Justin Leppitsch says that a major factor in Richmond’s surprising 2017 resurgence is senior coach Damien Hardwick’s willingness to change his coaching methods.
Leppitsch, who re-joined the Tigers as an assistant coach late last year after an unsuccessful three year stint as Brisbane’s senior coach, says that Hardwick’s coaching technique has changed dramatically this season.
He believes that his newfound openness to allow the players to take more control of their own game has allowed them to keep the fun of playing the game they love at the highest level and avoid any additional stress from being over-coached.
“Damien was one that was very ABC. I’m not saying he’s military in his approach, but he’s very much like an American football coach in a lot of ways, the way he goes about it,” the Tigers assistant coach told SEN Breakfast.
“Something he has done [this year] is be able to give the players back some of their head in what they do and really trusted in them and in our leaders. I think he is getting some really good results.
“It’s funny, because at times you feel like you’re not doing enough because you’re not taking enough control or enough of the reins as he’s handing a lot over, but he’s done a good job just to do that and trust in our boys that they can get the job done.
“The freedom in how the boys play, particularly offensively and with the ball, the players tend to like nowadays and that’s the one thing they tend to enjoy and thrive off. Just make the game fun.
“I think that’s the main thing to take the stress away from the game, because it is stressful enough as it is. I think the young guys today get it from every angle, they don’t need it also from their senior coach.”
Leppitsch believes a big reason for the improvement of the currently top four-sitting Tigers can be attributed towards the step up a host of players have made this season outside of their four big name stars Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt.
“It was always going to be for me about how quickly we could develop and bring on the likes of [Jason] Castagna and [Dan] Butler, Kamdyn McIntosh, Brandon Ellis and players like that to take the next level,” he said.
“Improvement always comes from those types of players. They’re probably the unheralded ones but they are the ones that are probably doing their job every week and looking after the team.
“There is a really good team first balance at the footy club at the moment.”
The forwards coach also says that while a second tall forward to partner Jack Riewoldt would be handy, he is adamant the club will go as far as they possibly can this year with their current structure inside attacking 50.
“I think we can go as far as we like this year, I don’t think it’s dependent on just one key forward,” said Leppitsch.
“You can only play what’s on your list…We’ve been making do with what we’ve got and it’s been going pretty well. We’ve turned it into a strength of our team.
“You’d like to kick it into a big beacon and take a nice contested mark, we’re certainly not getting that.
“We’re more reliant on the ball hitting the deck and then those guys getting the work, but it would be nice to take the odd contested mark down there a bit more often.”
Richmond next take on the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.