Hardwick on Fox Footy's AFL Tonight

[one-eyed]

Damien Hardwick, Richmond coach, AFL Tonight

March 14, 2017
Anna Harrington
FOX SPORTS

HEADING into his eighth season in charge at Richmond, Damien Hardwick says there have been times where he’s questioned himself during his time as an AFL coach.

After missing the finals in 2016, there is pressure on the Tigers to improve this year, especially following the high-profile recruitment of Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy, with Hardwick in particular set to come under scrutiny.

Speaking on Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight, Hardwick said while he found coaching tough at times, he loved the competitive nature of the football industry.

“The job of AFL coaching is tough but the love of the game is always there, it’s what we enjoy doing,” Hardwick said.

“Not to say that it’s an easy job at the best of times but look, there (are) stages where you do question yourself and you look forward to the next challenge.

“But that’s the thing about AFL football, we’re not like Olympic athletes that have to wait four years to have another go at it, we get to have another crack at it every week.

“So that’s the great thing about it, it’s a competitive industry, it’s something that we really enjoy.”

Hardwick said when he started to question himself as a coach, he would take on a process of self-assessment, followed by looking to others.

“The first thing you do is you assess, as a leader you assess your own performance and that’s where it starts,” Hardwick said.

“Then you work your way down from there and that happens on a weekly, a daily, a monthly basis — that’s what we do and that’s why we probably get to the top of our game.”

Richmond made several changes to its coaching group heading into this season.

Former Brisbane Lions coach Justin Leppitsch joined the club as an assistant coach, with Blake Caracella making the move from Geelong to join his former Essendon teammate.

Those signings came off the back of several assistant coaches — including former Port Adelaide boss Mark Williams — being sacked at the end of the 2016 season.

“I think with change it revitalises and gets people thinking different ideas,” Hardwick said.

“Those coaches are very intelligent guys who have come from clubs that had long, successful programs and they’ve refreshed me as well and challenged me with some different ways of thinking.

“Change is good and it’s going to happen at some stage. We’re really pleased with what those new coaches and our players have brought.

“So once again we’ve had a very good pre-season (and) we’re looking forward to it transferring into the season proper.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/richmond-coach-damien-hardwick-says-there-are-times-he-has-questioned-himself-as-a-coach/news-story/5f585aaf7478af044a9cfa6b2c1230b7

[one-eyed]

More from Dimma:


Tigers pin faith in next-tier players

Tony Greenberg,
richmondfc.com.au 
March 14, 2017 4:30 PM

Richmond enters the 2017 season fully aware of what its best players – Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance, Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt – have to offer on-field on a consistent basis.

With Brownlow Medals, Jack Dyer Medals, Coleman Medals and All-Australian blazers to their collective credit, Punt Road’s ‘awesome foursome’ clearly has the runs on the board.

The unknown factor for the Tigers this year, however, is how consistently high a level of performance their next tier of players – in particular Brandon Ellis, Nick Vlastuin, Ben Griffiths and Reece Conca – can produce.

Three of those players – Ellis, Vlastuin and Conca – were first round AFL National Draft picks, while Griffiths was an early second round selection.

Conca and Griffiths have encountered numerous injury problems throughout their league football careers to date, which has prevented them from living up to their pre-draft expectations.

Ellis and Vlastuin have been far more durable and, as a result, have exerted more influence within Richmond’s line-up.

But the upshot is that all four of them have scope for significant improvement, and they’re still young enough to achieve that.

“We’re really excited by those guys,” Hardwick said on Fox Sports’ ‘AFL Tonight’.

“We’ve challenged them . . .

“Nick’s played more midfield time this year, and we feel for his next progression as a player, that’s his challenge . . . to become a good midfield player within the AFL competition.

“Brandon Ellis, we put down back, to give him the opportunity to flourish in that role.  He probably got a little bit stale on the wing, and we’ve asked him to play an outside role at half-back, where he played at junior level.

“Ben Griffiths is one of those players who, if we can just get him consistently on the park, he’s going to be really valuable for us.  He played 13 games last year and we’re hoping to get more game consistency from him this year.

“Reece Conca’s another one . . .

“Those are the sort of players we’re looking forward to taking that next step.

“And there’s no doubt, with those players, if we get them playing good, consistent footy, Richmond will be going in the right way up the ladder.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2017-03-14/tigers-pin-faith-in-nexttier-players

[Hard Roar Tiger]

None of those 4 will come close to being elite AFL footballers.

[MintOnLamb]

None of those 4 will come close to being elite AFL footballers.

I reckon Vlastuin is ok

[tdy]

Is Vlastuin  destined to be a woewoedin and have all the attacking spirit coached out of him to become woewoeful.

[🏅Dooks]

None of those 4 will come close to being elite AFL footballers.

I reckon Vlastuin is ok

Vlastuin was completely lost on Saturday, similar to the first to games but worse.  He has not adapted to the new roll and game plan, and was thrown down back late to get him into the game.

Hes got a along way to go mentally to become anything more than what he has shown last year, which wasnt alot.

[Willy]

None of those 4 will come close to being elite AFL footballers.

I reckon Vlastuin is ok

Vlastuin was completely lost on Saturday, similar to the first to games but worse.  He has not adapted to the new roll and game plan, and was thrown down back late to get him into the game.

Hes got a along way to go mentally to become anything more than what he has shown last year, which wasnt alot.

Spot on, sadly.

[(•))(©™]

“The first thing you do is you assess, as a leader you assess your own performance and that’s where it starts,” Hardwick said



 
Ffs, what an hole.

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

It's painfully obvious that anybody within the corporation who supports Hardwick is more failure ridden than stupid Damien.

[WilliamPowell]

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

Umm..

He actaully had very little say in "his" assistants getting the flick. That decision was made by others

Carry on 

[🏅Dooks]

“The first thing you do is you assess, as a leader you assess your own performance and that’s where it starts,” Hardwick

"And the last thing you do is take responsibility for your own performance by falling on your sword. Just let others take the fall and talk on PR riddles if drawn on the question.

No wonder leadership and accountability is such an issue with the players. It filters down.

[blaisee]

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

Umm..

He actaully had very little say in "his" assistants getting the flick. That decision was made by others

Carry on 

that would quite an issue if true dont you think Willy?

 Are you saying that his views on who his assistants should be were considered irrelevant ?

Surely he must have been consulted

[(•))(©™]

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

Umm..

He actaully had very little say in "his" assistants getting the flick. That decision was made by others

Carry on 

Yet he's the only one left.
Odd

[(•))(©™]

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

Umm..

He actaully had very little say in "his" assistants getting the flick. That decision was made by others

Carry on 

that would quite an issue if true dont you think Willy?

 Are you saying that his views on who his assistants should be were considered irrelevant ?

Surely he must have been consulted

Right.

[Francois Jackson]

Is that why he threw all his assistant coaches (that he hired) under the bus after his coaching failed yet again in 2016?

Umm..

He actaully had very little say in "his" assistants getting the flick. That decision was made by others

Carry on 

Exactly. X has given him too much credit for saying he threw them under the bus, which implies he acknowledges they were a wrong choice.

This bloke is incapable of eyeing talent.

By the way WP how do you think Mcqualter is going and that other fella bailey when he was with us? 

[Hard Roar Tiger]

None of those 4 will come close to being elite AFL footballers.

I reckon Vlastuin is ok

He hasn't improved since his first year.