Richmond interim coach Andrew McQualter joined Garry and Tim to talk about their win against GWS on Sunday, the impact the leaders have had at the club since Damien Hardwick's departure, how he's adjusted to the head coaching role, the distractions he has outside of football, and more.
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“THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND”: MCQUALTER OFFERS INSIGHT INTO COACHING PHILOSOPHYSeb Mottram
SEN
7 June 2023Andrew McQualter says he’s not trying to be Damien Hardwick after taking over from the three-time premiership coach.
McQualter is standing in for the Tigers after Hardwick’s departure. A long-time assistant coach who finished up a playing career in 2012, McQualter recorded his first victory as a senior coach on the weekend when Richmond defeated Greater Western Sydney.
What’s more, it came against former Tigers assistant Adam Kingsley, who now leads the Giants.
“Kingers and I had a different approach, he’s a bit mad, Kingers,” he laughed about the two contrasting coaching styles.
“But I don’t think I was as calm as I looked on the outside.”
The news that Hardwick was stepping away came as a bombshell to the AFL community, one that few saw coming.
But McQualter suggested it’s business as usual at Punt Road, except for one key detail.
“The playing group have responded really well,” he stated.
“I think we’ve got a really proud bunch of leaders and straight from day dot when we heard the news about Dimma, those guys really took charge of the footy club and have led the way really well in the last few weeks.
“Look, I’m not trying to be Dimma, I think that’s really important for everyone to understand.
“I wouldn’t be able to replicate what he did, so my job is just to be myself and keep helping our players prepare for a game of footy each weekend.”
McQualter added: “We just want really high standards for the rest of the season.
“We want to enjoy the footy club, Dimma created an incredible environment for us and we just want to have high standards and keep competing for the rest of the year.”
The softly-spoken former St Kilda and Gold Coast player also admitted that nothing could have prepared him for being in the hot seat.
“The job is completely different to what you see as an assistant coach,” he explained.
“I’ve been an assistant for a pretty long period of time now and as much as you think you know what the senior coach does, you really don’t.
“It’s busy, it’s a lot of decision making, a lot of people want to chat to you – which is unusual for me – but I’ve really enjoyed it so far.”
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/06/06/thats-really-important-for-everyone-to-understand-mcqualter-offers-insight/
