Jack Riewoldt was frightened his future, not Damien Hardwick’s, was going to be mentioned when the Richmond coach texted him.
One of the highlights of Hardwick’s emotional media convention on Tuesday morning was his joking dig at Riewoldt.
“This isn’t about you, for once in your life … he’ll be deeply embarrassed about that but it just sums up Jack to be fair,” Hardwick mentioned with a broad grin.
The context was Hardwick contacting him after Riewoldt had struggled in Saturday night time’s Dreamtime At The ‘G match, which Richmond misplaced to Essendon by one level and proved to be the coach’s final AFL match with the Tigers.
“I’ve been thrown under the bus there,” Riewoldt, 34, mentioned on AFL360.
“Getting to the end of your career and obviously I had one rough game on the weekend and I’m getting a bit older.
“I get a textual content from him, he goes ‘hey mate, are you free to catch up at present’ and I’ve simply gone ‘oh no, I’m getting wound up right here.’
“He called me and I said to him ‘maybe I was half-expecting this a little bit’ and then he goes ‘it’s not about you, mate, it’s about me’.”
Hardwick and Riewoldt at all times loved a particular bond and the important thing ahead was clearly a favorite of the coach.
Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Dylan Grimes are the one 4 surviving gamers at Richmond from when Hardwick took over as coach in 2010.
Hardwick’s 289 video games teaching Riewoldt is second on the all-time AFL checklist, solely behind the 307 for iconic Collingwood coach Jock McHale and Gordon Coventry.
“Obviously a big day at Tigerland,” Riewoldt mentioned.
“This man has changed the lives of not only the people inside the footy club, but changed the lives of the Richmond faithful, who have been starved of success.”
Hardwick had tears in his eyes at his resignation media convention and people tears apparently flowed earlier on Tuesday morning when he confirmed the choice to the Richmond gamers.
“It’s very emotional because there’s that sadness of the person who has been tasked with the job of inspiring you, leading you, driving you to the ultimate success … is not going to be at that football club when we walk in the door tomorrow,” Riewoldt mentioned.
“There’s probably a pit in your stomach.”
Riewoldt, a three-time Richmond premiership participant beneath Hardwick, mentioned the coach had at all times caught by him.
“At some of my lowest points, when I’ve been performing really poorly, he’s welcomed me into his house on a Tuesday/Wednesday night and said ‘right, let’s have three beers each and let’s just figure this out. What’s going on?'” he mentioned.
A key second got here within the 2017 pre-season when Hardwick oversaw the “hero highlight hardship” program that might come to outline the workforce.
“We developed this intangible bond that gave us strength on the field. You couldn’t quantify it,” Riewoldt mentioned
“It’s lasted for a long time … we found what our secret key was to unlocking success.”
Riewoldt expects Hardwick will coach once more.
“It would be a loss to the game if he didn’t coach again … I would be really disappointed if one of the great coaches of modern footy is not coaching,” he mentioned.
“He still has plenty in the tank.”
MOST VFL/AFL GAMES AS COACH AND PLAYER
307 – Jock McHale and Gordon Coventry (Collingwood)
289 – Damien Hardwick and Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
282 – Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison (Essendon)
278 – Hardwick and Dustin Martin
278 – Alastair Clarkson and Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
