I think membership will be slightly down anyway.
Its not the sort of appointment which will bring lapsed members back in droves, like someone like Sheedy, Malthouse, Matthews would have. Pretty sure that Rawlings might possibly have had a neg. impact on membership but there is little difference between Hardwick and the others on this front.
There's a positive air about the forums at the moment. I don't think this is particularly due to Hardwick, I think its just nice that everything is over and there has been a resolution.