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The Hard Way: The Story of Richmond's 13th Premiership
The Hard Way recounts Richmond football club’s journey to the 2020 ALF Grand Final. In this thrilling account, Konrad Marshall reconstructs an unprecedented season of footy and the team that came to shine through it all.
The 2020 AFL season was a season like no other, and the challenges faced by the premier team, due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, were substantial. Richmond, the reigning premier, started the season slowly, were then relocated to a Gold Coast hub for 111 days, faced internal issues throughout, and came into the Grand Final against Geelong the hard way, after losing the qualifying final to Brisbane.
Including a foreward from Richmond president, Peggy O’Neal, The Hard Way tells this amazing story and reveals Richmond’s game plan – a playing system that is based as much on chaos as clockwork – in intricate detail. Konrad not only covers the club’s journey to their final’s campaign but also the adjustments made to move to Queensland, life in the hub, their relationship with their fans and the public, and of course, the Dustin Martin effect.
If they weren’t convinced already, this book will show all footy fans just how Richmond truly embodies the old sports saying: A champion team will always beat a team of champions.
The 2020 AFL season was a season like no other, and the challenges faced by the premier team, due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, were substantial. Richmond, the reigning premier, started the season slowly, were then relocated to a Gold Coast hub for 111 days, faced internal issues throughout, and came into the Grand Final against Geelong the hard way, after losing the qualifying final to Brisbane.
Including a foreward from Richmond president, Peggy O’Neal, The Hard Way tells this amazing story and reveals Richmond’s game plan – a playing system that is based as much on chaos as clockwork – in intricate detail. Konrad not only covers the club’s journey to their final’s campaign but also the adjustments made to move to Queensland, life in the hub, their relationship with their fans and the public, and of course, the Dustin Martin effect.
If they weren’t convinced already, this book will show all footy fans just how Richmond truly embodies the old sports saying: A champion team will always beat a team of champions.
128 pages, Paperback
Published December 10, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 28, 2020
In this Covid year with all it's difficulties comes a succinct insight to the best premiership of all. All the highs and lows are noted in this post reflection of the Tigers third cup in four years. The brevity of the book is disappointing given the insight and great writing of Konrad's previous records of Richmond's success. An essential addition nonetheless and a truly great read.
February 10, 2021
“The Hard Way” (THW) by Konrad Marshall is the story of the Richmond Football Club’s 2020 premiership season. It follows on from “Yellow & Black” (from 2017), and “Stronger & Bolder” (from 2019).
THW is a summation of the 2020 AFL season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a book about the impacts of COVID on Richmond as a club, on its players, and, in part, on its fans as the Tigers went on to claim the 2020 Premiership, its thirteenth overall.
As mentioned in the introduction THW is not the fly-on-the-wall insights that were revealed in the previous books but a re-creation of a season in parts and in themes. As such THW didn’t have that same feeling of “present” as Marshall’s other books but it comes as close to detailing the trials and tribulations of the season and how the club and playing group dealt with those challenges.
THW is a wonderful book if you’re a Richmond fan but is still an insightful look into how a professional football club dealt with the stresses of COVID, “hub-life”, and separation from family and friends.
THW gets 4 months away from home to win the flag out of 5.
THW is a summation of the 2020 AFL season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a book about the impacts of COVID on Richmond as a club, on its players, and, in part, on its fans as the Tigers went on to claim the 2020 Premiership, its thirteenth overall.
As mentioned in the introduction THW is not the fly-on-the-wall insights that were revealed in the previous books but a re-creation of a season in parts and in themes. As such THW didn’t have that same feeling of “present” as Marshall’s other books but it comes as close to detailing the trials and tribulations of the season and how the club and playing group dealt with those challenges.
THW is a wonderful book if you’re a Richmond fan but is still an insightful look into how a professional football club dealt with the stresses of COVID, “hub-life”, and separation from family and friends.
THW gets 4 months away from home to win the flag out of 5.
October 6, 2021
The brevity being the only flaw as Konrad delivers another beautiful chapter to the Tigers era of magnificence. Wonderful depth from beyond the intimate space. Keep it going, for all of us fans.
May 17, 2021
Short, Concise review of Richmond's 13th Premiership. Compared to the previous tomes (covering the 2017 and 2019 Seasons) its a pretty small book but interesting. Gives some insights on how the club coped with all the challenges of Covid. Essential if you've read the other books.
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December 28, 2021While I would recommend Yellow and Black (the story of Richmond’s 2017 Premiership year) to all (great insights into formation of a great team), this one is necessarily a lighter book and perhaps one mainly for the Tiger Army as a record of the year that was without as much background.
April 5, 2023
Beautiful book written on Richmond’ Lockdown premiership.
From insights with list managers and high performance coaches, it highlights the collective need of associating with a common goal.
Would have liked it to be slightly longer though.
From insights with list managers and high performance coaches, it highlights the collective need of associating with a common goal.
Would have liked it to be slightly longer though.
January 11, 2025
Read aloud to my dad.
November 7, 2021
One for the fans - a little rushed and without the deep, structural interrogation of Richmond that made 'Yellow and Black' so good. But still gave a chance to relive a Richmond flag, and that alone is more than worth the price of admission.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews