Opinion The Apprenticeship is over. Your Job starts now Dimma

[nut]

Its Dimmas 4th off season trade/period and now we are well into the 4th pre-season. Dimma has has the luxury of 3 seasons to find his feet without the normal pressure applied to a coach.
The club and supporters have been patient and its a credit to the Richmond football club protecting the Football department from internal and external pressures that has dogged this club for 32 years.
They have been able to do this by communicatiing with the supporters and the media when anything that may have a negative impact on the "direction" the club is taking, y quickly explaining the clubs position. Some may call it "spin" but Hardwick has pretty much survived his first 3 seasons without so much of a scratch.

The practice laps are now over.... the training wheels are off... its time to show the football world that he can mix it with the best coaches in the AFL. His time is now.

There is no more time for "develpment" ..... "putting games into youngsters"...."structures" ...... "maintaining the course".... etc etc That "process" should now well and truly put in place. Do I sound impatient??? I'm not... like everyone I have giebn Dimma the time and space to learn his craft and set this club up for finals football.

We have been fed the fluffy stories...... now its time Dimma ..... RESULTS are now what you will be judged on.... and you will be judges harder than most before you because of the expectations that the club held back since you begain.

The cracks that you have shown in the past that were quickly covered up by the "development" slogan will appear greater than any other coach..... the pressure you have been denied in the past will come down heavily this season.

I am 100% confident that you have learnt the trade and have all the tools to steer us into finals. There will be ups and downs along the way.... Its the downs you will judged heabily on.

Good luck with your new Job Dimma .... Go tigers.

 

[Jimmybob]

It's time.

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

If we don't win a final we should be looking at someone with experience like Grant Thomas.

 

[pan_]

No doubt 2013 will be a big year not only for Dimma, but for the club as a whole. Expectations are on us for the first time in years and I must confess it's equal parts exciting and frightening.

However, one of the reasons Dimma has survived his first three seasons with barely a scratch isn't just because of the lack of expectation but also because he has been nothing but totally realistic and forthright with the club, the media and the supporters. I can't recall him making any particularly bold claims at any time during his tenure - the kind of claims that rock a boat when backfired.

It was late last season when I realised that everything Dimma has said has actually come to fruition. He said we'd be hopeless and mostly playing kids out of position for the first year. Check. Second year he said we will persist with youth but double the wins and bridge the gap to the eight. Check. Third year was about matching it with the best and claiming at least one big scalp. We beat both grand finalists comfortably and matched it with every team. This off-season was about improving the depth we sorely lacked and it was done efficiently and without fuss.

Slowly but surely the puzzle has come together. We switch off whenever a coach makes any claim that we barely notice when they're on the money. You're right though - the training wheels have been packed away and it's time for our club to show what it's worth. Unfortunately, with twelve teams vying for eight spots I hope my sanity can last the year, let alone the club!

 

[Madison]

If we don't win a final we should be looking at someone with experience like Grant Thomas.

Don't forget Dennis Pagan

 

[Groupie_]

Let's get Gary Ayres and have all our players grow mullets.

 

[pan_]

Hafey

 

[wart101]

I hate theae expectation threads

 

[Equus]

So who's the master?

 

[tunksy]

seriously, you don't think he's had to deal with the pressure like any other coach? get real.

He's done a better job than any other coach we've had for the last 30 years! Completely confident in the coach and the current assistants and admin, I think its up to the players now. On paper we look very promising and talented and have scope for heaps of improvement. I'm very confident on the year ahead.

 

[Groupie_]

seriously, you don't think he's had to deal with the pressure like any other coach? get real.

He's done a better job than any other coach we've had for the last 30 years! Completely confident in the coach and the current assistants and admin, I think its up to the players now. On paper we look very promising and talented and have scope for heaps of improvement. I'm very confident on the year ahead.

Better than Northey?

 

[THE_GUN]

Your coming out 1 year too early !!

We still have 4-5 players to clean out of our list, The rebuild is not complete until the likes of Jackson,White,McGuane are still on our list and possibly even king.

We still have an extremely young 'Core' list with our main players in their early 20's and you will get eratic performances doesnt matter how good your coaches are and what they do.

All thats expected from hardwick is hopefully make finals but its not the end of the world, he took over a bunch of rabble that wasn't suited to playing hard accountable & contested football.

If somehow i had a genie and he could grant me some player swaps it would be Jackson,White,mcGuane for
Dom Tyson,Jesse lonergan, and another then i would say the rebuild is complete and we are LOCKED & LOADED

 

[Tigersman]

I agree the expectations should be higher this year but dont forget we were actually a long way from the eight last season. Yeah we were close in many games but win/loss is all that counts in the end. Steady improvement should see us into 6-8. If the wrong players go down 8-12 again. Higher than 6 would require a huge leap in several areas. Sacking Hardwick would be ridiculous unless the wheels absolutely fall off Terry Wallace style.

 

[Strawbs]

I agree the expectations should be higher this year but dont forget we were actually a long way from the eight last season. Yeah we were close in many games but win/loss is all that counts in the end. Steady improvement should see us into 6-8. If the wrong players go down 8-12 again. Higher than 6 would require a huge leap in several areas. Sacking Hardwick would be ridiculous unless the wheels absolutely fall off Terry Wallace style.

