Dimma's aftermatch media conference / We're closing the gap: Hardwick

[one-eyed]

We're closing the gap: Hardwick
By Peter Ryan
afl.com.au
Sun 08 Apr, 2012


RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick said Saturday night's performance was another indication that the Tigers were closing the gap in relation to the top four teams.
 
Although it lost to Collingwood by 21 points it was only uncompetitive for eight minutes at the start of the third quarter.
 
During that period Collingwood kicked five goals to open up an eight-goal lead.
 
Hardwick was disappointed, joking that he nearly put his fist through the glass window of the coaches box as Collingwood went on its scoring rampage after half-time.
 
"We just got out-hunted in that quarter," said Hardwick. "Collingwood are the number one contested ball side in the comp and we managed to match them in the first half and let ourselves down in the third."
 
The result follows a 44-point opening round loss to Carlton, who is shaping as a premiership contender in 2012.
 
However Hardwick knows that honourable losses won't mean much if the team can't post a win next week against Melbourne, who has had a horror start to the season.
 
"The reality is we're zero and two, which we don't want to be," said Hardwick. "Obviously we're behind the ledger."
 
The team will also be without the spirited Jake King who will miss the next six weeks due to a PCL injury suffered in the first two minutes of the game. King was eventually subbed off at three-quarter time and the coach said he was a big loss.

"For the little bugger (King) to hang tough for as long as he did was probably a testament to the kid himself but [also] the way we played for the majority of the night," said Hardwick.

"The thing with him is he doesn't tell you what is wrong half the time, he's a bloody idiot really. That's the type of kid he is."
 
But Hardwick saw enough to suggest that the Richmond team of 2012 has improved.

"There were signs there offensively. I thought we were OK clearance wise … I think we went down a little bit in the end so we've got some of work to do there and a couple of defensive mistakes crept into the game also."
 
Richmond lost the centre clearances by seven in the finish but were beaten six centre clearances to one in the third quarter.
 
Vice-captain Trent Cotchin said it took the inexperienced midfield too long to react to the onslaught. By the time it did, much of the damage was done.

"It is more that mental resolve and making sure, as 'Dimmer' (Hardwick) said, as the players get a little bit older and more mature we make those decisions quicker and make sure it does not happen that way," said Cotchin. 
 
Hardwick can see the future. He had watched a replay during the week of Collingwood playing Richmond in 2007 when Magpie stars Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Travis Cloke were still in the early stages of their careers. Tonight he saw those players fully developed. He hopes the same can happen to his youngsters.

"We've just got to iron those inconsistencies out and that will happen over the course of time," said Hardwick.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/132550/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Richmond pays the price after Collingwood goal burst

    Warwick Green
    From: Sunday Herald Sun
    April 08, 2012

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick said he was so frustrated with Collingwood's match-deciding five-goal burst at the start of the third term that "I felt like putting my fist through the glass pane window".

The Tigers conceded eight goals in a row in a 25-minute stretch taking in the parts of the second and third quarters, on their way to a 21-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG last night.

"I think we gave up five-zip at the centre bounces (at the start of the third term) and they kick four goals as a result, which is disappointing," Hardwick said.

"Look, it's something we've got to look at. Obviously, Daisy Thomas kicked two in a 3 1/2-minute period, and we've just got to get better in that situation.

"We went down in contested ball in that quarter quite significantly, which sort of led to the blow out in the game. We've just got to learn from it and fix it."

The Tigers will lose combative leader Jake King for at least six matches after he tweaked a posterior cruciate ligament in the first term. King left the field, reappeared 10 minutes later with his knee strapped and was subbed off midway through the third term.

"He did his injury in the first two minutes of the game and for the little bugger to hang tough for as long as he did is probably a testament to the kid himself," Hardwick said.

"He's going to be a huge loss for us. The thing is he doesn't tell you what's wrong half the time, he's a bloody idiot. But that's the type of kid he is."

Hardwick acknowledged that his young midfield stars Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin were producing sporadic performances, but said that "the inconsistency of our group will get smaller and smaller as the years go on ... we need to iron those inconsistencies out, and that will happen over the course of time".

Despite some clangers when the game was up for grabs in the first half, Hardwick defended his team's ball use, saying "it wasn't an issue".

"Nah, l think our disposal efficiency outdid Collingwood's tonight," he said.

Hardwick said the Tigers would treat Saturday's match against winless Melbourne the same as any other game.

"We're 0-2 and we need to win, and Melbourne are 0-2 and they need to win, too," Hardwick said. "It's a really important game for both footy clubs."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/richmond-pays-the-price-after-collingwood-goal-burst/story-e6frf9jf-1226321252377

[Tigermonk]

ugliest game of football l ever seen, we are closing the gap on nothing. our skills, turnovers, non leading, players pulling out, playing slower than a VFL side, another coach who has his contract & likes what he see's ??? Jackson

[one-eyed]

Here's the vision of Hardwick and Cotchin's press conference after the game...

