blink of an eye. Something was going wrong and we couldn't put our finger on it. The Dogs were coming through the middle which they have done all year and they opened us up. We scouted them thinking they would play similar to last week but they threw it completely around. It took us a little while to adapt. They played the best they've played all year. We spoke to our guys that the dogs have won as many quarters as Collingwood this year. They are a side while their win/loss column doesn't suggest it they are playing not too bad footy.  

* 4 teenagers in the backline so it'll take time but defence these days starts from the front end and we didn't have one forward 50 turnover which is usually a strength of ours; the bulldogs had 8 so that's the game in a nutshell. Generally you want to lock the ball inside your forward line and we failed at that for a number of reasons.

* When we got it back to 12 points we expected to go on with it but once again those errors mentioned previously crept back in. There was two on the goal-line we could have easily touched that we didn't. They are demoralising goals as they are the ones you normally save and work you want back into it. Those goals are deflating influence. We did fight; we could have capulated but hung tough. Still we've got a lot of areas to work on.

* Hard to gauge yourself against certain sides. The Dogs are a better side than their win/loss record says. They were a top 4 side last year and belted us by 80 points last year. So we come away from the game (granted they had outs and we did to with Edwards' loss hurt us early) knowing we have a fair alot of improvement left in us.

* Edwards has a depressed fracture of his cheekbone. Disappointing as he's been a real find for us over the last 2 years. So hopefully back in a short time. Sometimes those injuries can be a week and sometimes longer; don't know.

* Martin and Deledio - threw them around - on ball, wing, etc - but the Dogs handled them well.

* Hudson was outstanding for them. Told Gus if you can get your second efforts as good as Hudson then you'll end up a very good player.

* Vickery - competitive up forward. Still young and has kicked 12 goals this season so he's progessing at a fair rate. Normally guys like him develop at VFL level but we've thrown him in at AFL level and he's doing a reasonable job as this stage.

* Moore - Hip. 3-4 away minimum.

* Thursty - Calf. 2-3 away.

* Hopefully Astbury who played today at Coburg can force his way into the side.

* We got beaten today but they are a proud group and we'll fight back no doubt.

[one-eyed]

Dogs opened us up: Hardwick
By Paul Daffey
7:33 PM Sun 15 May, 2011

YOU KNOW a coach has confidence when he admits after a game that he got it wrong—and he has no trouble doing so.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said after the 35-point loss at Etihad Stadium that his coaching staff were in a whirl after the Bulldogs' lightning opening.

The Bulldogs brought the ball through the middle. Lindsay Gilbee kicked three early goals. The Bulldogs kicked seven in the first quarter.

It was only at the first break, with the Bulldogs leading 7.2 (44) to 1.2 (8 ), that the Tigers' brains trust could try to catch up.

"Something was going wrong," Hardwick said. "We just couldn't put our finger on it. They came through the middle - that's something we didn't see from the Bulldogs until today. They really opened us up.

"We scouted them thinking they'd probably play similar to last week, but they completely threw it all around. They probably took us by surprise. It took us too long to react."

The Bulldogs last week lost to Sydney by eight points at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Hardwick suggested that Richmond took less notice of that result than they did about the fact that the Bulldogs had won the same number of quarters for the season as Collingwood.

"While the win-loss column is not saying the right things, they're playing not too bad," he said.

The Bulldogs hardly streeted the Tigers in terms of statistics. They won only 14 more possessions (383-369), six more inside 50s (63-57), and six more clearances (44-38).

Hardwick said the most telling statistic was that the Bulldogs forced eight turnovers in their forward 50 while the Tigers were unable to force any.

"They had eight. We had none. That's the game in a nutshell."

One of the features of the Tigers' performances during their three consecutive wins before this match, over North Melbourne, Brisbane Lions and Fremantle, was the performance of Jake King as a defensive forward.

Against the Bulldogs, King had nine disposals and three tackles. Against Fremantle last week he had 14 disposals and five tackles. It's that slight drop-off that enabled the Bulldogs to kick clear.

Hardwick was heartened by the fact that the Tigers held their ground after the early onslaught. The Bulldogs led by 34 points at quarter-time and increased that margin by only one point, to 35 points, at the final siren.

"We could have capitulated but to our credit we hung tough," he said.

He said mistakes must be expected when four of your back six are teenagers (or not far off). Those four against the Bulldogs were Rance (21), Batchelor (19), Grimes (19) and Conca (18).

He was exasperated that those defenders gave up three goals because they could not lay a hand on the ball on the goal-line. "They're demoralising goals," he said.

