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Damien Hardwick
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
I'm not overly fussed either way, but two points of thought regarding Dimma's outburst at the Willie player.
1. AFL coaches and recruiters are effectively the 'gatekeepers' to an AFL career. I don't know the player in question but let's imagine it's Kane Lambert playing VFL after he's been overlooked in 4 or 5 drafts. That kind of abuse from a prominent AFL coach could feel to that player like the end of any chance they had, or at least very damaging. It could have a serious impact on his psyche and obviously a VFL club does not have the same support mechanisms in place that an AFL club would have. Abuse from a gatekeeper is not the same as abuse from the rest of us.
2. There's an adage in comedy - don't punch down. A 3 time AFL premiership coach abusing a VFL player is punching down. It really should be beneath him.
I'm not criticising Dimma for standing up for one of his players, but these are just some thoughts I had and I'm sure there are better ways to show support.
1. AFL coaches and recruiters are effectively the 'gatekeepers' to an AFL career. I don't know the player in question but let's imagine it's Kane Lambert playing VFL after he's been overlooked in 4 or 5 drafts. That kind of abuse from a prominent AFL coach could feel to that player like the end of any chance they had, or at least very damaging. It could have a serious impact on his psyche and obviously a VFL club does not have the same support mechanisms in place that an AFL club would have. Abuse from a gatekeeper is not the same as abuse from the rest of us.
2. There's an adage in comedy - don't punch down. A 3 time AFL premiership coach abusing a VFL player is punching down. It really should be beneath him.
I'm not criticising Dimma for standing up for one of his players, but these are just some thoughts I had and I'm sure there are better ways to show support.
great post Brummie. Its not just an RFC story, its someone not showing leadership when they are in that position.
This action is beneath Dimma and beneath our club.
BT, do you understand why Dimma hurled abuse at that player? He committed one of the most gutless and cowardly acts in society and on the football field, he hit a player from behind who had no opportunity to defend himself. Not just a player that was hit, but someone he his mentoring.
Are you seriously showing sympathy towards this complete dog "it could have a serious impact on his psyche" , "That kind of abuse from a prominent AFL coach could feel to that player like the end of any chance they had". He %$#@ing hit a play from behind, something that you failed to mention.
Punching down?? When you commit a dog's act, you lose your rights. Pretty poor analogy btw, he's a senior footballer, not a 12yo.
"It really should be beneath him". Not showing any emotion or reacting to that dog's act would be beneath him. It was an instantaneous outburst and hopefully it achieved 2 purposes: 1) Showed our players that he'll always have their back, 2) After a public dressing down by a "prominent AFL coach", hopefully the dog learns from it and doesn't do it again.
If that happened to my son, or someone I had a "father figure" relationship with, I would image I'd react the same way. How would you react?
Here's an adage for you..."Bad things happen when good people do nothing".
Nonsense. He completely showed leadership, called out a dog's act. Showed our players that he has their back, and in no uncertain terms he told the dog that his action is completely unacceptable on the footy field, and in society. I hope the dog learns from such a public dressing down, and he doesn't do it again.
Beneath Dimma and our club....pffftt. Bob if this happened to someone close to you, like a son, how would you react? Fume internally and make a mental note to pen a letter of complaint to the VFL later that night?
He called him a weak *smile* dog, or words to that effect on the spur of the moment. You make it sound as though he jumped the fence and slit his throat with a bowie knife.
Awesome 7.
But he needs to also be holding a Menulog ordering list/banner.
You gotta look after the sponsors!
Would have done better to leave it to the VFL players and coaching staff to call this out if it warranted calling out.
The senior AFL coach dropping in and making a scene does nothing but make him look like a goose and undermines the authority of the players and coaches who are actually responsible for the VFL team.
Surprised that anyone thinks this is a good look for a senior coach who has enough problems with the AFL side going on right now.
I think someone being hit from behind warrants being called out.
Who's saying it's a good look? The whole incident was ugly, but this BS that it was beneath Dimma and the RFC is complete nonsense. The dog committed a dog's act to someone close to Dimma, and he gave him a deserved spray. End of.
Was this an act of retaliation after being pushed into the fence? I haven't seen the incident.
It’s one of those things, if we’re on top winning games it’d be great by Dimma, shows how hard and tough he is, supports his players.
but we‘re not on top and winning so it shows he’s under duress, can’t control his emotions.
#narratives
but we‘re not on top and winning so it shows he’s under duress, can’t control his emotions.
#narratives
Bizarre take...it's somehow inappropriate for Dimma to react angrily to an AFL listed player under his care and development being king hit on the field? Why does it matter whether or not that player was currently in the seconds? He's still an AFL player and Dimma is still his coach.
Nico, I wasn't there and didn't see it. If you saw the incident I defer to your judgement.
From my understanding it was a retaliation from being pushed into the fence, Not saying it was deserved but these retaliatory acts are something we see every week at AFL level. Again, if you saw it and think it was at a level that was more dangerous than being pushed into a fence, I defer to your judgement.
My point was not to defend the Williamstown player, but the broader point of AFL coaches and their responsibility to the game in general. Rhyan Mansell didn't make it on to an AFL list by playing like an angel, and we'd likely lose a lot of good AFL players if those at lower levels suddenly felt they had to compromise the way they play so as not to upset coaches at AFL level (and hence blocking their career advancement). It would be an intolerable situation if AFL coaches began abusing VFL players on a regular basis.
As for Dimma's 'instantaneous outburst', I again defer to your account if you witnessed it, but every report I have seen suggests the abuse came some minutes later. Basically, Dimma held fire until the player could hear him properly. That's not emotion, that's planned. Maybe I'm wrong. Witnesses can verify.
Finally, I don't think you understand the term 'punching down'. At least not to.its full extent. You don't gain or lose the right to NOT be punched down upon because its not about the target, its about the person with the power (in this case, the AFL coach).
Channel 7 reporting that AFL have concluded that Hardwick has no case to answer regarding his outburst during last weekends VFL match.
However they are now reporting that a new inquiry has been initiated to determine whether Hardwick faces a charge of negligence and bringing the game into disrepute by playing Castagna and Aarts in front of Cumberland
However they are now reporting that a new inquiry has been initiated to determine whether Hardwick faces a charge of negligence and bringing the game into disrepute by playing Castagna and Aarts in front of Cumberland
Reports have emerged that funny smelling smoke has started escaping from behind the closed doors of the selection room on a Wednesday night, followed by much laughter and then finally Uber Eats pizza and burgers arriving. Meetings take 3hrs now and by the end Aarts and Castagna playing seems like a great idea
