I'd like to see...
• Hardwick sacked
• The people who gave him a 2 year extension sacked
• The entire recruiting department sacked
Can anybody put some names next to the second dot point?
On your third point I'm a bit worried about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
The following is something I posted on another forum.
I've been a long time critic of Richmond's recruiting.
However I think all this recent angst about our recruiting is a case of the latecomers getting it wrong as usual.
The recruiting in 2012 was barely acceptable - Vlastuin, McIntosh and McBean remain from our first 3 picks. McDonough, Petterd, Lonergan, Stephenson and Williams gone as well as Knights, Chaplin and Edwards as trades.
Our 2013 recruiting was just better - Lennon, Lloyd, Miles remain with Hampson as a trade. Gordon, Banfield and Thomas are gone.
In 2014 we have C Ellis, Menadue, Drummond, Butler, Short, Castagne, Lambert and Soldo showing good form while only McKenzie (mental affliction) and Arnot as late picks have gone. Agreed it's still early but good signs.
In 2015 we have all our picks showing some form excepting Yarran. Rioli, Markov, A Moore, Townsend and Marcon have played seniors already while Broad, C Moore and Choi are showing positive signs.
So what changed in 2014?
IMO 3 things.
1) There is more and maybe better data involved in decisions. Hartley has talked about a database of players comparing matures with juniors.
2) More collaborative decisions between staff. Adding Luke Williams after the 2013 draft has helped as well IMO.
3) Expanded scouting. While there is talk that a full timer has become part time there is also talk that we have more scouts out there.
Now I am happy to get away from FJ's "vibe" decisions like Dea and Conca but I think it still exists in mature players like Hunt, Yarran, Townsend and Moore but they wouldn't be his decisions but Hartley's.
As far as the pure recruiting department goes I would like to see Williams as the Recruitment Manager replacing Jackson.
Keep Jackson on as a part time recruiter in Melbourne since he's reached retirement age but why waste the experience when it seems to be well balanced at the moment.
Replace the now part timer with a full timer interstate and keep the part timer while adding to the scouting that seems to be happening.
The recruiting is being improved as can be seen by the results. Don't go all overboard when the results seem to be turning in recruitment.
The List Management is a whole other kettle of fish and will be judged rightly by the results that Hartley and Richardson can deliver at the end of the year.
Further to those points, what's really got me worried at the moment is that all the recruiting staff are under pressure to perform.
Will Richardson and Hartley's decisions in trade week be flavoured by the pressure they're under?
Will the recruiting team, particularly Jackson, be also influenced by that pressure?
With all the rampant talk at the moment about Vickery, Lennon, Conca, Lids and Jack it is truly scary.
Unless Gale steadies the ship in this area before the trade and draft periods we could be in for a time where our entire future is decided.
