Dimma's aftermatch media conference/ Hardwick's blunt assessments of the Tigers

[one-eyed]

VIDEO: Damien Hardwick faces the media after the Round 9 clash with Essendon....

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2013-05-25/round-9-hardwick-post-match


Beaten Tigers eye Eagles with confidence
By Callum Twomey
afl.com.au
10:45pm AEST Saturday, May 25, 2013

RICHMOND will enter its important clash with West Coast next week with confidence despite an error-riddled 29-point loss to Essendon on Saturday night, coach Damien Hardwick believes.

Hardwick said the Tigers were "flattered" by the end result against the Bombers, having been outplayed for most of the annual Dreamtime at the 'G meeting.

"It was 29 points, [but] it felt like a 10-goal ball game at half-time. We couldn’t get the game under control at any stage," he said post-game.

"We spoke about it again at three-quarter time and finally we started to get some handball overlap [in the last quarter]. But it was too little, too late. The game was well and truly over by that stage.

"We just couldn't get it up and going. We'll go and have a look at the tape and find out why."

But he did have a few answers already, chiefly the Tigers' inability to slow and stop Essendon's rampant midfield unit.

The Bombers were again led superbly by Jobe Watson, who gathered 28 disposals and three goals in a best-on-ground showing, while Brent Stanton had 38 touches and a goal.

As a unit, the Bombers won the centre clearances 17-7.

"Their midfield comprehensively outplayed ours tonight, which is for mine the big one. You look at Watson, Stanton, these type of players, they performed very well. Our guys just didn't," Hardwick said.

The loss continues Richmond's disappointing performances against the benchmark sides of the competition, joining defeats to Collingwood, Geelong and Fremantle already this year.

Hardwick wasn't perturbed by the notion of falling down in big games – "realistically every game is a big stage," he said – but did note next Monday night's clash with the Eagles at Patersons Stadium was vital.   

"It's going to be a huge challenge for our blokes," he said.

"We play the ground pretty well so we'll certainly look forward to re-grouping. Sometimes the best thing is to get away … to work on our game, get a couple of things up and going, get the group tight and make sure we play some good footy over there."

Hardwick said impressive youngster Brandon Ellis was unlikely to return for the Eagles clash after being a late withdrawal against the Bombers with a hamstring strain suffered at training.

Reece Conca is also expected to return after the club's round-11 bye from his foot injury.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-05-25/hardwick-post-match-press-conference

[one-eyed]

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick's blunt assessments of Tigers performance

    Matt Windley
    From: Herald Sun
    May 25, 2013 11:57PM

SOMETIMES you don't need many words to sum up a situation.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick cut straight to the point after watching his side go down to Essendon by 29 points at the MCG last night.

"We just didn't play well,'' Hardwick said.

"Essendon, to their credit, their pressure was outstanding, we gave the ball back (a lot and conceded) a number of easy goals.

"I think the scoreboard flattered us to be honest ... it felt like a 10-goal ball game at half time.

"We just couldn't get the game under control at any stage. They're a good side.''

Richmond players got sucked in to moving the ball sideways constantly last night rather than taking the game on.
It was a fact lamented by Hardwick afterwards.

"And I think sometimes what happens is you make a few mistakes and you probably tend to go in to your shell a little bit,'' he said.

Dons too classy for Tigers

"We spoke about it again at three quarter time and finally we started to get some handball overlay (in the fourth term), but it was too little too late, the game was well and truly over by that stage.

"We just couldn't get anything up and going. We'll go and have a look at the tape and find out why and make a few adjustments.''

The loss was soured further by news that young gun Brandon Ellis will be out until after the club's bye having suffered a hamstring injury at training during the week.

The coach said Reece Conca's absence with a foot injury is likely to extend beyond the bye also.

One positive for Richmond was the the defence's ability to restrict Essendon to 13 goals.

Hardwick was full of praise for off-season recruit Troy Chaplin for keeping the scoreboard tighter than it otherwise could have been.

Of Chaplin, Hardwick said: ``He's a very good player, he's only going to get better. People forget that he had a very injury-interrupted pre-season as well so it does take a little bit of time to come in. I thought he was terrific tonight.''

He said fellow defender Alex Rance ``was outstanding too''.

Hardwick said he tried curbing Essendon captain Jobe Watson's influence with three different players throughout the night to no avail.

The Brownlow medallist was unstoppable, compiling yet another best on ground performance.

"He's just a very, very good player,'' Hardwick said.

"We spoke about his strength on the ball, there was a couple of crucial contests where he out-bodied a couple of our players.

"And his ability to use hands in and around the contest is exactly why he's a Brownlow medallist.''

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwicks-blunt-assessments-of-tigers-performance/story-fndv8t7m-1226650626805#mm-breached

[tdy]

"We spoke about his strength on the ball, there was a couple of crucial contests where he out-bodied a couple of our players.

"And his ability to use hands in and around the contest is exactly why he's a Brownlow medallist.''

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwicks-blunt-assessments-of-tigers-performance/story-fndv8t7m-1226650626805#mm-breached

That's a result of their strength and conditioning, either ours are no good or theirs are doing something special, is it the drugs, who knows.  Carlton clearly thought it was suspicious when they sent two people to check out the essendon pharmacy. 

I suspect it's both, some of our players like Griggs seem to have got lighter since arriving, that's just strange. 

[tdy]

"We spoke about his strength on the ball, there was a couple of crucial contests where he out-bodied a couple of our players.

"And his ability to use hands in and around the contest is exactly why he's a Brownlow medallist.''