But mostly he was encouraging.  "They got beaten today. They're a pretty proud group. I've got no doubt they'll bounce back."

Now he needs his coaching staff to bounce back as well.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/113931/default.aspx

[Coach]

Hudson was outstanding for them. Told Gus if you can get your second efforts as good as Hudson then you'll end up a very good player.

Tell Gus to grow a pair of balls before you can even think of telling him he could end up being anything other than a woman

[Penelope]

 

[Smokey]

Hudson was outstanding for them. Told Gus if you can get your second efforts as good as Hudson then you'll end up a very good player.

Tell Gus to grow a pair of balls before you can even think of telling him he could end up being anything other than a woman

And to concentrate on achieving just one second effort - that would be a quantum leap forward.

[Stripes]

Pretty gutsy from Hardwick to admit that the coaches were bewildered to what was going on in the first quarter before they changes things around. Not many coaches would be that confident to honestly admit they made mistakes. I actual admire his all the more for it. All the same I also hope he learns from it because I'm tired off being the Dogs bedwarmer 

[WilliamPowell]

* Gave away too many goals. 23 goals is a sign the side didn't work hard enough defensively. Mental errors on the goal-line - there were at least 3-4 goals we could've touched or rushed through that we didn't. A bit of work about that this week.

No kidding Dimma - it was embarassing to be honest

[Tigermonk]

I'm tired off being the Dogs bedwarmer 

stop sleeping with mutts

[one-eyed]

From the Age...

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick admitted his team was taken aback by the Tigers' early onslaught. ''The stats were pretty even. But something was going wrong,'' he said. ''We couldn't quite put our finger on it.

''They were coming through the middle, which we haven't seen from the Bulldogs until today. The really opened us up. We scouted them, thinking they would probably play a bit similar to last week. They completely threw it all around and it probably took us bit long to react.

''To give a side 23 goals, it was just too many. That tells you we didn't work hard enough defensively. Our effort was there, but some of our mental errors on goal-line … I think we gave them three or four goals that we could have quite easily rushed through or touched over the goal-line. They're demoralising goals.''

Hardwick tempered his critique by noting that Richmond's defence was undermanned, under siege and under age. ''We're playing four teenagers in the back six,'' he said. ''But defence usually starts in the front. We didn't have one forward 50 turnover today. They had eight.''

Richmond ''gave'' the Bulldogs victory of another sort yesterday: its army of supporters - energised by a run of wins - boosted the crowd to nearly 40,000.

Both teams are dwelling on the return of key players: Barry Hall, Shaun Higgins and Brian Lake for the Dogs, defenders Kel Moore and Will Thursfield for Richmond.

The Dogs also will sweat over the availability next week of ruckman Ben Hudson, whom Hardwick described yesterday as ''outstanding'', but who in the last quarter clattered into an unprotected Angus Graham in a way that is sure to catch the eye of the match review panel.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/bulldogs-shake-off-conservative-chains-20110515-1eobm.html#ixzz1MRpZH6VM

[wayne]

Hardwick tempered his critique by noting that Richmond's defence was undermanned, under siege and under age. ''We're playing four teenagers in the back six,'' he said. ''But defence usually starts in the front. We didn't have one forward 50 turnover today. They had eight.''

The back six were poor, but it's defensive efforts all over the ground that cost us. Defensive set-ups at stoppages and in the forward 50.

I still always get very nervous when there is a throw-in in our defensive 50, i'd almost prefer a point and kick out.

[matrightyeh]

out backline was woeful

[one-eyed]

The back six were poor, but it's defensive efforts all over the ground that cost us. Defensive set-ups at stoppages and in the forward 50.

True wayne.

Tackles inside forward 50:
Richmond    7
Bulldogs    16

Of our forwards King had 3 tackles, Nason 1, Vickery 1, Riewoldt 0 and Miller 0. Grigg also had just 1 tackle.

[Dubstep Dookie]

Big heads

[gerkin greg]

Of our forwards King had 3 tackles, Nason 1, Vickery 1, Riewoldt 0 and Miller 0. Grigg also had just 1 tackle.

Well that would be Nason's first ever, so we shouldn't be too hard on him, 1 tackle is not bad for a bloke that looks like a bunch of ferrets gaffer taped together to look like a footballer.

Not good enough from Grigg, or Riewoldt - he was leading the comp last year for F50 tackling.

[Loui Tufga]

1 tackle is not bad for a bloke that looks like a bunch of ferrets gaffer taped together to look like a footballer.

LMFAO!!  that is gold!