Hardwick laments “guilt” over early Jason Castagna retirementJack Jovanovski
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June 26, 2023 Next, Hardwick explored the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Castagna's unexpected pre-season retirement, expressing his fear that the three-time premiership forward may have closed the door on his AFL career due to the scrutiny he received from fans online, announcing his guilt for not doing more to publicly defend his disciple.
"Probably one of the hardest things for me was when Jason Castagna retired, he was one of the greatest role players, if not the greatest role player that our football club has ever seen," said Hardwick.
"I sort of felt like I didn't protect him enough, I hope this isn't the case, but I've got a funny feeling that social media brought about the downfall of 'George'.
"It became too hard for him, his love of the game diminished because of the criticism that he would get from fans, and I sort of felt a little bit of guilt towards that because I think, internally, we sort of gave him the due credit he deserved, but externally, I sort of felt a little bit guilty that maybe I didn't stick up for him enough with regard to the role he played, and didn't give him the due credits that he deserved for making us a great side."
Hardwick cited fans' preference for fantasy football value, instead of an appreciation for Richmond's nuanced game style, as a reason why Castagna was unappealing in the eyes of some.
"I sort of felt that it got the better of him, and that's the hard thing about our game. People sort of sit there and look at SuperCoach points; kicks, marks, handballs, well Richmond's not really about that," Hardwick said.
"They're about a system that gives them an opportunity to play, or a way to play the game that'll give them wins, and by those players playing those positions, will allow other players to flourish and succeed."
https://www.zerohanger.com/damien-hardwick-lauds-unheralded-heros-role-in-uplifting-dustin-martin-laments-guilt-over-early-jason-castagna-retirement-139072/
