Coach Damien Hardwick

[RunningBounce]

This week, Hardwick coaches his 248th game, equaling the number coached by Hafey.

There was a time that I was not happy with the thought that Dimma might be remembered in the same company as Tommy. I'm very comfortable with it now.

If he went out today, he'd have:

• 2 premierships,
• 1 minor premiership,
• 3 prelims,
• 6 finals appearances,
• 141 wins

Needs his own thread. Have at it.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Dimma & Cotch.What leadership they bring to the table.
For a bloke who couldn't get his laptop to work to where he stands amongst the football community is nothing short of outstanding.
Will defend "His Boys" to the hilt.
Takes a big man to admit his wrongs.
By doing so he'll become a RFC legend by the end of his coaching career.

 

[TigerTime88]

Was a pretty average coach early on, but just shows how much he has learnt. Not all coaches learn on the job.

He is the best coach in the comp!

 

[fargothegreat]

Not the best coach tactically, but by far the best at building belief in the playing group.

 

[TigerTime88]

Not the best coach tactically, but by far the best at building belief in the playing group.

Given how good our team defence is, I would suggest he is the best coach tactically.

Add in the masterstroke moves like Grigg rucking us to a 2017 Flag.

 

[Ceehook]

Was a pretty average coach early on, but just shows how much he has learnt. Not all coaches learn on the job.

He is the best coach in the comp!

him and his whole group of coaches
in the begining he would sit at ground level
we had bottomed out and were in full rebuild

people might say coaching from the boundary is bad or a sign of weakness

but was it what we needed at the time ?
he coached and mentored players on the side lines and looking back it did seem to fast track development
he came to us as a very good U18's coach and plenty said it looks like he's still coaching U18's
it wasn't far off it , in those first couple of season we were regularly the youngest side

as we improved it seemed we couldn't win the close ones

and in a close game V Gold Coast we got caught with Dusty & Cotch on the interchange

the whole world commented , to me it seemed like it was the players and coaches were learning
and everyone was along for the ride

then 2015 saw us make finals for the 3rd year in a row
progress was happening but was agonisingly slow for the Tiger faithful and we couldn't win a final grrrr

2015 was streets ahead of when Dimma first arrived

much has been said about 2016 till now

but what would it been like if Dimma had a half reasonable list when he first arrived
would he have approached it differently ? probably

his early "teachings " seemed to have stood the test of time
and as the players matured the coaches switched from mentoring and developing to more plotting to win games

 

[Juke]

Not the best coach tactically, but by far the best at building belief in the playing group.

I would actually argue that he's up right up there with his ability to plug-in different players into the system as needed. I don't think there's a single time in the last three years where the game was lost at selection.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Dimma is on some ways a brilliant coach. Tactically he's created a new way to win premierships regularly. And also developed to a new level the whole 'team' and 'good culture' thing.

He is also always learning, which is an amazing trait.

Reckon he'll have another cup or 3 before he's done. Legend!

 

[Tiger71]

This week, Hardwick coaches his 248th game, equaling the number coached by Hafey.

There was a time that I was not happy with the thought that Dimma might be remembered in the same company as Tommy. I'm very comfortable with it now.

If he went out today, he'd have:

• 2 premierships,
• 1 minor premiership,
• 3 prelims,
• 6 finals appearances,
• 141 wins

Needs his own thread. Have at it.

But it was all Blake Caracella lol

 

[Dunger]

All thanks to Mrs Hardwick

 

[YeOldTiger]

We get constantly told that Richmond have a few stars and a bunch of role players and that our list isn't that deep. Well, good luck getting a spot on our side at the moment ! There is hot competition for spots. It takes a good coach to mould a group of roleplayers into a powerhouse. He's one of the better coaches going around and I still think he has a lot more to give. Congratulations Dimma. Keep on going son !!

 

[RunningBounce]

But it was all Blake Caracella lol

Lol, I thought so at the time! Spewing about Rutten leaving, too. Now, we can just look at the scoreboard. 'Nuff said.

 

[RunningBounce]

Not the best coach tactically, but by far the best at building belief in the playing group.

Most of us remember the enormous shitfight about sacking Hardwick. "He doesn't have a Plan B" was what a lot of knowledgeable Tiger people posted, me included.

