Hawthorn great Luke Hodge says the Richmond Football Club shouldn’t rush into appointing interim coach Andrew McQualter as their next full-time senior coach.
Despite winning three on the trot under McQualter’s guidance, Hodge believes the Tigers’ mindset has shifted dramatically since Damien Hardwick resigned late last month.
Richmond’s latest victory came in the form of a 20-point triumph over St Kilda in the pouring rain on Saturday in what was a vintage Tigers performance.
Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin wound back the clock with best on ground performances, looking like the players that starred during their premiership era.
It was performances that Richmond fans hadn’t seen from that duo under the Hardwick-coached Tigers in 2023, with both Cotchin and Martin used primarily as forwards this year.
Hodge says that by moving that duo back into the midfield fold highlights a clear mindset change under McQualter, one that shows he’s coaching for the now compared to Hardwick who was coaching for the future.
“He’s been doing a pretty good job, but I think you look back and you look at the mindset of what Hardwick was trying to do compared to what Andrew McQualter is trying to do,” Hodge told SEN's Sportsday.
“Hardwick brought in Jacob Hopper and Tim Tarranto into the team to try and rejuvenate, he put Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin forward to try and continue the success that they had.
“As soon as McQualter came in, Cotchin has been playing 90 per cent midfield and he was good, he looked really good on the weekend with a freshen up going in the midfield, he’s clearly a better player than a lot of the other guys in and around the Richmond midfield.
“But, it’s the mindset that’s different people when they start going ‘well he’s getting response from the players, lets sign him or he’s now favourite to get the job done for next year’.
“I think you need to take a breath as he’s coaching now to try and get a bit of spirit back in and around Richmond and that’s by putting the older guys in and around the role.
“Where Hardwick was more about the future of the football club so I think we need to take a bit of a breath and just sort of say ‘let’s take it easy about appointing him as the coach for next year’.”
The Tigers will look to keep their winning record intact following the bye against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in Round 16.
More in AFL
“This time next year…”: Cornes’ bold pick for his next AFL head coach in waiting
“I think he is the most ready head coach in waiting.”
What Malcolm Blight thinks Carlton should do with Michael Voss
The Blues are struggling in the coach's fourth season.