I think you touched a nerve!Anyone who thinks his affair didn't impact the Tigers is in idiot.
Hawkins punched Rohan after his affair was revealed, so this idea that "boys will be boys" who don't care about others stepping out on their wives is old-fashioned nonsense. The culture is changing now. No matter what you think about the Tigers, but it is clear that many of their players are family orientated, either with wives, serious girlfriends, or close relationships with mums or sisters who may have been cheated on before. The modern player isn't fine with that old-fashioned culture--look at what happened to Buckley at the Pies. He couldn't modernise with the times and the players turned on his old-fashioned personality. It's not as bad at Richmond but it is similar.
At the end of the day, a family orientated footy player is not going to be fine with the coach sleeping with a staffer. Even if Dimma hadn't made "Mrs. Hardwick" a key part of the Richmond brand, players were always going to have an issue with the affair and the fact Dimma lied about when the affair started.
The Tigers tried to sell the idea that the affair started in the hubs. In truth, it started at least a year before the pandemic. If Dimma had taken the hit on the chin, maybe it would be a different story, but at the end of the day he refused to take responsibility for his choices by incorrectly making it look like his marriage ended because of Covid.
To make matters worse, Cotchin, who is close to Mrs. Hardwick and whose family publicly supported her, was removed as captain. I have no doubt this is because of the Cotchin family backing Mrs. Hardwick. Look, I don't care if you think Cotchin is a flog, he is a three-time premiership winning captain who was replaced by two dudes without any leadership qualities. It was a dumb decision that never would have happened without Dimma's affair.
The fact the Tigers have now shipped Dimma's sidechick off to a different company means that they at least suspect that the affair hurt their club too.
No one is saying that Dimma is a bad person. Ending a marriage is a normal part of life. It is the way he ended the marriage that has clearly annoyed people at the Tigers.
Reinstate Cotchin as captain and I reckon you see the Tigers get better instantly.