Is this the recession we had to have?

[Siberian]

Caused by several years of above average inflation combined with low GDP? A quarter of negative growth causing a lack of consumer confidence? Or do we just suck?

[Go Richo 12]

This is no recession, you only have that after a period of sustained growth. This is a good ole depression.

[Phillip]

Certainly is depressing at the minute, isn't it? Give us something to cheer about Tigers.

[mightytiges]

We've been in a L-shaped recession since 1983  .

An L-shaped recession occurs when an economy has a severe recession and does not return to trend line growth for many years, if ever. The steep drop, followed by a flat line makes the shape of an L. This is the most severe of the different shapes of recession. Alternative terms for long periods of underperformance include "depression" and lost decade(s); compare also "malaise".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-shaped_recession#L-shaped_recession

[Phil Mrakov]

It's 96 and 2002 all over. We won't play finals next year or the year after and Dimma will be sacked in 2014 or 15. Nothing is surer

[mightytiges]

It's 96 and 2002 all over. We won't play finals next year or the year after and Dimma will be sacked in 2014 or 15. Nothing is surer

This year is nothing like 1996 as back then we had a new coach that replaced the coach that got us into the finals and we were still in finals contention that year until 10 mins into the last quarter of round 22. There are similarities to 2002 - a gameplan worked out by opposition coaches and seemingly no plan-B, a list topped up with slow useless rejects, and a side destroyed mentally (thanks to Essendon in round 2). However, our list back in 2002 was aging and we had hardly any youth coming through to replace the oldies thanks to trading early picks away for recycled duds over a number of years. That's not the issue in 2014. We still have a young-ish core of players to build around even if we only have done half a job building our list. We need to add a second wave of mostly young quality players to this core and fix our structural team weaknesses including attitude before we truly can go forward. The problem was the Club got ahead of itself and got distracted with gimmicks thinking back-to-back finals was just going to happen and it has totally backfired this year. While this season is a write-off, the upcoming off-season is going to the most important in our Club's history for three decades. That's why a thorough review especially of the footy dept. is so important.

[the claw]

It's 96 and 2002 all over. We won't play finals next year or the year after and Dimma will be sacked in 2014 or 15. Nothing is surer

This year is nothing like 1996 as back then we had a new coach that replaced the coach that got us into the finals and we were still in finals contention that year until 10 mins into the last quarter of round 22. There are similarities to 2002 - a gameplan worked out by opposition coaches and seemingly no plan-B, a list topped up with slow useless rejects, and a side destroyed mentally (thanks to Essendon in round 2). However, our list back in 2002 was aging and we had hardly any youth coming through to replace the oldies thanks to trading early picks away for recycled duds over a number of years. That's not the issue in 2014. We still have a young-ish core of players to build around even if we only have done half a job building our list. We need to add a second wave of mostly young quality players to this core and fix our structural team weaknesses including attitude before we truly can go forward. The problem was the Club got ahead of itself and got distracted with gimmicks thinking back-to-back finals was just going to happen and it has totally backfired this year. While this season is a write-off, the upcoming off-season is going to the most important in our Club's history for three decades. That's why a thorough review especially of the footy dept. is so important.

the questions i ask, is that youngish group good enough?  will enough players from that group ever become good consistent players? to me theres just not enough quality or even proven players so so much work to do.

[Phil Mrakov]

It's 96 and 2002 all over. We won't play finals next year or the year after and Dimma will be sacked in 2014 or 15. Nothing is surer

This year is nothing like 1996 as back then we had a new coach that replaced the coach that got us into the finals and we were still in finals contention that year until 10 mins into the last quarter of round 22. There are similarities to 2002 - a gameplan worked out by opposition coaches and seemingly no plan-B, a list topped up with slow useless rejects, and a side destroyed mentally (thanks to Essendon in round 2). However, our list back in 2002 was aging and we had hardly any youth coming through to replace the oldies thanks to trading early picks away for recycled duds over a number of years. That's not the issue in 2014. We still have a young-ish core of players to build around even if we only have done half a job building our list. We need to add a second wave of mostly young quality players to this core and fix our structural team weaknesses including attitude before we truly can go forward. The problem was the Club got ahead of itself and got distracted with gimmicks thinking back-to-back finals was just going to happen and it has totally backfired this year. While this season is a write-off, the upcoming off-season is going to the most important in our Club's history for three decades. That's why a thorough review especially of the footy dept. is so important.

