Sack Hardwick [merged]

[Tigger]

Since 1973 - 1974 being the last time we played consecutive finals these are the coaches that Dimma has, IMHO, moved past:

Hafey 75-76, Richardson 76-78, Jewell 79-82, 85-87, Bourke 82-83, Patterson 84, Sproule 85, Bartlett 88-91, Jeans 92, Northey 93-95, Walls 96-97, Gieschen 97-99, Frawley 00-04, Wallace 05-09, Rawlings 09.

Dimmas winning percentage is only at about 45.9 - 51 wins from 111 matches 58 losses and 2 draws.

But none of that lot from 1974 managed finals two years running.  Not even with premiership winning teams 74 and 80.

If we win this weekend, our ladder position (at the end of the year) will have improved every year under his tenure.

Up until this year I was not a huge fan of his match day coaching, I had no issue with any other aspect of his coaching, but I felt he backed our guys too much and was too slow to make moves.  Too reactionary and not proactive.

This year his coaching has improved.  Either that or the players are understanding the message better and implementing it better - see Dimmas dissection this week as to the kick outs to the right wing in the last quarter...

If people are not happy with finals 2 years in a row...go eat a lemon...

Next opportunity is to win a final....Go Tiges!!

[(•))(©™]

Hafey 75-76



 

[Tigger]

to be clear, we made it in 75 - but didnt in 76

[the claw]

if it was a final 8 like it is now we would have played finals 65 right thru to 1982. and in 84 and 85.
what i dont get is all the glee for finishing 8th. its really no great achievement.

[The Big Richo]

Yep Claw is right.

Rewind to February and say we just scrape into 8th.

Most people would have said that was a disappointing result.

Hardwick needs a strong performance this week and next and then a push for the top four next year or this thread will rightfully be the primary traffic area on this site.

[YellowandBlackBlood]

if it was a final 8 like it is now we would have played finals 65 right thru to 1982. and in 84 and 85.
what i dont get is all the glee for finishing 8th. its really no great achievement.

It was a huge turnaround claw. After 13 games we were below a team that is now asking for a priority pick and we are playing finals. Sure we were putrid in those first 13 games but the measure of a team is how they deal with adversity.  We could have easily given up then. Let's cheer them on this week.

[Judge Roughneck]

Yep Claw is right.

Rewind to February and say we just scrape into 8th.

Most people would have said that was a disappointing result.

Hardwick needs a strong performance this week and next and then a push for the top four next year or this thread will rightfully be the primary traffic area on this site.

cause it is 

most norf fans are not happy not being top 4

[Chuck17]

if it was a final 8 like it is now we would have played finals 65 right thru to 1982. and in 84 and 85.
what i dont get is all the glee for finishing 8th. its really no great achievement.

fmd mr sunshine personified

[tony_montana]

what i dont get is all the glee for finishing 8th. its really no great achievement.

Comeon mate, youre better than that - if you cant get excited about winning 9 in a row and being the first side to play finals after being 3-10 you may as well chuck it in. Enjoy the journey - don't just look for the destination

[Tigger]

if it was a final 8 like it is now we would have played finals 65 right thru to 1982. and in 84 and 85.
what i dont get is all the glee for finishing 8th. its really no great achievement.

Actually it is.  Sure, it is not the holy grail of a premiership, but you have to be consistently in the finals to give yourself a chance to win it.

Look at the perennial favourites: Swans, Geelong, Hawthorn - and to lesser extent Freo and Collingwood (off the top of my head they made finals 8 out of 12 years under mickey and previous 2 years under bucks).

Of the top 8 last year to the top 8 this year of the home and away series - only pies out for north - and north were the best team outside the 8 last year (I am not counting the essendon/carlton fiasco).

It means that the tigers have stayed in the top half (8/18) of the competition.  We have not lost ground.  In fact, the footy they are playing now is stronger than last years 15 win season.  They players have matured.  The close wins over Adelaide and Sydney when we gave up leads and got headed but came back to win is definately a sign of maturity.

Geelong played a few years in the finals before winning in 07 - funnily enough they went 15-7 in 04 and 12-10 in 05 - missed out in 06 before winning it the following year.  Maybe it is an omen for us.

For a team that hadn't played finals since 2001 - getting into the finals last year was obviously drought breaking, backing it up again is cementing the fact that our team is better than average and plays a good competitive brand.  To put it into perspective since our last sustained success back in the mid 70s - since in75 we have only played in 80, 82, 95, 01, 13 ie in 38 years only 5 finals series - and now back to back. 

I suggest you smile and be happy - support your team to a win this Sunday and appreciate their efforts.  Is the job finished - hell no.  Are we on the right path - hell yes.

And to use your scenario but take it back a year - if someone had said to you in February 13 that we would playin the in 2013 and 2014 finals series would you take that - dont tell me you would have said - No thanks- I prefer to have another 12 years of mediocrity.

[Stripes]

The sad fact is is that some people will never be happy. There are people around here who have already made up their minds on Dimma and no matter what he does at the first opportunity they will be calling for his head. It really is a sad state of affair when you always turn on your own.

There are still plenty of 'old school' supporters floating around this forum and this thread in particular who fit into the 'Eat your own'/Sack the Coach/dump chicken poo on Punt Rd/turn on the club mould. They hide behind the old ethos - 'we demand success at Richmond' and can never see the bigger picture. Thank God that the club ignores such supporters now and have changed their strategy to become more patient and thorough with their recruitment, development and game plan.

I'm never going to be able to convince these guys that we are on the right track and to enjoy the success while we've got it. Right throughout the last 5-6 weeks I've tried but people are blinded by our poor history now so much that they won't allow themselves to see (or believe in) the positive differences.

I agree with Tigger on his assessment of Dimma. I was like him too up until this season. I thought he was a good developer of talent but I was not sold on his game day coaching. This year he has proven that his game plan and tactics during games have greatly improved.

We're in the finals and have a chance to go further - for luck sake enjoy it!!!

[tony_montana]

Stripes - Every single supporter is stoked with what's happened, the cynical ones have backed off dimma and due to past indiscretions will likely wait to see how this offseason and next year pans out before restoring the faith completely. Let it go and enjoy 

[Stripes]

Stripes - Every single supporter is stoked with what's happened, the cynical ones have backed off dimma and due to past indiscretions will likely wait to see how this offseason and next year pans out before restoring the faith completely. Let it go and enjoy 

Then why is this thread still getting so much traction? Its turned into the gripe thread but tony - I hope you're right, I really do! 

[tony_montana]

Then why is this thread still getting so much traction?

Bc you keep bumping it with 'sack the coach!'   

[Stripes]

Then why is this thread still getting so much traction?

Bc you keep bumping it with 'sack the coach!'   

Probably right today at least