Polished Jade shows hard edge
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen Fri 12 June, 2009
IF JADE Rawlings is approaching the second half of this season as a job application – and what caretaker coach wouldn't? – he's made an impressive start off the field.
Rawlings took over from former Tigers coach Terry Wallace on Saturday, but has already impressed with both his ability to handle the media and to make the hard decisions, with five senior players dropped for this weekend's clash with the Eagles.
Rawlings comes across as honest and friendly – like a taller and less-blonde version of another successful young coach in Matthew Knights.
Like Knights, his honesty is refreshing, as is the friendliness and willingness to either answer questions or say he's not answering them.
When asked if he was already casting an eye to next year, Rawlings stated the obvious facts, rather than taking the obvious opportunity to duck the question.
"I said last Saturday that I'm well aware this is a caretaker role for 2009 – where it takes things beyond this year will be up to the footy club, and obviously my performance in the second half of the year," he said.
"But I'm very excited to be able to be able to shape this group of players – men – for the second half of the year for 11 games.
"That's a great opportunity that I've been fortunate enough to be given."
But Rawlings also showed the steel beneath the urbane exterior, with five players axed at match committee, with one being passionate Tiger Joel Bowden, a decision that has upset a large number of Richmond supporters.
When asked if he was a 'firm, strong person', Rawlings was unequivocal.
"It's for other people to judge how I am, but I don't think you can get to be able to fulfil this role without that characteristic.
"If I need to be ruthless to make a point, I think I can be. You just can't make your way in this game without having a strong character within you.
"I've faced a fair bit of adversity in my time as a player, and also making my way as a coach.
"These players need strong messages and boundaries – what they can and can't do – and we'll let them make decisions within that.
Rawlings said while he could see how people outside the club could see the selection policy this week as ruthless, he saw it differently.
"People have said to me during the week 'can you see how this might look', but that's for other people to judge.
"We're doing what we think's right for the footy club."
Easily the youngest senior coach in the system, Rawlings said he would have no problem stamping his authority on the group.
"This is my third year here, and my main focus when I got here was to try and establish some respect from the players.
"They would have had their own opinions of me from what I did in my playing career – I want to be judged as a coach.
"I really worked hard, along with Craig McRae when we first got here, to establish ourselves with earning trust and respect, and I'd like to think I've got that from the players with how I've operated over the last few years.”
But does he really want the job? Is it something he's dreamed of for a long time?
"I thought about that just the other day – people asked me 'do you want to be an AFL senior coach', and I said 'well, there were times when five days out of seven I thought yes, and two days out of seven I thought no', some of the time what you're subjected to.
"I suppose it is a dream – I got reminded a few times this week from people who got in touch with me, saying 'oh, you said you wanted to do this years ago', so I suppose it is in a way."
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/blogarticle/tabid/14215/newsid/78729/default.aspx
