The Dimma Effect: The Hardwick spray that inspired the Suns to seize their moment

19 hours ago 4

To get an appreciation of The Dimma Effect at Gold Coast, wind the clock back a few minutes from David Swallow’s historic golden point.

Streaming through the middle of Optus Stadium with scores tied, the foundation Sun had missed Bailey Humphrey with a 25-metre pass, which, if made, would likely have set up a scoring shot to break the deadlock. From the resultant turnover at half-back, Fremantle rushed the ball to the other end for Luke Jackson to mark and goal.

Damien Hardwick addresses his players in Gold Coast’s historica finals victory over Fremantle.

Historically, such a moment has crushed many a player and team wearing the red, gold and blue at a club that has seen more than its share of false dawns.

But, under Damien Hardwick, these Suns are not living in the shadows of the past. Swallow could have wallowed in self-pity and accepted his lot. Instead, on the biggest stage the club has seen, their longest-serving player – who has lived through all the coach sackings, the wooden spoon seasons and all but two of their nine triple-figure losses – lived and breathed the Hardwick way.

In pre-season, it was about “grit and connection”. More recently, the teaching has been to “stay where your feet are”.

Like the batter in cricket who wipes out the previous delivery from their memory, Swallow did not let his mind wander. He focused on his next play: a charge at a loose ball that earned him a free kick and shot at goal to give his team a drought-breaking finals win.

“We’ve had as bit of a mantra this year, the next shift mentality and trying to be where your feet are and staying in the moment as much as possible,” Swallow said.

“The game of AFL is full of mistakes, it’s who can hang in there the longest, who can stay in the game mentally and physically the longest.

“So, I’ve made a blue in the last quarter but it’s just about trying to stay in the moment, and hopefully, you get another chance. It doesn’t always go that way, but fortunately on the weekend it went our way and we got a result that was a good one.”

Under Damien Hardwick, Gold Coast have become a contender.

Through their 15-year existence, the Suns had become a byword for mediocrity. Despite a swag of early picks, successful football people the calibre of Guy McKenna, Rodney Eade and Stuart Dew, with eight premierships between them, could not drag the league’s second-youngest club out of the doldrums. Hardwick stands to be a transformative figure north of the Tweed.

A five-time premiership winner as a player and coach, Hardwick carries an aura, Swallow said. When he talks, people listen.

“He’s one of those guys who demands attention when he walks into a room – with the way he holds himself,” Swallow said.

“He’s very motivating the way he talks to the group. I feel like he’s got a good sense of the occasion, knows what’s required, what needs to be said and what the group needs at a particular moment. That comes from experience.

“He knows what he’s talking about. He’s been to the promised land, not just as a coach and as a player as well. He knows what it takes. When he’s delivering messages it does help you believe that he knows what he’s talking about. That helps the playing group for sure.”

Damien Hardwick, with Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans (left) and chairman Bob East, at his unveiling as Suns coach in August 2023.

One of Hardwick’s first messages in a Suns polo came the day he was unveiled as coach in August 2023 when he boldly declared 80 per cent of Gold Coast’s premiership team was already on the list.

Delivered by a man who has achieved so much, the power of such a statement on players at a club that had finished no higher than 12th or won more than 10 games in a season cannot be underestimated – even for Swallow, who had mixed emotions after working closely as captain with former coach Dew.

“He saw the talent on the list already,” Swallow said. “As a player, it gives you confidence knowing the group is already there. He was confident on the guys in the room. As an individual, you want to be a part of that.”

Hardwick knows the right time to wield the whip on his players and when a softer touch is required. After a 61-point drubbing to Adelaide in July, Hardwick likened the experience to a “kick in the nuts”, as part of the learning curve.

Twelve months earlier, an angry Hardwick publicly declared after another loss on the road, to cellar-dweller North Melbourne, the club needed to “grow the f--- up”.

The spray had instant traction with Suns chief executive Mark Evans, who worked closely with Hardwick during their days at Hawthorn under Alastair Clarkson.

“I immediately liked it because what he was saying was you have some maturity to go here, but don’t think the world will wait for you,” Evans said. “You’ve got to go ahead and make those improvements now.”

Former chairman Tony Cochrane, who left the Suns before Hardwick’s arrival, is in awe of the coach’s impact, saying it had vindicated the decision by the Bob East administration to part ways with Dew.

“He’s taking not only the club but all of the Gold Coast and AFL in Queensland for a spectacular ride, and long may it continue,” Cochrane said. “It’s got the whole town and the entire AFL community buzzing. How exciting that we’ve got an all-Queensland final this weekend.”

The Suns are now well into uncharted waters. With a finals victory banked, the season can already be marked a success whatever happens against Brisbane, but Hardwick knows opportunities to play in a preliminary final are rare. Not many teams that finish seventh get to play a semi-final in their home state.

“It’s one thing to make finals, he’s been pretty big on going as far as we can,” Swallow said.

“He’s instilled a lot of belief that we can achieve anything we’ve put our hearts and minds to as a group. We’re looking forward to another opportunity against the Lions.”

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