I THINK the point some are trying to make (not downplaying the importance of good assistants as they are) is never in the history of the game has such focus gone on 'under-performing' assistants. The buck always has and always will stops with the coach.
I could be wrong, but when McCartney was sent packing from the Bulldogs, there was not talk of widespread assistant changes or blokes under-performing. John Barker, who was an assistant under Malthouse and took over before Bolton's appointment is still at the Blues and no one talks down his input. an exodus of assistants wasn't apparent when Scott Watters bit the bullet at St Kilda. Don Pyke is operating with many of the same assistants at Adelaide that were there when Walsh and Sanderson were there.
So why does Hardwick seemingly get absolved from all blame and assistants must bear the wrath for a pear-shaped season? It's pure hypocriosy.
Taking it to another level, we had Watson - Hardwick's mate - o SEN the other day criticising the Bulldogs for extending Beveridge's contract, yet openly petitioned for a guy with zero finals wins to get a contract extension at the end of 2015 and continues to say he should be allowed to coach until the end of 2019.
Hardwick has a lot of Essendon mates in the media who keep pumping his tyres. Finally one, Lloydy said on Monday night 'enough is enough' he's got to go.
But no, it's the assistants who have to go.
I can understand both sides of the argument. Even though I don't mind if Hardwick stays, I'd rather the club look at someone else to be honest because 7 years is a long time to have not won a final.
What people don't realise is that we seem to have stagnated at every level. Richmond finished 15th in 2009 and 2010, 12th in 2011 and 2012 and 7th, 8th and 7th in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Now, I know that Hardwick wasn't in charge in 2009, but if Bolton can get Carlton from the bottom to where they are now, then surely Hardwick could have at least got them above 15th in one season?
Anyways, the first season that alarm bells should have been ringing is 2012. It was the year that our list was, in my opinion, at its best and many players were having great seasons. Carlton in Round 1 was our highest losing margin of 44 and the rest were 22 (Fremantle) or lower. Signs of not being a strong matchday coach and some of our players being mentally weak showed as early as then.
We have already spent 7 years with him as head coach and the club has re-signed him until the end of 2018, so I guess that seeing how he'll perform next year with different assistants isn't too bad. Like I mentioned before, the coaches other than the head coach do partake in discussions and decision-making. It is probably Hardwick's last straw though.