News Damien Hardwick to take an extended holiday break

[JR#8]

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick will step away from football until Feburary following a “tough” 2020 campaign.
His assistants will take the reins in his absence.
“I’m going to take a bit of a longer break this year over summer,” Hardwick said.
“It’s been a pretty full on 3-4 years and we’ve done a hell of a lot of work and had a lot of success along the way but sometimes you need to step back.
“I’m very lucky that I’ve got some terrific assistants, and a couple of those guys will move on, but the coaching group and the people I have around me do a large amount of work and the reality is I sit at the top and manage those guys.
“But I’m very confident those guys can step up and fill those roles because it’s been a tough year – professionally and personally – so I’ll step back for a little while and won’t come back until maybe February … just to give myself a little bit of a break and a bit of breathing room, because I need it at the moment.”
- 3AW

Well deserved Dimma. Seems like the hub has been tough on everyone.

 

[tigs2010]

That’s a long time. Reckon he will be back sooner. He will miss being around the club.

 

[wegetpumped]

Well deserved Dimma. Seems like the hub has been tough on everyone.

Tougher for him than most as I think his family stayed behind.

 

[Underarm]

Fwiw I don't think any senior player is back until the new year.

 

[Ceehook]

you could see him getting into the players at 3/4 breaks in the back half of the season

it was like he felt he had to rev them up , to the players another game , another challenger , but Hardwick and the assistants
will have been looking ahead and knowing the ramifications of certain losses

there were so many moments during the H&A season and the finals where a small slip up could have cost us the title defence

Hardwick would give away little clues that the coaches were working this and that
and then the cat out of the bag by Kingsley with the major work on centre clearances after the Port home and away game

the keeping the melb. based players upto scratch
and didn't Houli and Edwards arrive in tip top shape melb. coaches and no doubt input and monitoring from the main coaches

and werent PRestia & Nank rehabed and presented in great shape and got match ready under bizzare conditions

the intensity of this effort will have been off the scale
I've heard Parkin talk about how coaching destroys family life

With Hardwick stepping away now for a break he will preserve his mental health
it will be good experience for the assistants to step up in a controlled way
it will be a challenge for those left behind with Leppa & McRae going

I think I'd speak for all Tigers supporters , he goes on a break with our blessing , it is more than deserved

important to note , all Vic based clubs went thru the same and we got the prize
the reward for the effort and sacrifice and hopefully that sets us up for a great next 4 years of dynasty

 

[Dr Tigris]

In the post GF presser Dimma basically said he was a very dark place when COVID started. Doubted it was real etc, just sh*t off with everything. The club gave him the 'sledgehammer' to get him straight. Wonder if he is feeling pretty done with the world right now. Good on him to take the break. Hopefully resets the mind and he comes back refreshed and recharged.

 

[Roachy8]

I like this - take the time you need Dimma & thanks for the huge effort you put in during this strange strange year.
Would be mentally fried I reckon.

Being away from Mrs Hardwick & family for 4 months or so too.
Put you feet up Dimma!

 

[Tony Harrison]

Bloke can do whatever he wants imo

 

[Meli]

Well deserved Dimma. Seems like the hub has been tough on everyone.

Long service leave...very much deserved!

 

[muzhogg]

In light of the situation with Reece Shaw I'd say this is a really good move by Dimma.

Missing a bit of pre-season won't make any difference to the playing group, the bit of extra responsibility will be good for the assistant coaches, and Dimma will come back refreshed and ready for a tilt at 2021.

Hope he has a really great time away -- he's earned it!

 

[Phar Ace]

That’s a long time. Reckon he will be back sooner. He will miss being around the club.

There is 'too long', so long that you don't really want it again. He'll know the right time - he'll feel it.

All this Dynasty talk, they will probably need to have discussions what they would like that to look like - without getting ahead of themselves..... It's next level motivations.

 

[Ceehook]

everyone , just cast your minds back to the pieces on him and Cotch at the end of 2016
all football clubs are such intense environments
and he has ridden to the bottom

then climbed to the peak

then slapped down in 2018

then redemption in 2019

and then this year hits

it would have been all too easy to not put in the extra miles "we've got 2 in 3 years ..."

but he did put in the extra and lead the team to do like wise

and we reap the benefits

 

[NimFromSudan]

Good idea for him.

I suppose Kingsley will lead the group for a while. The only hard thing might be onboarding any new assistants without the head coach around. Could just mean we're going to promote Xavier Clarke and Ryan Ferguson

Ryan Ferguson

Age

42

Ht

195cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.6

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.2

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.0

3star

No current season stats available

D

4.8

1star

K

2.2

1star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

0.8

3star

and leave it at that.

 

[Grrr]

There goes the 3 peat.

 

[Hamsatma]

In the post GF presser Dimma basically said he was a very dark place when COVID started. Doubted it was real etc, just sh*t off with everything. The club gave him the 'sledgehammer' to get him straight. Wonder if he is feeling pretty done with the world right now. Good on him to take the break. Hopefully resets the mind and he comes back refreshed and recharged.

Yeah I was pretty taken aback with his honesty on that, on offsiders caro even said that afl house was upset cause dimma was tearing down covid safe posters. The time off will be great for him, and I think winning the flag was so important, as at least from a footy sense it was all worth it

 

[Walt Kowalski]

Massive year, been away from his family for months, managing a group of young guys who have been missing out on life to not break restrictions. Tough gig. He deserves an extended break.

When Dimma decides he's done with coaching (which is hopefully not for a few years) the Tiges should send him and Mrs H overseas for 12 months then invite him back to be the Football Manager forever.

He's a Tige for life.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Enjoy it Dimma!

Were a mature enough group that this won't effect them. Got leaders everywhere to step up where that head coach is missing.

But all those assistant coaches leaving hurts a little more now.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Good idea for him.

I suppose Kingsley will lead the group for a while. The only hard thing might be onboarding any new assistants without the head coach around. Could just mean we're going to promote Xavier Clarke and Ryan Ferguson

Ryan Ferguson

Age

42

Ht

195cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.6

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.2

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.0

3star

No current season stats available

D

4.8

1star

K

2.2

1star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

0.8

3star

and leave it at that.

Think thats what might happen due to our soft cap taking a hit.

 

[juss]

You'd imagine he'd leave absolute clear plans and directives on what he needs developed and focused on, and then will get back in Feb for a solid 1-2 months prep before the season. Not a huge issue, but with 2 senior assistants in Macrae and Leppa leaving, it's going to be a big responsibility on who we bring in and the existing guys.

Well deserved though, better for him to freshen up than burn out.

 

[mauricerioli]

Fully deserved. Enjoy it Dimma.

The players will be off for a couple of months too so they probably only do 4 weeks at the start of pre season without Dimma.

 

[Makeshft_Mauler]

eh

reckon i could coach us against the blues and wed still pump them by 10 goals.

give him a break

 

[smasha]

Rest and charge the batteries for a huge year(if covid effs off)in 2021.

 

[Spagman]

Glad to hear that he's doing this to be honest. He was dropping comments (knowingly or not) in a few interviews. Hopefully the team medical staff noticed this and a nice, well earned, long break with the family hopefully helps Dimma out. They all need a break, and they all bloody deserve it.

Let's hope that everyone that went into lockdown at every level of every club gets the rest and any help they need.

 

[wart101]

He is the king he can do what he wants, love live the king!

 

[strongandbold12]

Fair enough. Enjoy your break dimma. Well deserved.