Damien Hardwick has backing at Richmond but it’s time the coach got ruthless with his playersMark Robinson
Herald-Sun
May 20, 2014
IN April last year, life was so good for Richmond coach Damien Hardwick he waxed lyrical about making love to his wife.
After winning the first three games of the season, his team lost to Collingwood. “We didn’t train well, but does that get taken into the game, I wouldn’t think so,” he said. “It happens all the time; sometimes I like to make love to my wife, I don’t (always) perform at a high standard.”
It was an ice breaker from the coach and we all laughed
There were no jokes on Saturday evening.
Hardwick was reportedly on the verge of tears after his team succumbed to Melbourne, the beaming whites of the coach having been replaced by a scowl he used to save for opposition half-forward flankers.
Hardwick won’t be the first, nor last Tigers coach to be so bewildered to the point of being emotionally distressed.
Maybe it was the season injury to David Astbury. Maybe it was the whole Tommy Hafey affair, the soul-stirring build up and then wretched the let down. Maybe, after just two wins and six losses, Hardwick had had enough.
He delivered a brutally honest post-match press conference. Asked if he was frustrated, he said in exasperation: “You’ve got no idea ... no idea.’’
It’s not the first time a Richmond coach has felt as though he has crashed his car into a steel wall.
What Hardwick has, though, is the opportunity to do something about it.
Talk of sacking Hardwick from keyboard heroes is nonsense.
There’s an argument to ask why did they reappoint him so early, but the Tigers folk of today aren’t into kneejerk decisions.
The Tigers’ belief in Hardwick right now is as strong as ever. It has to be.
Because if they lose to Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, then this current administration will know what a crisis is all about.
So, what does Hardwick do?
There’s an argument he’s accepted mediocrity from individual players for too long.
It’s a fine line between backing in your player, trying to keep his confidence steady, and booting him from the team because he’s detrimental to the team and how they want to play.
Richmond star Brett Deledio insists the Tigers can still make the finals despite admitting that he's baffled by the club's disastrous start to the season.
It’s time Hardwick played ruthless footy with his players.
Tyrone Vickery, Troy Chaplin, Shaun Grigg, Shaun Hampson ... there has to be a message sent to one or all of them. Bachar Houli is a whipping boy but at least he runs and tries to create.
It doesn’t mean their career is over. It means they have to once again earn the right to play for the Tigers.
Hardwick admitted he doesn’t know what’s gone wrong. In essence, everything has.
Comparing 2013 to the first eight games on 2014, the Tigers have fallen away at scoring from stoppages (1st to 12th), scoring (5th to 14th), contested possession (3rd to 14th), mark and play on (7th to 15th), scores once inside 50m (4th to 15th) and scores from clearance differential (1st to 12th).
The game style seems to confuse them. Is it run and gun, or slow and steady and more pinpoint so they are more defensively sound? Maybe the Tigers are confident at one, and negligent at the other.
Maybe the recycled players aren’t good enough. Maybe the team is too slow. Maybe it’s the whole lot in one hurting, melting pot.
Hardwick could do worse than set a theme for the week.
Rid the mind of everything else and let’s play like, say, Melbourne.
Let defence be the cornerstone. Let’s be resilient. Let’s prioritise hard-ball gets and contested footy ahead of uncontested marks and let’s ban kicking backwards.
Let’s elevate contested-ball machine Anthony Miles off the rookie list and play the hard-nut Matt Arnott. And what about Nick Vlastuin into the middle?
For starters, let’s play for each other.
Perhaps then the smile could return to Punt Rd.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/damien-hardwick-has-backing-at-richmond-but-its-time-the-coach-got-ruthless-with-his-players/story-fndv8t7m-1226923164712
