Richmond coach Damien Hardwick knows Tigers must win a final to earn as pass mark in 2015Jon Ralph
Herald-Sun
February 12, 2015 A BROAD smile splits Damien Hardwick’s face as he ponders the question the Tiger Army has asked most since the first weekend of September.
He sits in the grandstand of the Sale footy ground contemplating Richmond’s 2015 campaign and yet he keeps getting dragged into the past.
The query, of course, pertains to Trent Cotchin kicking against an Adelaide Oval gale that ignited a finals slaughter at the hands of Port Adelaide.
“It is just one of those things... in the middle it can be hard to tell...” starts a patient Hardwick.
And then he erupts in mock anger.
“LOOK, WE HAVE MOVED ON,’’ he roars.
Hardwick’s answer is 90 per cent humour and 10 per cent frustration, but in truth that gut-wrenching loss is if not forgot at Punt Rd it is at least compartmentalised.
Hardwick knows he and the Tigers must win a final as a pass mark this year and a summer of feel-good vibes have validated the club’s plans to turn into a regular top-four force.
He sees Cotchin in the kind of pre-season form that nearly won him the 2012 Brownlow Medal and has witnessed Jack Riewoldt finally peel off a flawless pre-season.
When it isn’t Cotchin sharking the ball from stoppages it is rookie elevation Anthony Miles or VFL recruit Kane Lambert.
And if the footy world is rightfully concerned about Alex Rance and Dustin Martin’s contract status, Hardwick at least knows he has the key position depth in a year in which so much is expected of Richmond.
Hardwick is content with the summer so far.
“Trent has had his best pre-season from a leadership point of view since 2012 when he finished second in the Brownlow Medal,’’ Hardwick tells the Herald Sun.
“He has just led from the front, everything he has done he has won, whether it’s handball games or anything, he has dominated and it’s really exciting.
“When he is setting that standard he drags others along and demands more from others and he’s been absolutely outstanding in getting his training level to a new standard and we are looking for that to pay dividends early in the season.
“Jack, I don’t think has missed a session thus far. He’s as fit as he’s ever been, he’s as strong as he’s ever been, he is training as well as he ever has. He has been incredibly impressive on the training track, he’s taking marks inside 50 and kicking goals and he’s ready to go.”
First-round draft pick Corey Ellis is in the rehab group after foot surgery, but already 67kg speedster Connor Menadue is the club’s smoky, taken with the kind of selection (pick 33) they might have given up.
The list of those with huge upside includes Ty Vickery, Anthony Miles, David Astbury, Reece Conca, Brandon Ellis, Ben Griffiths, Ben Lennon, Matt McDonough and Nick Vlastuin.
Then there is the kind of selection pressure that sees Vickery and Griffiths potentially playing for one spot, and Astbury and Dylan Grimes nipping at the heels of Troy Chaplin and All-Australian Rance.
“We are very blessed. Most sides would be crying out for the key forward and key back depth we have and we will continue to develop them,’’ Hardwick says.
“We have to make them all contributors for us. Whether it’s Ty Vickery, Liam McBean, Ben Griffiths, David Astbury coming back from injury or Todd Elton coming through, we have to make sure they get better and more importantly make sure they are not happy to be playing seconds footy.”
Key forward/ruckman Vickery has by all accounts dominated recent scratch matches but must turn that into regular-season form.
Key back Astbury was second in the Jack Dyer Trophy count when his knee buckled in Round 9 last year — he and Rance played just three games together — but hasn’t missed a beat over the summer.
“It has been fantastic. He is one of those guys who gets better year in and year out and he demands a lot of himself and is out to improve for us and he’s had a great pre-season so far.”
Riewoldt has had a contented summer after an aborted media ban and an ill-advised venture into game-style analysis last year, with Hardwick adamant many are too hard on him.
“He has kicked 50 goals in each of the last four seasons and there are not many players who have done that,’’ Hardwick says.
“He played his best footy in the forward half and whether it’s deep or up the ground depends on what match-up he’s got. He’s a very important goal-kicker and we look forward to having him deep inside 50 this year.”
Then there is the midfield.
Dustin Martin and Brett Deledio played their best football forward or centre last year and Hardwick believes that pair and Cotchin can all kick 30 goals each this season pushing forward from stoppages.
Ex-Cat Taylor Hunt can tag, Ellis took his game to the next level last year, Vlastuin has another gear and Conca needs to fire after a poor 2014 on the field and at the tribunal.
Yet Hardwick almost whispers in conspiratorial tones about finding the next Anthony Miles — if they can play him.
Williamstown VFL star Lambert hasn’t let anyone down given those comparisons with the ex-GWS battler turned clearances king.
“He has been incredible. We just started our scrimmage matches and he just keeps getting the ball. He is like another Miles,’’ Hardwick says of Lambert.
“Miles was a fantastic story last year and I don’t know how many people I have had ask me why I didn’t play him earlier, but he was on the rookie list.
“Kane Lambert is a similar story. He is a rookie so it’s going to be a challenging decision as a match committee as to who can be elevated. It was a really strong draft and we are pleased with the talent we brought in.”
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/basketball/richmond-tigers-investigate-future-nbl-franchise-in-melbournes-southeast-20150211-13c2m5.html
