Interesting the different interpretations people have giving a rating. Some people seem to be basing their rating on our ladder position, others the state of the squad and yet others his game day ability. I'm not sure which is the correct method but I've based my decision on the improvement Dimma has made to the club he took over to this point.
The list was very poor when he adopted it. He came in with a definite plan and brought with him a strong group to support him. This I feel has been one of his greatest strengths - his ability to identify quality support staff and head hunt them. The greatest acquistion I believe he has made to our club is Blair Hartley. The work he does to identify players to trade and draft for plus how to shut individual opposition players down is exhaustive. Leppa has done wonders with developing our forwards and defenders body work and Ross Smith has made us a much better defensive team.
Dimma and his crew has educated and developed the players we have into a much more conhesive unit. We have spunk and are aggressive. We don't sit by and watch one of our players get knocked down or targeted. Our culture has always been a problem but Dimma seems to have turned that around. We now no longer give up and accept defeat. We never stop fighting out games. This is the most pleasing change to me.
We have found players with skill, good characters and ability. We don't put up with fools. Connors, Taylor etc are either gone or struggling to get a game. We have the skills now to cut through opposition zones where in the past we turned the ball over consistently. We have tough, uncompromising players now like King, Morris, Rance, Maric, Ellis, Arnot, Helbig and even Cotch & Batchelor. This is Hardwick mantra.
We have a clear game plan which doesn't change even week (ala Wallace). We are predictable to each other so we are becoming more instinctive and more decisive. We know what to do and when to do it and every player on our list knows how they expected to play in whatever position they play.
Overall I am extremely pleased by our progress to date. We are on the rise and are gaining depth. We have quality players on our list and our best players our still very young. All the signs are pointing in the right direction and for that I gave Dimma a 9.
