AFL fairytales abound, but not all come true

Some of the biggest AFL news stories covered over the past 12 months have us believing in fairytales, and have pulled at the heartstrings like a good Mills & Boon novel.

James Hird being appointed coach of Essendon was a top selling romance novel. Bomber Thompson reuniting with Baby Bomber premiership teammate added another subplot.

Chris Scott winning a premiership in his first year as coach with Geelong was a fair dinkum modern-day fairytale. Mick Malthouse farewelling Collingwood was a real tear-jerker.

Mark Neeld and Brendan McCartney were both eternal bridesmaids who finally became happy brides. The list goes on and on.

This week though I got the feeling that Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson is not a hopeless romantic. He is however a very smart man.

He subtly turned the spotlight from his Hawks being overwhelming premiership favourites and poked the Tigers right in the eye, insisting that Richmond would be crazy not to re-sign their coach Damien Hardwick immediately.

Were Clarko’s comments simply to look out for his close mate Dimma, or a heads-up for the Tigers to get their house in order and curb the inevitable destabilising innuendo?

Well, the innuendo has started with a blaze, and this season’s best-selling romance centres around the possible consummation of the off-again on-again relationship between Mick Malthouse and the Richmond Football Club.

What a short retirement that was, Mick! This romance could not have been scripted any better. Malthouse out of retirement and reigniting his coaching career where it all started so many years ago, Punt Road. (Insert laughter.)

I have been a loyal and passionate Richmond Football Club member for over 30 years. Take it from me, I am well versed in the Sheedy romance and tear-jerker stakes.

For the first time in a long time Richmond are a truly united club with clear direction and ambitious future plans. We have broken all kinds of membership records over the past two years. We are well on track to eliminate our debts. The young tiger cubs are developing nicely under Hardwick. These are happy days at Tigerland.

The administration has delivered a consistent message over the past two years. They will not deviate from their plans and there will be no shortcuts to deliver their 11th premiership.

Yes, historically, Richmond has jumped the gun, appointing and sacking coaches at will. However this is not the administration of the Richmond Football Club today. The RFC of today is united and on a journey to achieve success.

Hardwick and CEO Brendon Gale together have been the drivers of these ambitious goals. As Gale said yesterday, there is a process is in place to discuss Hardwick’s contract extension. That process will not be played out in the media.

It is a given that Malthouse’s name will come up this year as he is the face of Channel Seven’s AFL coverage. I have no doubt he will be linked with every struggling club’s job. Let the fairytale dreamers dream.

Dimma, you are the right fit to take our club forward. You are our knight in shining armour, and we all know that’s the guy who gets the girl. For a wedding present, that 11th premiership cup would look nice with the new dining setting.