Is Hardwick really the coach who will lead Richmond to a premiership?

[TheAnt]

Now, before I start, i'm not calling for Hardwicks head just yet.
The work he's done to lift us from the laughing stock of the competition to a competitive outfit has been incredible, it just seems as though we're stagnating and stagnating quickly. Hardwick was outcoached completely and the tactics never looked like working..The players yesterday were older then Essendon, there's no more excuses about development. Dimma seems reluctant to play the youth and seems content with these mature age recruits who lets face it aren't taking us to the next level. Fringe players like Matt White and Nahas shouldn't be getting a game anymore.

The recruiting, while good also seems to be drafting the same players, tough, hard, but relatively slow.. When Deledio has gotten shut down we've lost the game pretty much, the lack of speed through the middle is concerning, as well as no outside support, and when that happens, Dimma has no plan B. I would love to see us rookie list Dayle Garlett and draft Dwayne Wilson, because we lack any x-factor whatsoever. I believe Hardwick can still get better, but this list promises so much..and yet it feels like its just stopped, no improvement. Would love to hear everyones thoughts.

[TeeJay]

I think you're expecting to much from your team mate. You are 5-4 and that is about right. You might scrape into the 8 or just miss out. It's just where Richmond are at.
Hardwick stripped the club back and built it from literally rock bottom. Richmond weren't much better than Melbourne currently are a few short years ago. He has taken no shortcuts or looked for quick fixes he literally built it up slowly and although they are far more experienced now it is still a very young side. Your best players are still mostly kids or very young.

I think you need to reassess at the end of the season. Richmond have a great back half of the year and should just play finals and that's all you could hope or be expecting or you are dissolutional.

Only knock I have on hardwick is that he isn't a great media speaker (says a lot of the same clich

[Toga]

I tend to agree with TeeJay, it just seems to be where we are at at the moment. We showed glimpses last year of what we are capable of, but also dropped matches we should have done - inexperience. This year, we have won games we should win, and lost games to good teams, and while this is disappointing it just shows that we aren't quite up to standard with the top teams. Yet. Further development should see us continue to improve, and I want to see Hardwick at the helm, as I think a change of coach would just set us back further.

One thing I agree with though is that we need to recruit a bit more pace into the side. With Deledio injured and Ellis out on the weekend we really did lack pace. Now we have youngsters who can win us the ball in the middle, like Vlastuin & Matt Arnot, along with Cotch & co., I think we need some more pace and class on the outside and really hope we look at getting someone that can give us that at the end of the year... Not sure who that may be, whether we trade for someone (Lewis Jetta is out of contract ;)) or pick up someone like Garlett (a real talent) or the best young outside midfielder available at the draft.

Dimma loves the hard-nuts, but I think we need to recruit 'something else' if we can. :)

[quinny88]

Dimma about to be signed on until the end of 2016  ;D
And yes he WILL be Richmonds next premiership coach

[Jroo]

Dimma about to be signed on until the end of 2016  ;D
And yes he WILL be Richmonds next premiership coach

Awesome news, he certainly deserves it.
http://m.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-has-extended-coach-damien-hardwicks-contract/story-fni5f9jb-1226780909437

[TheAnt]

Dimma about to be signed on until the end of 2016  ;D
And yes he WILL be Richmonds next premiership coach

He proved himself as a coach, the way he changed our game-style let us make finals.

[TheAnt]

And when he lasts to the end of his new contract he'll be our longest serving coach since good old Tom Hafey.

[quinny88]

And when he lasts to the end of his new contract he'll be our longest serving coach since good old Tom Hafey.

That's not surprising we have had some spuds in recent times  :-[

[kilbluff1985]

And when he lasts to the end of his new contract he'll be our longest serving coach since good old Tom Hafey.

That's not surprising we have had some spuds in recent times  :-[

pun intended?

[quinny88]

And when he lasts to the end of his new contract he'll be our longest serving coach since good old Tom Hafey.

That's not surprising we have had some spuds in recent times  :-[

pun intended?

Haha every time I see that nobs head on tv I get angry with what he did to us. Him and Dunstal carrying on like idiots and I just think "this man actually coached our football club" *facepalm*

[Chelskiman]

He got us to a prelim.  It's more than what Wallace did.

[Kellogscrunchynut]

But then we fell to 14th the next year, our team now is better than that one I reckon. Still Wallace was worse.

[quinny88]

Both as bad as each other. Imo.

[Chelskiman]

But then we fell to 14th the next year, our team now is better than that one I reckon. Still Wallace was worse.

Oh yeah, I wasn't saying Spud was any good, just saying that he did manage to get us to finals, which is more than what some previous Richmond coaches can say.

In any case, it's awesome we have stability at our club, and Dimma is the right man, at this stage, to lead us forward, possibly into a GF in a few years to come.  Exciting times!

[TheAnt]

Well...