Damien Hardwicks Contract.

[Truetiger]

Alright Next year is his final year of his current contract i think?. We all by now have worked out that he wont be going anywere. He has been wonderful for us from the moment he walked into the club. So based on that i dont see the need to rush Contract talks until late next season or after the 2012 season. What does everyone else think? When should we start Contract talks and how long do you give him? Interested to see what everyone thinks.

 

[Dr Awkward]

I think we should wait longer. So far he has been great but I don't see any urgence to sign him up this season. He wouldn't leave us whilst in the middle of building the team.

If we still want him as coach by this time next year then sign.

 

[Wallaby]

No. It's a 3-year deal. Let's let it run 3 years. Re-evaluate during 3rd-year.

Frawley got us to a prelim in his 2nd year. Then it all went wrong.

 

[_RT_]

Personally I'd sign him to a 2 year extention. That way he can focus on continuing down the path he has taken us, without the distraction of having to negoiate a contract or having the media using the fact that he is coming out of contract to constantly put pressure on the club, espcially if we have a poor start to the season again.

 

[Darth_Tiger]

^^ that one. stitch him up. he is going in the right direction and this year is still more about development than making a prelim. this is different to spud. very very different.

 

[nut]

The extension didn't help Bailey.

Lots of things can happen in 12 months.

I would evaluate it at the end of the year and extend it by 1 year with a performance based automatic extension if we meet certain goals.

We have achieved nothing but hope at this stage...

 

[El Tigre]

Yes we're all in lurve with Dimma. But it is still the honeymoon.
There'd only be pressure on Dimma come round 6 2012, and we have had a poor start to the year. Maybe then he might deserve it.

Dimma hasn't done too much wrong in my eyes. I like the way that he likes the fun and joking side of footy, as well as time to be serious and hard.

 

[Tiger_Stripes]

He's not going to feel the burn this season. Leave it be for now. Negotiate an extension over next preseason. That'll give the media nothing to talk about even if we start poorly and it'll let him focus purely on the Footy both years.

 

[Equus]

We don't want a Bomber Thompson or a Dean Bailey situation where the media speculation hounds him if he will remain coach (if things go all pear shaped). Rather it would make sense to sign him a 2 year extension at the end of the year when everything quietens down.

 

[CoggaRules]

Tipping Benny knows what to do and when to do it dudes...my tip is that the faith will be shown at the end of the season. Lets face it, he will have one year to go when the end of the season arrives. You really need to look at it that c urrently, he is at the half way point of his current contract.

 

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Sign him up for another 3-5 years. There is absolutely no point in delaying it. He is the coach we selected after the most exhaustive selection process seen! He has cleared out most of the deadwood and the players play for him. A lot of clubs would kill to get someone like him to their club. I see no difference between him and a gun young player. If you had the chance to sign up a Martin for the next 5 years you would wouldn't you. So what's the difference. The guy is genuine - no spin. He is a good family man without hidden agendas. He has had success follow him. I would love to show the football world that Richmond now stands for stability and integrity.
What other choices do we have that are better? Even if Malthouse became available, I would say no because I want the next Malthouse who can be with us for a generation and a period of sustained success. That man is Dimma!
Go on Tiges, do it!

 

[Truetiger]

Sign him up for another 3-5 years. There is absolutely no point in delaying it. He is the coach we selected after the most exhaustive selection process seen! He has cleared out most of the deadwood and the players play for him. A lot of clubs would kill to get someone like him to their club. I see no difference between him and a gun young player. If you had the chance to sign up a Martin for the next 5 years you would wouldn't you. So what's the difference. The guy is genuine - no spin. He is a good family man without hidden agendas. He has had success follow him. I would love to show the football world that Richmond now stands for stability and integrity.
What other choices do we have that are better? Even if Malthouse became available, I would say no because I want the next Malthouse who can be with us for a generation and a period of sustained success. That man is Dimma!
Go on Tiges, do it!

Could not agree more. I really think Hardwick is our future. come the end of this season if things look to have improved then we should give him another contract.

 

[Spluff]

Extend him next season if he deserves it.

 

[acr2751]

review should be done at end of this year after the dust settles not after couple of fluffy feel good wins.
i dont want him coaching next year trying to gain a extension based on wins he should be told he will be judged on development of the team and the list.

 

[Maroo]

One would hope that the administration has already (some time ago) decided on when his contract is to be reviewed, and which performance indicators a new contract/extension will be decided based on.

That is what a stable organisation should do, not get caught up in the hype of a slight resurgence.

 

[Varicho]

I reckon extend his contract by 2 years at the end of this year, and Mick Malthouse comes back and does a Bomber Thompson at his spiritual home!

