Hardwick

[French Tiger]

Well done Dimma , 2 flags , a minor premiership & 7 finals appearances under your reign to date. With hopefully more to come. A legend of this club.

 

[spook]

I was just going to comment on Hafey's winning percentage - stunning over so many games. Plus 4 flags. Always loved Hafey as a coach and thought he was under-rated. Everyone used to rave about Barrassi as a coach, which was justified. Hafey was easily his equal. Look what he did with Collingwood in 1977 - wooden spooner to grand final draw and then loss.

Hafey left because the Board would not give him their full backing. Might as well have been sacked. Hafey had won us 4 flags, and that winning percentage, wow. I will always consider that Hafey was effectively sacked. I still remember when it happened and, notwithstanding the 1980 flag, the downfall clearly started when we got rid of Hafey. I just could not believe we didn't sign him up for another 5 years, still pisses me off to this day. Worst decision the club ever made, and I do mean ever.

DS

Hafey did very well with Geelong and Sydney too, especially the Swans.

 

[spook]

I can remember Lou and Jack interviewing Tommy on WOS during one finals series, and Tommy was talking about team selection for the next game. He said something like "we'll take a look at the opposition for next week", meaning look at the match ups. Lou and Jack were amazed. They just assumed Richmond would run out with their best 22. It obviously hadn't occurred to them to choose players that will beat or negate the oppo's strengths.

Tom Hafey was a beauty.

No wonder we were dominant if we were running with 22 in the 70s!

 

[Carter]

Hardwick has grown into a master coach. People think they come ready made but nothing prepares you for coaching at the top level.

Dimma’s empathy, patience, willingness to let the players play and perhaps most importantly his ability to tell stories has been critical to our flags.

Critical.

 

[Quickdraw]

No wonder we were dominant if we were running with 22 in the 70s!

LOL!
Good point, Spook.

 

[JR8]

Hardwick has grown into a master coach. People think they come ready made but nothing prepares you for coaching at the top level.

Dimma’s empathy, patience, willingness to let the players play and perhaps most importantly his ability to tell stories has been critical to our flags.

Critical.

Well said Carts he's only getting better and better. Dimma reminds me of a fine wine. Gets better with age!!

 

[craig]

Great achievement by Beavis, considering he was nigh on signing up for centrelink after 2016 wonderful ending.

Then we almost lost Dusty.

Then *smile* happened and we went from duds to Kings.

Could never have done it with Tyrone and Griffiths still there so thanks to them both.

 

[Legends of 2017]

Well done Dimma , 2 flags , a minor premiership & 7 finals appearances under your reign to date. With hopefully more to come. A legend of this club.

Never looked at it in this way, in his 11 seasons ( Including this year) we have made the finals in 7 of those as you mentioned. Considering what he had to begin with and the disastrous start to his career, it’s bloody phenomenal what he has achieved with our club
Thanks Dimma

 

[AngryAnt]

Never looked at it in this way, in his 11 seasons ( Including this year) we have made the finals in 7 of those as you mentioned. Considering what he had to begin with and the disastrous start to his career, it’s bloody phenomenal what he has achieved with our club
Thanks Dimma

Yep. And he improved us every year with the exception of the outlier year of 2016 which turned out to be the catalyst for 2017. Hail to the great man Dimma!

 

[AstuteTiger]

I'll be honest after the debacle of the 2016 season I wasn't sure he was the man but geez Dimma will go down as one of the best coaches at Richmond.
Has been massive for the RFC as has Gale and Peggy

Hardwick to equal Hafey coaching games’ record

Hardwick to equal Hafey coaching games’ record

Damien Hardwick will draw level with Tommy Hafey for the most games as Richmond’s senior coach this Saturday.

www.richmondfc.com.au

 

[YinnarTiger]

Another point to remember when comparing current coaching records with last century's is that it's only since 2012 that you have had to beat 17 other teams to win a flag.

 

[Gazmatron]

Hafey did very well with Geelong and Sydney too, especially the Swans.

Did he not take the dreadful mob to a grand final as well?

 

[JR8]

Did he not take the dreadful mob to a grand final as well?

No

 

[AngryAnt]

No

1979

 

[YinnarTiger]

1979

and 1977 (x2), 1980-81. Or was "dreadful mob" a reference to Geelong or Sydney?

 

[JR8]

and 1977 (x2), 1980-81. Or was "dreadful mob" a reference to Geelong or Sydney?

Pretty sure was referring to Geelong. We all know Tommy took the other more dreadful mob to 4 losing GF's.

Tommy never took Geesook or the Swans for that matter to a GF.

 

[AngryAnt]

Pretty sure was referring to Geelong. We all know Tommy took the other more dreadful mob to 4 losing GF's.

Tommy never took Geesook or the Swans for that matter to a GF.

Fair enough, so many dreadful mobs out there.

 

[RoarEmotion]

I was just going to comment on Hafey's winning percentage - stunning over so many games. Plus 4 flags. Always loved Hafey as a coach and thought he was under-rated. Everyone used to rave about Barrassi as a coach, which was justified. Hafey was easily his equal. Look what he did with Collingwood in 1977 - wooden spooner to grand final draw and then loss.

Hafey left because the Board would not give him their full backing. Might as well have been sacked. Hafey had won us 4 flags, and that winning percentage, wow. I will always consider that Hafey was effectively sacked. I still remember when it happened and, notwithstanding the 1980 flag, the downfall clearly started when we got rid of Hafey. I just could not believe we didn't sign him up for another 5 years, still pisses me off to this day. Worst decision the club ever made, and I do mean ever.

DS

I recently listened to Rhett‘s podcast interview with him. It’s an absolute pearler and Tom was just full of life lessons - public speaking, self development, emotional resilience, physical health and diet. No wonder the got the most out of every playing group he worked with. He was doing the stuff they write about in leadership books thirty years before they were written. truly inspiring.

Do yourself a favour and listen to it.

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/tom-hafey/id1151412321?i=1000487225448

 

[seven]

Pretty sure was referring to Geelong. We all know Tommy took the other more dreadful mob to 4 losing GF's.

Could never find the words to thank him for that.
To give those scum bags hope and only to see it taken away on the big day and to see their little hearts crushed and their souls destroyed as the tears streamed down their little checks.

What pleasure that gave me.

 

[lamb22]

Tommy got stiffed by the VFL/AFL at the Swans. They were near on unbeatable at the SCG but in those days all finals were played in Melbourne. Had Tommy had home finals Swans would have at least made GFs.