Coaching bombshell: Damien Hardwick quits as Richmond coach in decision that shocks AFL

Richmond’s longest-serving coach Damien Hardwick has sensationally quit the club. This is how the bombshell announcement played out last night.

Damien Hardwick and Brendon Gale.

Damien Hardwick has sensationally quit Richmond with 18 months still remaining on his contract.

Hardwick is scheduled to ­inform players and staff of the shock decision at Punt Road on Tuesday morning.

Hardwick is the longest-serving coach in Richmond’s history and was in charge of his 307th game on Saturday night, a narrow loss to Essendon in the annual Dreamtime Game.

It’s believed the 50-year-old feels burnt out and with the ­finals almost out of the question for the Tigers in 2023 – they sit 14th with just three wins and a draw – he has ­decided to walk away. Hardwick was shattered after Saturday night’s one-point loss, Essendon kicking the winning goal in the final minute.

Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin after the 2020 Grand Final win.

People close to Hardwick described his decision to stand down as “selfless”, saying it would allow the club “an ­extended period” to identify its next coach.

Despite having two former senior coaches - David Teague and Ben Rutten - on its panel, the Tigers are expected to name highly regarded assistant Andrew McQualter as interim coach for the remainder of the year.

Several of the Tigers’ premiership heroes, including Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt are expected to also call time at the end of the season.

Hardwick signed a three-year contract extension in 2021 that was to take him through to the end of 2024.

Richmond staff were sent a text message at 7pm on Monday informing them of a special meeting the following morning where they were to be told of the dramatic turn of events.

In a bizarre twist, defender Nathan Broad was on air on Fox Footy at the moment the news of Hardwick’s reported departure emerged.

Richmond is in transition after an era of success.

Broad had been asked about the team’s finals prospects and declared that “our window’s definitely open” and that he was determined the team would play finals this year.

Hardwick’s bombshell comes less than a week after his good friend, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, took indefinite leave because of stress.

Earlier this month, Hardwick revealed he had reached out to former mentor Clarkson regarding his mental health as a result of the Hawthorn racism investigation.

“I know this guy. I’ve known him for a hell of a long time and he’s not in a great place, let’s be perfectly honest,” Hardwick said

Hardwick and Richmond’s players enjoy their 2017 premiership win.

Damien Hardwick and Richmond players celebrate their 2019 flag with fans.

Hardwick is credited with turning a basket case operation into one of the great teams of the modern era.

After a tough start to his tenure in 2010 when the Tigers finished 15th he managed to get them up for three consecutive elimination final losses, but after a horror 2016 was on the brink of being sacked.

Richmond conducted a wide-ranging review after finishing 13th but chief executive Brendon Gale and president Peggy O’Neal decided to stick with Hardwick.

It was an inspired call with the Tigers winning three of the next four premierships – 2017, 2019, 2020 – as he created a kamikaze game style.

Hardwick in 2022 revealed he had been using medicinal marijuana to combat a back problem that plagued him for a decade. The same year he was in hot water for verbally abusing players at a VFL match.

He has also dealt with some major upheaval in his personal life with his 25-year marriage to wife Danielle ending in December 2020. They had three children together.

Hardwick is now in a relationship with Alexandra Crow, a former member of the Tigers’ commercial sales team.

They have recently renovated a house in Elwood, detailing the process on social media while also launching a company named Hardwick Design And Build.