Hardwick's post-match media conference

[tony_montana]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick. I'm sure he would play the likes of Helbig, McIntosh, McBean, O'Hanlon etc if they even played with half the intensity and fight Miles did first the first half of the season. None of them are setting the world on fire and an undeserved game here or there at AFL level would only hinder there progress rather than accelerating it.

Dimma hasn't reall got a chose but to play the more established players atm because our depth is rubbish at present. How Hampson is getting a game is beyond me and Thomas is isn't the answer imo - can't spread or kick 

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

How many contests does Ellis have to pull out of before he is made accountable and the message sent that it is unacceptable.

How many times did Grigg have to refuse the chase before he got dropped? Actually the only reason Grigg isn't playing is because of injury.

Hampson cannot mark or kick, his tap work has regressed since the start of the season but he continues to get games. Won't even bother discussing Vickery.

S Edwards whatever you think of him is horribly out of form and has been all season but continues to get games

Newman misses 6 weeks and instead of coming back via the VFL gets bought straight back in.

Let's not even bother talking about Morris who cannot get through a game without his shoulder popping at least once. What's the point?

Want me to go on?

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

Helbig has been named in the best for the last 6 count 'em 6 weeks. Ditto O'Hanlon. What do they have to do? Please don't tell me they don't play with intensity. VFL Coach Tim Clarke spoke pre-match last night and highlighted how close Helbig, O'Hanlon, Darrou are and the aggression they play with.

As I said what more do they need to do? They deserve a chance but are unlikely to get one because Hardwick won't pull the trigger on certain players who let the club down week after week after week

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

    brilliant post

[Chuck17]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiigggg!!!!

Fixed to reflect another meaningful contribution from Chuck17uselesspostsaday, the Shaun Grigg of OER.

Actually I'm going to use that

Good work

[Penelope]

I'm pretty sure that what is flowing out of Hardwicks gob at these post game presses is to convince/reassure himself as much as, if not more than, anybody else

[The Machine]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick. I'm sure he would play the likes of Helbig, McIntosh, McBean, O'Hanlon etc if they even played with half the intensity and fight Miles did first the first half of the season. None of them are setting the world on fire and an undeserved game here or there at AFL level would only hinder there progress rather than accelerating it.

Dimma hasn't reall got a chose but to play the more established players atm because our depth is rubbish at present. How Hampson is getting a game is beyond me and Thomas is isn't the answer imo - can't spread or kick 

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

How many contests does Ellis have to pull out of before he is made accountable and the message sent that it is unacceptable.

How many times did Grigg have to refuse the chase before he got dropped? Actually the only reason Grigg isn't playing is because of injury.

Hampson cannot mark or kick, his tap work has regressed since the start of the season but he continues to get games. Won't even bother discussing Vickery.

S Edwards whatever you think of him is horribly out of form and has been all season but continues to get games

Newman misses 6 weeks and instead of coming back via the VFL gets bought straight back in.

Let's not even bother talking about Morris who cannot get through a game without his shoulder popping at least once. What's the point?

Want me to go on?

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

Helbig has been named in the best for the last 6 count 'em 6 weeks. Ditto O'Hanlon. What do they have to do? Please don't tell me they don't play with intensity. VFL Coach Tim Clarke spoke pre-match last night and highlighted how close Helbig, O'Hanlon, Darrou are and the aggression they play with.

As I said what more do they need to do? They deserve a chance but are unlikely to get one because Hardwick won't pull the trigger on certain players who let the club down week after week after week

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

Absolutely spot on


Edited to correct quote

[Smokey]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick. I'm sure he would play the likes of Helbig, McIntosh, McBean, O'Hanlon etc if they even played with half the intensity and fight Miles did first the first half of the season. None of them are setting the world on fire and an undeserved game here or there at AFL level would only hinder there progress rather than accelerating it.

Dimma hasn't reall got a chose but to play the more established players atm because our depth is rubbish at present. How Hampson is getting a game is beyond me and Thomas is isn't the answer imo - can't spread or kick 

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

How many contests does Ellis have to pull out of before he is made accountable and the message sent that it is unacceptable.