His got a different style to coaches like Clarkson and Chris Scott, who'll change positioning, and even style, as a one-off against a certain opponent. We usually hold the ship pretty steady, with minor fiddling. Even during the game, when its in the balance. We don't put a hard tag on the dominant oppo mid often, for example. That frustrates some supporters, who remember the glorious days of sending the CHB forward in the last quarter, to pull off an unlikely come-from-behind victory. I get that. But the score is on the board and what Hardwick does works for us.

More strategy. Less tactics.

 

[LC_15]

What's changed is that Richmond no longer changes its style to beat a team. Teams change their style to try and beat Richmond with a few exceptions. This is the difference now. Dimma doesnt have to do radical things now, and can now focus on coaching. better spot.

 

[k31th]

"
Coach Damian Hardwick
"

umm... might help to spell his name correctly

Damien Hardwick

 

[Sir_Loin]

Have to hand it to him, was prepared to change after the 2016 review. That’s no mean feat.

He also admits that he was too young to be appointed a senior coach. All the skills and IP he has now I’d fully expect him to be coaching another 10 years.

Knows how to rebuild a list and get a team humming. If we knock over this flag he’s going to be in high demand. Will go down as one of the great Richmond senior coaches.

 

[smasha]

I always said the players loved him even back at the start.

He has been a perfect fit for our club,may the reign continue.

In 2016 ,a few games got me negative but I didn’t want him to leave us,glad we all stuck by Peggy Benny and Dimma when there was lots of outside noise at that time.

I remember watching the Sydney game at the Richmond social club feeling down in the dumps but things rapidly changed in that post season period,some needed players to fill the holes in our list and assistants,I think Dimma went to the US to improve his coaching craft.

The club has been a powerhouse since then.

We owe it to Dimma “the jumper will never hit the ground while I’m here”

That line I will always remember.

Hopefully more success comes his way and he becomes a true immortal of our club.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Not the best coach tactically, but by far the best at building belief in the playing group.

I think he is very good tactically. He has shown he can adapt the side and turn things around quickly.

In 2014 we started something lime 3-10. He tweaked the game plan and we won the next 9 in a row to make finals.

In 2016 we finished 13th, totally revamped the game plan and won t hge premiership in 2017.

 

[Hamsatma]

I 100% wanted him gone after 2016 - been loving my generous servings of humble pie ever since! Congrats dimma

 

[ImaBeliever!]

Coaching is largely about luck, timing and projecting the ‘appearance’ of authority/knowledge. The main ingredients for club success are so much more than the coach, but more about astute recruiting, resourcing, and club support and assistant coaching personnel. There are very few coaches throughout history that you could put in any club when they are rock bottom and turn them around into a powerhouse. Dimma is probably one of them.

 

[Who_Noes]

I 100% wanted him gone after 2016 - been loving my generous servings of humble pie ever since! Congrats dimma

You, me and just about every other Richmond supporter wanted to see the back of Dimma by the end of 2016. Its a measure of the man, and Trent Cotchin, how they overcame the hardship and despair of 2016 and went on to lead us all to the promised land. And may long it continue!

 

[DickieKnee]

I was part of the sack Dimma mob in 2016 but happy to be proven wrong. Thanks for Benny and Peggy for sticking with Dimma. 10 years as coach is the same as Hafey. Tom got to 5 grand finals winning 4, which is a superb achievement. Dimma has won us 2 flags but in the modern age they are harder to come by IMO. I'd still class Hafey as our greatest ever coach but Dimma is close and still going and could catch him.

 

[Ashman OG]

61K views · 11K likes | Richmond on Instagram: "Still got it, Dimma 😉"

11K likes, 197 comments - richmond_fc on September 15, 2020: "Still got it, Dimma 😉"

www.instagram.com

He still got it !

 

[69vintage]

Smart enough to have a gameplan that suits his players .

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Chunky09]

Start carving the statue, bloke has given the club so much leadership and he always sticks up for his players.
You can tell the players love playing for him and he’s had a fantastic impact on them not only football wise but as human beings as well.
Hope he stays for a few more years yet, live the bloke.
Thanks for everything dimma