Agree Tigersman. Can't see too many dropping out of the 8. Think we are good enough to sneak in but won't be the least bit surprised if we don't. Still some very inexperienced players. Would be ridiculous to be looking to replace Hardwick if we didn't make finals this year.

 

[DerpWerls]

Agree Tigersman. Can't see too many dropping out of the 8. Think we are good enough to sneak in but won't be the least bit surprised if we don't. Still some very inexperienced players. Would be ridiculous to be looking to replace Hardwick if we didn't make finals this year.

It's hard to see teams dropping out of the 8 every year, but they always do.

 

[MightyTiger]

If we sacked Dimma 17 other clubs would quickly look at picking him up as coach, quite a few even as head coach.

 

[nut]

seriously, you don't think he's had to deal with the pressure like any other coach? get real.

.

No I dont..... because as a football club we have finally been united. No constent leaks to the press, no back stabbing, no rumours of player discontent etc etc..... But I can assure you the knives are being sharpened as we speak and the pressure will be 10 fold this season. The exteneded honeymoon period that Dimma has been granted is well and truly over. A poor start will se the media all over Dimma. Thats just reality...... If he wants to be a career coach he will need to be able to deal with it, hundreds before him have failed.

 

[nut]

Your coming out 1 year too early !!

We still have 4-5 players to clean out of our list, The rebuild is not complete until the likes of Jackson,White,McGuane are still on our list and possibly even king.

We still have an extremely young 'Core' list with our main players in their early 20's and you will get eratic performances doesnt matter how good your coaches are and what they do.

All thats expected from hardwick is hopefully make finals but its not the end of the world, he took over a bunch of rabble that wasn't suited to playing hard accountable & contested football.

If somehow i had a genie and he could grant me some player swaps it would be Jackson,White,mcGuane for
Dom Tyson,Jesse lonergan, and another then i would say the rebuild is complete and we are LOCKED & LOADED

How many A graders did the swans have?? LRT was held in the same regard as Mcguane a few years ago now he is a premiership player unlucky not to win a Norm smith.

There comes a point in time when you have to start using what you have at your desposal rather than wishing for your dream side. Was Leigh Brown a superstar when he moved the the pies as a delisted player?

My point is 4 off seasons is plenty of time to get a side up and about. Or do we just dream about turning over the list for another 32 years? Its time......

 

[LeatherPoison]

No I dont..... because as a football club we have finally been united. No constent leaks to the press, no back stabbing, no rumours of player discontent etc etc..... But I can assure you the knives are being sharpened as we speak and the pressure will be 10 fold this season. The exteneded honeymoon period that Dimma has been granted is well and truly over. A poor start will se the media all over Dimma. Thats just reality...... If he wants to be a career coach he will need to be able to deal with it, hundreds before him have failed.

that is absolute rubbish !! no one should have to deal with your own organisation back stabbing you

 

[nut]

that is absolute rubbish !! no one should have to deal with your own organisation back stabbing you

????? where have you been for the last 32 years???? history shows this happens at our club..... I'm just making the point that those same knive will be out and about if we have a poor season....

 

[Mr Magic]

How many A graders did the swans have?? LRT was held in the same regard as Mcguane a few years ago now he is a premiership player unlucky not to win a Norm smith.

There comes a point in time when you have to start using what you have at your desposal rather than wishing for your dream side. Was Leigh Brown a superstar when he moved the the pies as a delisted player?

My point is 4 off seasons is plenty of time to get a side up and about. Or do we just dream about turning over the list for another 32 years? Its time......

???? By who, LRT is twice the player McGuane is and still just handy. At least LRT can make a contribution, McGuane never has.

Bottom line is we are a bit better but we still need further development and our forward line needs considerable development. St Kilda will slip but Geelong will have an easier draw, I still think it likely we will not make the 8 in 2013 but that is not a bad thing given where our list is at. We have to turn over another 10 players before we start to really improve

 

[nut]

???? By who, LRT is twice the player McGuane is and still just handy. At least LRT can make a contribution, McGuane never has.

Bottom line is we are a bit better but we still need further development and our forward line needs considerable development. St Kilda will slip but Geelong will have an easier draw, I still think it likely we will not make the 8 in 2013 but that is not a bad thing given where our list is at. We have to turn over another 10 players before we start to really improve

Can you name the ten?

 

[Mr Magic]

Can you name the ten?

Yeah, and add a few more but they deserve the right to improve. I won't because it serves no purpose and things can change, I want richmond to be positive and get better as a team.

Obviously McGuane could be considered a candidate atm

 

[CoggaRules]

If we don't win a final we should be looking at someone with experience like Grant Thomas.

His CV reads: Deemed Aaron Fiora a required player. Do we need to go any further?

 

[nut]

Yeah, and add a few more but they deserve the right to improve. I won't because it serves no purpose and things can change, I want richmond to be positive and get better as a team.

Obviously McGuane could be considered a candidate atm

Or you can support the players we have now and give every player on the list a clean slate.