How many times did Grigg have to refuse the chase before he got dropped? Actually the only reason Grigg isn't playing is because of injury.

Hampson cannot mark or kick, his tap work has regressed since the start of the season but he continues to get games. Won't even bother discussing Vickery.

S Edwards whatever you think of him is horribly out of form and has been all season but continues to get games

Newman misses 6 weeks and instead of coming back via the VFL gets bought straight back in.

Let's not even bother talking about Morris who cannot get through a game without his shoulder popping at least once. What's the point?

Want me to go on?

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

Helbig has been named in the best for the last 6 count 'em 6 weeks. Ditto O'Hanlon. What do they have to do? Please don't tell me they don't play with intensity. VFL Coach Tim Clarke spoke pre-match last night and highlighted how close Helbig, O'Hanlon, Darrou are and the aggression they play with.

As I said what more do they need to do? They deserve a chance but are unlikely to get one because Hardwick won't pull the trigger on certain players who let the club down week after week after week

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

Great post WP.  Spot on!     

[Eat_em_Alive]

Reading that post just makes me want to drive down to punt rd and start kickboxing heads off.. Starting with Dimma

These people are stuffing clowns and they are ruining my weekends and life.

[tigs2011]

Can Dimmas post match interviews attract a strike under the baiting rule?

He sure goes fishing a lot

[Judge Roughneck]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick. I'm sure he would play the likes of Helbig, McIntosh, McBean, O'Hanlon etc if they even played with half the intensity and fight Miles did first the first half of the season. None of them are setting the world on fire and an undeserved game here or there at AFL level would only hinder there progress rather than accelerating it.

Dimma hasn't reall got a chose but to play the more established players atm because our depth is rubbish at present. How Hampson is getting a game is beyond me and Thomas is isn't the answer imo - can't spread or kick 

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

How many contests does Ellis have to pull out of before he is made accountable and the message sent that it is unacceptable.

How many times did Grigg have to refuse the chase before he got dropped? Actually the only reason Grigg isn't playing is because of injury.

Hampson cannot mark or kick, his tap work has regressed since the start of the season but he continues to get games. Won't even bother discussing Vickery.

S Edwards whatever you think of him is horribly out of form and has been all season but continues to get games

Newman misses 6 weeks and instead of coming back via the VFL gets bought straight back in.

Let's not even bother talking about Morris who cannot get through a game without his shoulder popping at least once. What's the point?

Want me to go on?

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

Helbig has been named in the best for the last 6 count 'em 6 weeks. Ditto O'Hanlon. What do they have to do? Please don't tell me they don't play with intensity. VFL Coach Tim Clarke spoke pre-match last night and highlighted how close Helbig, O'Hanlon, Darrou are and the aggression they play with.

As I said what more do they need to do? They deserve a chance but are unlikely to get one because Hardwick won't pull the trigger on certain players who let the club down week after week after week

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

I would say the back half of last season it started

Favourites bull shyte

[one-eyed]

Snip! Back to the topic ppl.

[Stripes]

Sorry missed your reply. Very impassioned speech there WP!  I wish it was as easy as you say but unfortunately I feel it's not.

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

I think you are correct that he values some players for the role they play in the team and game plan more than we as supporters do. Players like Ellis, Grigg and Houli are frequently easy targets because they are outside players who don't win their own ball and act as link players. When we are not winning the contested ball these players are our worst performers. When we are winning the inside ball and feeding out to these players, then they can seem our best. Ellis is a prime examples of this comparing him from last year to this year. Now he has lost his confidence and is starting to not do the courageous acts that made him such a fan favourite in 2013. I agree he needs a rest to find his mojo again.

Helbig has been playing well before this week in the backline but would you swap him with Morris, Vlaustin or Houli. I'm not convinced he is a better option than any of them. If Morris has the injury you speak of then I would give Helbig a go but Morris intensity and fight are hard to replicate.

Darrou has been our big bodied VFL fullback so should be swap him for Rance or Chaplin? Darrou may be better one on one than Chaplin but does he read the play as well, have his leadership skills, poise/time when deposing of the ball etc? I'm not convinced.

