Hardwick's post-match media conference / Dimma not down on Tigers

[one-eyed]

Dimma's post-match presser:

VIDEO: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2016-07-30/round-19-hardwick-postmatch

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Dimma not down on Tigers despite Giant hammering

Lee Gaskin 
AFL media
July 30, 2016 6:09 PM


RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick insists it's not all doom and gloom at the Tigers despite their second thrashing in as many weeks.

The Tigers were restricted to their lowest score in 55 years when they kicked 3.5 (23) in their 88-point loss to Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.

It follows last weekend's 70-point belting by Hawthorn, but Hardwick believes the Tigers are developing young players they can build around.

"A lot of the cattle that are going to take us forward are already here," Hardwick said.

"They're young and developing.

"(Oleg) Markov was good again, (Daniel) Rioli was good in patches as was Jayden Short.

"They just take a little bit of consistency, but they'll get there."

The Tigers (7-11) will use the final four games of the season to build towards next year.

"We'll just keep working our way through it," Hardwick said.

"We still want to win as many games as we can. It's looking less likely with our form, but we've got to keep challenging ourselves.

"They're a strong group, they're a resilient group and we're capable of righting the ship."

Star midfielder Dustin Martin found plenty of the ball with 28 possessions, but had a limited impact on the contest.

"He hunted the ball well," Hardwick said.

"The thing with Dusty he always has three blokes on him around stoppages just mauling him a lot of the time.

"He probably gets the rough end of the stick creating the play and some holding the ball decisions went against him today, but we'll continue to work.

"Trent (Cotchin) battled really hard, but we weren't good enough as a midfield group today."

Hardwick lauded the performance of stuff Alex Rance, who had 26 possessions and nine marks, while also keeping forward Jeremy Cameron to two goals.

"Alex was outstanding, it's the reason he's an All-Australian defender," Hardwick said.

"David Astbury was also very good. I thought the backs overall were great.

"Our midfield was probably down today and up forward we struggled also."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-07-30/dimma-not-down-on-tigers-despite-giant-hammering

[one-eyed]

Hardwick already looking to 2017

Neil Cordy
The Daily Telegraph
31 July 2016

AFTER being belted by 88 points and held to just 23 by a rampaging Greater Western Sydney, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has conceded his team may not add to their seven wins this season.

With games against Collingwood, Geelong, St Kilda and Sydney to come, the Tigers are on track for their worst season since 2010 when Hardwick took over as coach and they finished 15th.

“It’s more about next year and how we go about it,” Hardwick said after the match in Canberra.

“We still want to win as many games as we can but it’s looking less likely at the moment with our form.”

When asked if he thought it would take three to five years to get the Tigers back on track Hardwick was more positive.

“I don’t think so,” Hardwick said.

“A lot of the cattle which will take us forward are already here. (Oleg) Markov was good once again, (Daniel) Rioli was good in patches Jayden Short was good. They just take a bit of time, we had five first year players in today.”

While the Richmond coach said there was plenty of players on their current list to work with in the future they would definitely be in the market for trades at the end of the season.

“We’ll be openly recruiting as will 17 other sides,” Hardwick said.

“We’re in the market but we have to continue to work with the players we’ve got and get them as good as they can be. We’ve got some players who we think with take us forward. Some are inexperienced, some are injured. When we’ve got our full playing deck available we’re probably still off.”

In March Hardwick extended his contract with Richmond till the end of 2018. He said Saturday’s poor result had more to do with the quality of GWS as it did with his team’s poor performance.

“A lot of it (the result) was on them, they’re a good side,” Hardwick said.

“They’ve had big wins here previously and were disappointing three weeks ago against Collingwood but they’ve hit their straps again. They came from behind in tough conditions against Port Adelaide, they’ll go a long way.”

Richmond’s good players were scarce with Jack Riewoldt playing a lone hand up forward with two of its three goals, Dustin Martin strong in the middle and Alex Rance a standout in defence.

“I thought our backs held up incredibly well, 24 scoring shots from 65 entries is amazing, we couldn’t win the ball out of the middle and couldn’t compete up forward. We were disappointing, to give up eight goals in the first quarter you are always on the back foot. We couldn’t get any ascendancy through the middle, they beat us in contested ball and clearances. They nullified us with tackling and we were always on the back foot.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/damien-hardwick-concedes-richmond-may-not-win-another-game-this-season/news-story/d243c05e0853e891ac608a8a4f0c480a

[one-eyed]

'We've got some worries, they've got no concerns'

Jon Tuxworth
The Age
31 July 2016

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick reckons the surging Greater Western Sydney are a "Lamborghini".

So after his side lost by 88 points to the AFL's newest juggernaut in Canberra on Saturday, what does that make the Tigers?

Given their 3.5 (23) total was the sixth worst in their 108-year history and their lowest in 55 years, the Tigers are more like a Datsun in need of a major tune-up.

The statistics looked dire as the Giants' suffocating pressure and relentless running into space made light work of Richmond.

After a 70-point defeat to Hawthorn last week, the Tigers have now lost to the top two sides on the ladder by a combined 158 points.

It's a brutal reminder of how far back they are and Hardwick didn't hide from the fact his list needs significant improvement if it is to be a legitimate top-eight contender last year.

But he isn't pushing the panic button, insisting the blowout should be attributed more to the Giants' brilliance than his team's deficiencies.