Mate we could have the best list in the league and we'll still screw it up cos we're Richmond. Club is culturally dead 

[Rampstar]

agree that we are culturally shot as a club, gone from being a hard working, working class club to a club full of yuppies and no hopers who have no idea of how to start at the bottom and get to the top in life. Theyre a bunch of pretenders IMHO.

[Diocletian]

2009's another relevent comparison that often gets overlooked IMO. The year we were supposedly "lock and loaded" after our "best 9th ever." Overrated the list, took  minimum draft picks & aging top ups. Key deficiencies not addressed. So low are our standards we do even pull this poo when we don't make finals.

[Smokey]

I keep going back to the Geelong situation in 2006.  All the talk was about them being serious contenders after 2 strong and improved years in '04 and '05 under the new coach Thompson.  End of '06 they finished 10th and Thompson was under severe pressure of being sacked.  Instead, Costa implemented a searching, thorough, club-wide review and made sweeping changes in the football area.  They gave the footy dept a lot more resourcing and took a lot of responsibility away from Thompson.  They gave him set boundaries that he was permitted to work in and be responsible for, and he wasn't allowed to work outside those.  It led to a much more focussed and productive coach, much more cohesion in the team and a premiership 12 months later.  We don't need Hardwick to be a quasi-salesman for the new regime any more and maybe the club needs to review the things it needs/allows him to be involved in or responsible for.  Surround him with more and better people, and let him coach and only coach.  I think he is not far from being in serious threat of getting the flick, especially if there is not a lot of soul-searching and acceptance of real reasons for failure at season's end.

[YellowandBlackBlood]

I keep going back to the Geelong situation in 2006.  All the talk was about them being serious contenders after 2 strong and improved years in '04 and '05 under the new coach Thompson.  End of '06 they finished 10th and Thompson was under severe pressure of being sacked.  Instead, Costa implemented a searching, thorough, club-wide review and made sweeping changes in the football area.  They gave the footy dept a lot more resourcing and took a lot of responsibility away from Thompson.  They gave him set boundaries that he was permitted to work in and be responsible for, and he wasn't allowed to work outside those.  It led to a much more focussed and productive coach, much more cohesion in the team and a premiership 12 months later.  We don't need Hardwick to be a quasi-salesman for the new regime any more and maybe the club needs to review the things it needs/allows him to be involved in or responsible for.  Surround him with more and better people, and let him coach and only coach.  I think he is not far from being in serious threat of getting the flick, especially if there is not a lot of soul-searching and acceptance of real reasons for failure at season's end.

Geelong 2006 are so different to us. Their side had played finals for a few years with a very young side then had a bad year, 2006. They didn't take short cuts. We have.

[tony_montana]

I keep going back to the Geelong situation in 2006.  All the talk was about them being serious contenders after 2 strong and improved years in '04 and '05 under the new coach Thompson.  End of '06 they finished 10th and Thompson was under severe pressure of being sacked.  Instead, Costa implemented a searching, thorough, club-wide review and made sweeping changes in the football area.  They gave the footy dept a lot more resourcing and took a lot of responsibility away from Thompson.  They gave him set boundaries that he was permitted to work in and be responsible for, and he wasn't allowed to work outside those.  It led to a much more focussed and productive coach, much more cohesion in the team and a premiership 12 months later.  We don't need Hardwick to be a quasi-salesman for the new regime any more and maybe the club needs to review the things it needs/allows him to be involved in or responsible for.  Surround him with more and better people, and let him coach and only coach.  I think he is not far from being in serious threat of getting the flick, especially if there is not a lot of soul-searching and acceptance of real reasons for failure at season's end.

The question is - will our club implement a thorough searching club wider review?

No disrespect to you smokey, but I keep hearing dimma just needs to clear out X amount of list cloggers and replace them with draftees and we'll be on our way. We just need to get the support structure right around him and allshould be ok.

All correct assumptions, but the question is - will the club actually do that? and what makes people think they will? Based on historical actions Im confident they wont do any of that. I'll go on record as saying that a player like Arnott will be cut at seasons end and Newman will be given a years extension.

[Rampstar]

The club wont do anything of the sort because its boys club down there where they all protecting each others backs. Its a disgrace whats going on down there.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Agree this is more of a build up of a few good years but not planning a Plan B and thus the chickens coming home to roost in results such as what we have seen this year.

As TM mentioned based on previous regimes the coach and the club spin will not admit to any wrongdoing till its too late. As was the case with Spud and Wallace in their last year.

I'm just hoping we don't waste picks this year and draft kids and not recycles from other clubs.
Would rather finish 10-12 next year with kids than finish 10-12 with moneyball and then be 5-17 in 2016 in Dimma's last year and be back to where we were 5 years ago.