O'Hanlon is the easiest to bring in for Ellis but he has not been a VFL standout especially going on today's performance. Ellis needs to find his confidence and remember what made him such a rising talent last year.

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

More than they did today that's for sure. They are not doing themselves any favours when they perform the way they did. Even the 'in the best' performances have not been up to AFL standard like Miles was able to achieve and Lennon, and McBean in glimpses, did today.

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

Sadly it's not easy  . After listening today none of the players you mentioned, count 'em none  , performed at all. They were down right ordinary. If they want a spot they need to play to a high standard consistently. Today is proof that they are not there yet. This is what is causing the difficultly with the 'selection decision'. For all the under performing players we have at AFL standard we have even more at VFL level at present. I have no idea what has happened with our development this year 

While the players you mentioned would be dropped if we had ready made replacements we don't have many this is what makes the issue not so cut and dry as you may suggest. 

[(•))(©™]

Well said Willy Pow-wow.

[Stripes]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick.

The selection decision was easy on Hardwick for Miles since round 1.  How long did we have to wait.  Thomas ahead of him.  Hardwick is dumb.  Easy is just too kind.

Stripes, what you should be looking at is how terrible Edwards and co have been.  They are soo easy to drop and yet every week they bob up again like ground hog day and get contract extensions.  Arnot has been great all year.  Would be great alongside Miles.  Its not a hard decision between Edwards and Arnot.  Or Thomas and Arnot.  Or Pettard and Arnot.  List goes on.  No point making excuses for Hardwick.

Exciting brand of footy.  Supporters want him to play the failed duds that got us 3 - 10 for the rest of the year.  Vickery will save us.  Hardwick is taking the pee out of us supporters.

You make a fair bit of sense here unplugged. I completely agree with you about Miles - how he wasn't brought in from the first game is hard to understand. Obviously Dimma rated Thomas more than Miles. I don't. All I can think of was that he had history with Thomas and perhaps advice given to him which he took rather than rate the players preseason performances on their own merit. Maric's injury was certainly a factor.

I'm a fan of Arnot too but you have to swap like players for like players. Edwards is a crumber - Arnot is not. Arnot should be doing the role Morris is at present - defensive forward but I'm not sure he knows the role and has the legs to fulfill. Who would of thought we would miss a fully fit Kingy so much 

I agree with you unplugged but I just don't think it is as easy as getting rid of a player unless you have another performing player who plays the same role ready to take his spot.

[Stripes]

I question his judgement - he is genuinely surprised at how well Miles has adapted. Obviosuly didn't rate him

These are the things I worry about more than anything else. It's like he has a completely different rating criteria than what we have. I would love to know each players role so we could then see if they are achieving it or not and also see if what he expects from his players is making a difference to us getting the points on the board. 

[Hellenic Tiger]

I think its now up to the younger players to step it up at VFL level so the selection decision is easy for Hardwick. I'm sure he would play the likes of Helbig, McIntosh, McBean, O'Hanlon etc if they even played with half the intensity and fight Miles did first the first half of the season. None of them are setting the world on fire and an undeserved game here or there at AFL level would only hinder there progress rather than accelerating it.

Dimma hasn't reall got a chose but to play the more established players atm because our depth is rubbish at present. How Hampson is getting a game is beyond me and Thomas is isn't the answer imo - can't spread or kick 

The "selection decision" has been easy for weeks if not the entire season but Hardwick has refused to drop those that are clearly favourites. How many examples do you need?

How many contests does Ellis have to pull out of before he is made accountable and the message sent that it is unacceptable.

How many times did Grigg have to refuse the chase before he got dropped? Actually the only reason Grigg isn't playing is because of injury.

Hampson cannot mark or kick, his tap work has regressed since the start of the season but he continues to get games. Won't even bother discussing Vickery.

S Edwards whatever you think of him is horribly out of form and has been all season but continues to get games

Newman misses 6 weeks and instead of coming back via the VFL gets bought straight back in.

Let's not even bother talking about Morris who cannot get through a game without his shoulder popping at least once. What's the point?

Want me to go on?