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/roarvisionarchive/tabid/11454/contentid/438024/default.aspx

[10 FLAGS]

I dont know how we are closing the gap when Collingwood rock up with a side that is nearly as young as us and includes blokes like Keeffe, Seedsman, Paine and Sinclair. I thought it was a poor collingwood side to be honest.

[Francois Jackson]

agree with above, the only stat i'm interested in is wins/losses. If we cant start to beat the top sides then we have not improved.

Pies fielded a very young side and once again we leaked goals in quick time. Dimma should fix that problem because it costs us games and it costs us percentage.

A loss against Demons and i have a feeling there will be some people down at Punt Road wanting to hide. This is the game that we normally lose and which is why so many teams ridicule us. No more rubbish excuses and no more garbage spin we need to not only win but win well.

MFC are an absolute basket case

[TFL]

We were a total rabble last night.

Collingwood's pressure smashed us and you could count on one hand the amount of times we went inside 50 with direction and purpose.

We pushed so many players up to clog up space to stem the bleeding that we had nothing once we went forward. Collingwood are playing like rubbish at the moment and we were very lucky.

Too many players not working hard enough defensively.

[TigerTimeII]

we are closing the gap
they played crap cos our pressure got to them
if we minimized our mistakes and had a but more composure we would have won easy
only if we put score board pressure in the first half

they put 22 players out there like we did, even if they had 4 young players out there they are still way more experienced and developed than us
i hate losing but the tigers of old would would have lost by 80plus yesterday, but we didnt fold!!!

[Tigermonk]

if Collingwood were playing Carlton last night they would have lost by 80 points, No coach could be happy with any of that sideways football. Jackson run from inside the back 50 & calling for the ball ran passed 2 skunks & which left them to attack the ball carrier. Jackson ended up on the wing 70 metres up field & out of the action. WTF puts themselves out of the play.
The result was the ball was turned over in ugly style which if l remember correctly which l'm trying not to remember Jackson was a goal

[Tigermonk]

We were a total rabble last night.

Collingwood's pressure smashed us and you could count on one hand the amount of times we went inside 50 with direction and purpose.

We pushed so many players up to clog up space to stem the bleeding that we had nothing once we went forward. Collingwood are playing like rubbish at the moment and we were very lucky.

Too many players not working hard enough defensively.

correct

[Tigermonk]

we are closing the gap
they played crap cos our pressure got to them
if we minimized our mistakes and had a but more composure we would have won easy
only if we put score board pressure in the first half

they put 22 players out there like we did, even if they had 4 young players out there they are still way more experienced and developed than us
i hate losing but the tigers of old would would have lost by 80plus yesterday, but we didnt fold!!!

mate the umpires saved our asses, so many decisions that l seen saved definate goals. The Geshiens were absolutely the worst l seen. Alberton football league sides like Allied & Woodside sport better umpires & they were excellent

[tony_montana]

we are closing the gap
they played crap cos our pressure got to them
if we minimized our mistakes and had a but more composure we would have won easy
only if we put score board pressure in the first half

they put 22 players out there like we did, even if they had 4 young players out there they are still way more experienced and developed than us
i hate losing but the tigers of old would would have lost by 80plus yesterday, but we didnt fold!!!

mate the umpires saved our asses, so many decisions that l seen saved definate goals. The Geshiens were absolutely the worst l seen. Alberton football league sides like Allied & Woodside sport better umpires & they were excellent

Watch replay, not nearly the charity you claim it is

Don't take notice of after match pressers, coaches bake players in private and back them publicly. They give us fluff 99% of the time, the other 1% is gold like Neeld unleashed last week 

[TFL]

Our offensive movement was a disgrace last night, chipping sideways and backwards all night.
There was no movement and the work rate of our players was terrible.
No wonder Rance had 34 touches.
90% of our movement forward was rushed.

We have a long way to go still, a lot of that is exerience also.

I dont think its all over for us, still a way to go though.

[Tigermonk]

we are closing the gap
they played crap cos our pressure got to them
if we minimized our mistakes and had a but more composure we would have won easy
only if we put score board pressure in the first half

they put 22 players out there like we did, even if they had 4 young players out there they are still way more experienced and developed than us
i hate losing but the tigers of old would would have lost by 80plus yesterday, but we didnt fold!!!

mate the umpires saved our asses, so many decisions that l seen saved definate goals. The Geshiens were absolutely the worst l seen. Alberton football league sides like Allied & Woodside sport better umpires & they were excellent

Watch replay, not nearly the charity you claim it is

Don't take notice of after match pressers, coaches bake players in private and back them publicly. They give us fluff 99% of the time, the other 1% is gold like Neeld unleashed last week 

Tony l dont need to watch a replay, l seen it with my own eyes. Umpires saved us many times

[Jackstar is back again]

No doubt Dimma has been attending Terry Wallace "King of Spin" classes
Now now Dimma
How many marks inside F 50?
And more than half of those to Brad Miller
We were very ordinary last night