 

[UpTheGuts]

Sometime over summer seems preferable

He has other stuff to think about right now

I'm sure he and Benny know exactly when it will be discussed. I'd be thinking some form of extension around Feb. Ceteris paribus

Knights was extended a few weeks after the season and it went to crap. Just early enough that it doesn't become an issue.

I think he'd be keen to stay too, which helps

 

[Roachy8]

Sign him up for another 3-5 years. There is absolutely no point in delaying it. He is the coach we selected after the most exhaustive selection process seen! He has cleared out most of the deadwood and the players play for him. A lot of clubs would kill to get someone like him to their club. I see no difference between him and a gun young player. If you had the chance to sign up a Martin for the next 5 years you would wouldn't you. So what's the difference. The guy is genuine - no spin. He is a good family man without hidden agendas. He has had success follow him. I would love to show the football world that Richmond now stands for stability and integrity.
What other choices do we have that are better? Even if Malthouse became available, I would say no because I want the next Malthouse who can be with us for a generation and a period of sustained success. That man is Dimma!
Go on Tiges, do it!

I was reading through this thread & planning to post along the lines of "no rush, wait until he is in the 3rd year and then evaluate"...
...but then I read your post Y & B and the bit bolded especially put it into perspective...

It's not as if Dimma is a seasoned career coach who has flip/flopped around before to the highest bidder... this is his first gig and he has coached what, 29 games?

It would show a very strategic and stable mindset from the club to chat to him about it during this year and then, at seasons end quietly announce that we have extended his last year to 3 years.

Your analogy to a young player like Dusty is valid too.

We all probably agree that giving Wallet 5 years up front was premature but that was vastly different to going for 3 initially, and then after 2 years if all is tracking well, extending it another 2.

Would certainly take a lot of focus off his situation next season and allow him and the club to focus purely on continuous improvement.

 

[Ramper]

IMHO not extending his contract would be grossly unfair. Hardwick has spent the first 2 years of his first contract as a senior coach - in the most difficult senior coaching job in the AFL, developing his list and cutting the deadwood.

2012 will be the final year of his 1st contract, IMHO the club should give him a new contract NOW that takes in 2012, 2013 and 2014. It will only be after that period that we will be able to tell if he has succeeded or not.

 

[fightingfury_88]

I'm thinking we should and will wait to the end of this season before discussing an extension with Hardwick. There is little point getting caught up in the feel good emotions that are running around now and signing him up for 5 years. Wait until the end of the season and make a rational decision with emotion taken out of the equation. I have no doubt at all his contract will be extended and Hardwick won't leave after building the foundations of a good team so there really is no reason to rush.

 

[happy_punter]

wait till the end of next year! assess him and have a new contract if he's a keeper before october the a 2 year! he has to live up to his plans. finals 2012!!!!!!

 

[Kick it to Jack]

Dimma is the man to take us forward, he says all the right things, I couldn't question any of his decisions so far because every decision he makes is for the future.

 

[barracoutta]

i hear that there is 8 coaches contracts coming to an end at the end of this season and usually when teams get a new coach or resign a coach they tie them up for 2 to 3 years. So there will be at least 8 teams not even interested looking for a new coach come the end of the 2012 season.

dimma said from the start there was no shortcuts to a premiership. he is still going down that same process that he stated from the start and i think to some degree we can really start to see the benefits. if dimma came out and said he wants 2 more years now then so be it! the adminstration will then have to deside if they wish to persist.

i guess the perspective i would have is there any chance of him leaving prematurely, just like players being poached what is the best way to stop this? we resign a player a year before their contracts runs its course so if at the ned of this year we at least approach dimma for at least a 2 year extension.

i just hate to see another northey incident although i think dimma would like to see the process that he started through to the end

 

[Ah Cheung]

I think we all agree he will most definately be extended. The main points are when and for how long. I think 2 years at the end of this year would be fine.

 

[YellowandBlackBlood]

All I'm saying is that sometimes life is about taking a few risks. This would be a calculated risk! Anyway, who else would you put in the job? Another rookie coach and start from scratch yet again? Or would you pay an absolute fortune and get a Mick Malthouse type who is looking forward to a retirement pay out! Mick is unlikely to be available at that stage anyhow.
Dimma has already demonstrated great courage in slashing the list and building from the ground up. The improvement in the team is palpable. Suddenly the boys understand a game plan that has a structure to it that allows us to score heavily and win! Cannot remember that since 1982! Our youth are enjoying playing under him and want to grow with him, just like a young Kevin Sheedy did with the Bombers in 1982!
All these conservative types that are saying we'll wait and see..... I'm not sure what other options they are going to give us, but I can't wait to see!!!!