Seriously what message does it send to the kids busting a gut, doing everything asked of them in the VFL

I ask you what more do you the kids need to do?

Helbig has been named in the best for the last 6 count 'em 6 weeks. Ditto O'Hanlon. What do they have to do? Please don't tell me they don't play with intensity. VFL Coach Tim Clarke spoke pre-match last night and highlighted how close Helbig, O'Hanlon, Darrou are and the aggression they play with.

As I said what more do they need to do? They deserve a chance but are unlikely to get one because Hardwick won't pull the trigger on certain players who let the club down week after week after week

The "selection decision" is as unplugged said actually easy; very easy sadly or more to the point our coach can't see it or refuses to act on it

Correct and analytical as always WP.

[WilliamPowell]

Sorry missed your reply. Very impassioned speech there WP!  I wish it was as easy as you say but unfortunately I feel it's not.

Sorry Stripes, it is that easy. Has been for weeks now.

Our season has been shot for weeks. And what do we continue to do? We keep playing blokes who as I said continually let us down.

We have kids that are coming out of contract at the end of this season. Some are likely to get de-listed. But how do we know if they are worth persisting with if they don't get the opportunities?

I think you are correct that he values some players for the role they play in the team and game plan more than we as supporters do. Players like Ellis, Grigg and Houli are frequently easy targets because they are outside players who don't win their own ball and act as link players. When we are not winning the contested ball these players are our worst performers. When we are winning the inside ball and feeding out to these players, then they can seem our best. Ellis is a prime examples of this comparing him from last year to this year. Now he has lost his confidence and is starting to not do the courageous acts that made him such a fan favourite in 2013. I agree he needs a rest to find his mojo again.

I get frustrated when people throw this "red herring" up about the likes of Houli, Grigg and Ellis being "easy targets because they are outside players". Granted their roles dictate that they play majority outside but when they are the only ones in contest then they simply must make contest. You chase, you tackle, you attack the ball. Outside or inside when it's just you and your opponent then you go. There is NO excuses as it can cost you games as it did on round 3 against the Bulldogs when Ellis refused to make a contest against Gia. As for Ellis and "his courageous acts" last season. Ellis has been pulling out of contest since he started. He did it last year and is continuing to do it this year. Staggers me that he can a decent contested mark overhead but when the balls on the ground refuse to put his body on the line.

Helbig has been playing well before this week in the backline but would you swap him with Morris, Vlaustin or Houli. I'm not convinced he is a better option than any of them. If Morris has the injury you speak of then I would give Helbig a go but Morris intensity and fight are hard to replicate.

If Morris has the injury? Do you not seeing him week after week running to he boundary holding his shoulder and favouring his arm? Throw in the fact Harwick actually said in his weekly presser that they will continue to play him. Reckon it's a clear give always that he's playing injured,

As for Helbig, how will we ever know if is any good or a better option if he doesn't get played? We don't. Heaven forbid if we have another player show that perhaps the coaching panel have got it wrong at the selection table see exhibit A = Anthony Miles

More than they did today that's for sure. They are not doing themselves any favours when they perform the way they did. Even the 'in the best' performances have not been up to AFL standard like Miles was able to achieve and Lennon, and McBean in glimpses, did today.

So one bad week and they don't deserve promotion?

Weeks of poor performance by blokes it AFL is acceptable?

Sorry but I don't see it that way. But hey it gives Hardwick another out for another week doesn't it

Sadly it's not easy  . After listening today none of the players you mentioned, count 'em none  , performed at all. They were down right ordinary. If they want a spot they need to play to a high standard consistently. Today is proof that they are not there yet. This is what is causing the difficultly with the 'selection decision'. For all the under performing players we have at AFL standard we have even more at VFL level at present. I have no idea what has happened with our development this year 

While the players you mentioned would be dropped if we had ready made replacements we don't have many this is what makes the issue not so cut and dry as you may suggest. 

As I said above one poor performance after weeks excellent performances and you argue they don't deserve an opportunity?

But for our AFL players who have performed poorly for weeks now they simply get the luxury of another chance because of a very poor excuse

As I said what message are we sending to these kids?