AFL 2023: The latest on Gold Coast’s play for Damien Hardwick and the coaching merry-go-round

The football world is expecting Damien Hardwick to assume the senior coaching role at Gold Coast. But will it just happen? And who wins Tigers job? What about Ken? Here’s the latest.

Damien Hardwick would be put through a series of high-level interviews with Suns powerbrokers similar to Ross Lyon’s talks with St Kilda before the former Tigers coach was offered a long-term deal with the club.

Gold Coast will take on GWS on Sunday for their second game under interim coach Steven King with the football world expecting Hardwick to assume the senior coaching role.

But the Suns are yet to make formal contact with Hardwick’s camp about their coaching process.

The Suns refused to discuss how they would proceed with replacing Stuart Dew on Friday, adamant they would keep the chase for their new coach behind closed doors.

But it is understood Hardwick is yet to talk to the Suns, who under new chairman Bob East want to run a diligent process to replace Dew.

Damien Hardwick wouldn’t just walk into the senior coaching role at the Suns. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Suns are aware of Hardwick’s strong interest in coaching again in 2024, given connections at the club with former Richmond premiership coach Hardwick.

Those close to Hardwick believe he and the Suns would need a series of meetings on strategy, leadership, the club’s direction and his vision for Gold Coast before he was hired.

While Hardwick’s football acumen does not need proving, any club hiring him so quickly after he left Richmond burnt out would need to be reassured about his passion for a new job.

Lyon was St Kilda’s only target when it sacked Brett Ratten but both Lyon and the club’s powerbrokers, in new CEO Simon Lethlean and president Andrew Bassat, finalised the process with repeated discussions on whether he was suited to the role.

Hardwick will be in Europe until late August so the Suns have time to identify exactly what kind of coach they want — almost certainly a senior figure in the Hardwick mould — as King finishes the season.

Ken Hinkley is keen to remain as Port Adelaide coach and, while the Suns are a possible landing spot, it would take something catastrophic in his contract talks with the Power for him to move on.

The Power would like to broker a two-year contract extension in August but, given Hinkley has some leverage, he would be crazy not to use it in his contract talks.

This masthead has reported he is open to postponing contract talks until after the season but at the very least he would want a contract with favourable terms and exit clauses if he signs next month.

Ken Hinkley has leverage in contract talks at Alberton. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Will Andrew McQualter take the Richmond job full time? Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Richmond is about to ramp up interviews with a series of assistant coaches including their interim coach Andrew McQualter before a final decision some time in September.

The club is close to finalising a selection panel which will have an external expert as well as Brendon Gale, Tim Livingstone and Blair Hartley in the same way Essendon had Robert Walls and Jordan Lewis on its panel which chose Brad Scott.

Coaches interested in the Richmond role would need to be assured McQualter is not already over the line to apply.

Richmond co-captain Dylan Grimes gave a thorough endorsement of McQualter on SEN Radio this week.

“He has got my vote. I am sure the board and everyone will go through a proper process of doing their due diligence but Mini has been a senior coach in waiting for a number of years and seeing him at the helm has just solidified that in my mind. I am sure they will do a formal process but he couldn’t have put his hand up any higher in my opinion,” he said.