Damien Hardwick

[Tony Braxton-Hicks]

Greg Miller/Dean Soloman vibes.

The trip was arranged by fax too.

 

[wayne]

Have to admit that speech he made last season in the B&F about the 'take the stairs' sounded a bit empty after a few listenings/thoughts. That cheap camp this pre-season without him there proved he was done.

Forgot about pre-season, he had definitely already checked out and it rubbed off on the players

 

[craig]

Dimma wants to 'feel' the cash.

View attachment 20106

The Quaaaan

 

[Smoking Aces]

Good luck to Dimma. He has delivered us 3 premierships.

But in hindsight he should have pulled the pin at the end of last year.

 

[King Kong]

Cornhole trying his hardest to cause faction. Love the responses to him....

https://twitter.com/x/status/1686658203038461952

He is not a Richmond fan though so FRO!

 

[Leysy Days]

Good luck to Dimma. He has delivered us 3 premierships.

But in hindsight he should have pulled the pin at the end of last year.

Yeah bit of a sliding doors moment (time will prove which way) as little doubt Kingsley would have got the job.

 

[DavidSSS]

His message seemed to have lost impact at Richmond. Hardly surprising given he had been coach for nearly 14 years. He may well have been tired of the place too.

Stands to reason after such a long time in such a high pressure job you would want a break.

In any case, leaving part way through the year has left our club the time to do a thorough job if finding a replacement. Although it would likely have been better if he left before 2023, hindsight gives us that perspective. At the start of the year, after our midfield woes last year and the fact we still had (have) a solid defence and we were a high scoring team in 2022, means that getting in 2 quality mids was a decent prospect to go far this season. It hasn't worked out that way and Dimma clearly saw that so left when it was clear.

So now he possibly goes to coach Gold Coast. They have a good list (can we swap DImma for Touk Miller . . . pretty please?) but I don't think they are in a position to be contenders at the moment. Dimma can definitely get them into finals, taking them further, who knows. Good luck to him, he did his job at Richmond and the years he put in to get us into a position where we could win a flag, and then winning 3, well, gratitude is all I feel.

DS

 

[Baloo]

Nor does a CEO flying to Italy to finalise a deal. If the deal was done, why fly to Italy?

Exactly. This doesn't have the markings of deal done a while back. It's more a sign that Suns want him before any other team make a play for him.

 

[Sintiger]

Do you think it might be a case where Dimma's unsure and needed more convincing, so fly there to discuss face to face?

Who knows but this doesn’t feel like a deal done ages ago to me.
That being said Dimma is in Cinque Terre which is a very nice part of Italy. Manarola and Vernazza particularly are gorgeous places. Maybe Evans just fancied a meal by the Italian seaside with a nice Borolo.

 

[Eddie from Elwood]

Do you think it might be a case where Dimma's unsure and needed more convincing, so fly there to discuss face to face?

This seems like a retirement gig. Milk a few Million out of the AFL project and ride off into the sunset.
GCS gig is a hiding to nothing, Dimma orno Dimma, that joint will never be a success.

 

[MB78]

I wish Dimma all the best. Will be forever thankful for what he did for our great club.

Also the Balme/Gale era has taught me, that if people want to leave although it may be disappointing they do with our full blessing. We have created a culture were players and coaches want to be at our club. Long may this continue.

 

[Stig]

Interesting character D.Hardwick
Yep we got 3 Premierships with gun team and a player of the century in Dusty
Was a major influence in getting Taranto and Hopper to Punt Rd for 2023
Spent a lot of pre season OS on “ study tour “
After 5 rounds was talking to Port in regards to where he coached in 2024 ( even though he had contract with us )
4 weeks later he is burnt out and walks out the door ( tapped on the shoulder more like it )
Interesting to say the least

 

[zippadeee]

Wish him all the best. Took as to 3 flags and the last 3 yrs we have declined. Time for change pity the recruiting team didn't follow him out.
Top class superannuation payout 5 yrs at Gc

 

[Dont Argue]

FWIW, was told by a well connected footy figure that it was known inside AFL circles early this year that Dimma was highly unlikely to be at RFC in 2024 and that GC was the likely destination

If that was the case, and everyone knew, why didn’t they set Adam Kingsley up as our succession plan?
Couldn’t he wait another year?
I’m calling BS on this.

I also spoke with a board member the night it was announced that he was leaving and he told me the club was completely “blind sided”

 

[TigerFurious]

GCS CEO flying to Italy to woo Hardwick. That doesn’t sounds like a done deal to me.

 

[shad]

I reckon he was burnt out at Richmond more than burnt out from coaching.

I know I was burnt out by all those close losses. It was becomming unbearable to watch.

 

[seven]

Is he still contracted with us to end of 2024 ?

 

[Stig]

If that was the case, and everyone knew, why didn’t they set Adam Kingsley up as our succession plan?
Couldn’t he wait another year?
I’m calling BS on this.

I also spoke with a board member the night it was announced that he was leaving and he told me the club was completely “blind sided”

They tell you what they want to tell you
Utter BS
Everyone knows included RFC that Hardwick had his “ feelers “ out at Round 5
RFC knew he wanted out and wasn’t going to coach in 2024
Port Adelaide knew this thus had meeting during Round 5 ( Gather Round )
4 weeks later after a “ tap on the shoulder “ he resigns
The current situation with GC is very interesting
Why ? As they were into Ken Hinkley at start of year
Mark Evans now in Italy ( it makes good theatre hey ) trying to wooo Dimma
Guess what ? They are close friends who speak regularly. Could have just rang him seriously
As for Dimma being burnt out
Utter BS
2 weeks later he wants to coach again , really ?
Interesting when he left Punt Rd after the media conference he came back at 7am on the Thursday ( footy department day off ) to pick up his belongings. No send off for Dimma either for a reason
Major fall out with club
Only turned up for Cotchin 300 to save face

 

[Stig]

Might further add
Hindsight is a great thing
Dimma should of walked at the end of 2022
Why ?
Adam Kingsley would of been coach of the RFC in 2023

 

[waiting]

Meh.
Dimma's a legendary " former " Richmond coach. Always be mighty pleased, grateful and respectful of the job he did while at Tigerland. But he's no longer our coach so he can do whatever the hell he likes ( hopefully that doesn't include coaching any wins against us ).
Almost all of the legendary coaches throughout the history of the game have coached at more than one club, why should it be any different for Dimma.

Think it is always different when it’s one of yours.