Only Jack Reiwoldt, who kicked two of Richmond's three goals, and dependable defender Alex Rance shone in front of a record near 15,000 crowd at Manuka.

"They're a Lamborghini aren't they, they're an incredible side there's no doubt," Hardwick said.

"You look at their talent across the board, it's superior. We've got some worries, they've got no concerns at all at this stage.

"It's great for GWS and Sydney footy but is it great for the competition when ... jeez they're just bloody good.

"They were incredibly impressive today, their ability to cover the ground was the best I've seen, they were very good inside and outside.

"A lot of it was on them, they're a very good side and they'll go a long way."

Adam Marcon made his debut for the Tigers amid a handful of other first-year players, and Hardwick rubbished suggestions his club is in need of a three-to-five-year rebuild.

"We've openly talked about it about [planning for] next year now and how we go about it [for the rest of the season]," Hardwick said.

"We want to win as many games as we can, it's looking less likely at the moment with our form.

"They [the players] are strong and resilient and we've been in this position before, a long time ago.

"It's about righting the ship and we're working on a few things at the moment which will hopefully take us forward.

"They're not all clicking at the moment, but we'll continue to work on them."

Hardwick is adamant youngsters like Daniel Riolo, Jayden Short and Oleg Markov are on the right track to become established AFL players.

"I don't think [a long rebuild is required], a lot of the cattle that are going to take us forward are already here," Hardwick  said.

"There's a lot of first-year players and it's going to take a bit of time.

"We've got some players we feel will take us forward, some are inexperienced and some are injured. 

"If we had a full playing group we're probably still off [the best teams], there's no doubt about so we'll be openly recruiting, we're in the market.

"We have to work with what we've got at the moment, keep developing these players and get them as good as they can be."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-tigers-coach-damien-hardwick-not-pushing-panic-button-despite-horror-giants-loss---20160730-gqhd53.html

[WA Tiger]

"It's great for GWS and Sydney footy but is it great for the competition when ... jeez they're just bloody good."

"They were incredibly impressive today, their ability to cover the ground was the best I've seen, they were very good inside and outside."

Yep..

[Chuck17]

Hamspon/Hunt

[WA Tiger]

Instead of trolling those two names on every thread Chuck, look at the rest of them, apart from Cotch, Rance, Dusty and maybe Astbury the rest were crap, have a think about. Go watch the game again.

[Penelope]

"It's great for GWS and Sydney footy but is it great for the competition when ... jeez they're just bloody good."

"They were incredibly impressive today, their ability to cover the ground was the best I've seen, they were very good inside and outside."

Yep..

you disagree with those comments?

The issue that it seems he fails to see, is that ability to cover the ground, or in other words get numbers to the contest then spread from the contest, has nothing to do with football ability, but effort and willingness to work hard.

Yes they were very good at it, but we are are deplorable at it, week in week out.

so time to drop more enthusiastic kids and bring in lazy plodders id be guessing

[YellowandBlackBlood]

"It's great for GWS and Sydney footy but is it great for the competition when ... jeez they're just bloody good."

"They were incredibly impressive today, their ability to cover the ground was the best I've seen, they were very good inside and outside."

Yep..

you disagree with those comments?

The issue that it seems he fails to see, is that ability to cover the ground, or in other words get numbers to the contest then spread from the contest, has nothing to do with football ability, but effort and willingness to work hard.

Yes they were very good at it, but we are are deplorable at it, week in week out.

so time to drop more enthusiastic kids and bring in lazy plodders id be guessing

[🏅Dooks]

Instead of trolling those two names on every thread Chuck, look at the rest of them, apart from Cotch, Rance, Dusty and maybe Astbury the rest were crap, have a think about. Go watch the game again.

Astbury? You cant be serious mate!

And you want others to rewatch the game?! 

[Yeahright]

Instead of trolling those two names on every thread Chuck, look at the rest of them, apart from Cotch, Rance, Dusty and maybe Astbury the rest were crap, have a think about. Go watch the game again.

Astbury? You cant be serious mate!

And you want others to rewatch the game?! 

You didn't like Astbury's game?

[🏅Dooks]

Instead of trolling those two names on every thread Chuck, look at the rest of them, apart from Cotch, Rance, Dusty and maybe Astbury the rest were crap, have a think about. Go watch the game again.

Astbury? You cant be serious mate!

And you want others to rewatch the game?! 

You didn't like Astbury's game?

Who cares what i like. His game was very very ordinary FACT. To lump him in with Rance Dusty and Cotchin is insulting and so far from the pale its hilarious.

[Owl]

Actually Arseberry had a decent game compared to the others.  Intercepted a lot of ball, took some good grabs and didn't butcher the stuff out of it like he did against the Hawks.

[Stalin]

Dimma alluding to it's the fault of short rioli Markov...  Yep that'd be right

[Yeahright]

Instead of trolling those two names on every thread Chuck, look at the rest of them, apart from Cotch, Rance, Dusty and maybe Astbury the rest were crap, have a think about. Go watch the game again.

Astbury? You cant be serious mate!

And you want others to rewatch the game?! 

You didn't like Astbury's game?

Who cares what i like. His game was very very ordinary FACT. To lump him in with Rance Dusty and Cotchin is insulting and so far from the pale its hilarious.

I think you're reading too much into it. All he meant was apart from them everyone was crap