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwicks-blunt-assessments-of-tigers-performance/story-fndv8t7m-1226650626805#mm-breached

That's a result of their strength and conditioning, either ours are no good or theirs are doing something special, is it the drugs, who knows.  Carlton clearly thought it was suspicious when they sent two people to check out the essendon pharmacy. 

I suspect it's both, some of our players like Griggs seem to have got lighter since arriving, that's just strange. 

Oh I should say my guess on the drugs and it's purely speculative is HGH.  Allowing the trainers to focus on strength and the HGH increases their aerobic capacity so they can still run out games.  It's also not detectable if given in small enough doses.

[Tigeritis™©®]

"We spoke about his strength on the ball, there was a couple of crucial contests where he out-bodied a couple of our players.

"And his ability to use hands in and around the contest is exactly why he's a Brownlow medallist.''

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwicks-blunt-assessments-of-tigers-performance/story-fndv8t7m-1226650626805#mm-breached

That's a result of their strength and conditioning, either ours are no good or theirs are doing something special, is it the drugs, who knows.  Carlton clearly thought it was suspicious when they sent two people to check out the essendon pharmacy. 

I suspect it's both, some of our players like Griggs seem to have got lighter since arriving, that's just strange. 

Oh I should say my guess on the drugs and it's purely speculative is HGH.  Allowing the trainers to focus on strength and the HGH increases their aerobic capacity so they can still run out games.  It's also not detectable if given in small enough doses.

So you think they are still on the gear?
And that's why we lost?

Had nothing to do with us playing $h-it all night?

[tdy]

Oh we are playing poo but their ability to win the contests and break tackles I think is due to their larger bodies and all round strength advantage they seemed to have. 

I would not be surprised if they weighed the two teams before the game, Essendon would be heavier than Richmond.  How do you do that while still managing to maintain Aerobic capacity in an endurance based game?

[Owl]

yeah they can run all day and break tackles, stuff these guys, and if I hear Dimitrish!t defending Hird or them again...ffs I am going to get upset, If they get away with it, then every club should do it, stuff it, its not the first time these pricks have broken the rules and got off

[WA Tiger]

Shut the stuff up Dimma, you and the players failed us again....honestly if you coached and the players played with the passion we have as supporters then we would be in the GF. Wake up, sick of your namby pamby interviews, get some prick into you like Malthouse!!!!

[Ruanaidh]

Shut the stuff up Dimma, you and the players failed us again....honestly if you coached and the players played with the passion we have as supporters then we would be in the GF. Wake up, sick of your namby pamby interviews, get some prick into you like Malthouse!!!!

Agree totally with this comment. Development has stalled, the players are confused, his game plan is pathetic and always has an overly defensive nature and even his sophistry is utterly transparent. I first noted his game plan failings in our win against Melbourne at the 'G' last year and nothing has changed. In fact it is worse.

[Rampstar]

Shut the stuff up Dimma, you and the players failed us again....honestly if you coached and the players played with the passion we have as supporters then we would be in the GF. Wake up, sick of your namby pamby interviews, get some prick into you like Malthouse!!!!

Agree totally with this comment. Development has stalled, the players are confused, his game plan is pathetic and always has an overly defensive nature and even his sophistry is utterly transparent. I first noted his game plan failings in our win against Melbourne at the 'G' last year and nothing has changed. In fact it is worse.

Development hasnt stalled its been thrown out the door at Richmond for recruiting players like Knights and Chaplin and Lonergan and Stephenson and just about anybody else that gets the arse from other clubs.

[Ruanaidh]

Shut the stuff up Dimma, you and the players failed us again....honestly if you coached and the players played with the passion we have as supporters then we would be in the GF. Wake up, sick of your namby pamby interviews, get some prick into you like Malthouse!!!!

Agree totally with this comment. Development has stalled, the players are confused, his game plan is pathetic and always has an overly defensive nature and even his sophistry is utterly transparent. I first noted his game plan failings in our win against Melbourne at the 'G' last year and nothing has changed. In fact it is worse.

Development hasnt stalled its been thrown out the door at Richmond for recruiting players like Knights and Chaplin and Lonergan and Stephenson and just about anybody else that gets the arse from other clubs.

Just received an inside video of the recruiters in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY

[Rampstar]

Shut the stuff up Dimma, you and the players failed us again....honestly if you coached and the players played with the passion we have as supporters then we would be in the GF. Wake up, sick of your namby pamby interviews, get some prick into you like Malthouse!!!!

Agree totally with this comment. Development has stalled, the players are confused, his game plan is pathetic and always has an overly defensive nature and even his sophistry is utterly transparent. I first noted his game plan failings in our win against Melbourne at the 'G' last year and nothing has changed. In fact it is worse.

Development hasnt stalled its been thrown out the door at Richmond for recruiting players like Knights and Chaplin and Lonergan and Stephenson and just about anybody else that gets the arse from other clubs.

Just received an inside video of the recruiters in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY

the kids just worked out that our latest rebuild has been a flop 

[Owl]

I don't think we intended to win this game, more damage control.  Too many injuries and missing some hardness in the mid atm.

[Chuck17]

I don't think we intended to win this game, more damage control.  Too many injuries and missing some hardness in the mid atm.

Interesting theory, I seen Morris and I think Jake in the middle a few times which I thought was odd

[DCrane]

Hardwick needs to assess his own performance, chipping it sideways on the HB line until Dan Jackson got open 
Actually, whose tactic was that, Richmond's or Essendon's?