The 48 hours that led to the end of Damien Hardwick’s tenure at Tigerland

Unbeknownst to most, this was always going to be Damien Hardwick’s last year as Richmond coach. Go inside the 48 hours that ended his Tiger tenure.

There was something about the text which set off alarm bells for Brendon Gale.

It wasn‘t unusual for his coach Damien Hardwick to reach out for a catch-up after a game but there was something in the wording of the Sunday morning text which had the Richmond CEO on alert.

The Tigers had suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss the previous evening to Essendon in the Dreamtime Game which meant they were languishing in 14th position on the ladder after 10 rounds.

Things certainly hadn‘t gone the way Gale had hoped for season 2023 and that was playing on his mind as he pulled up to Hardwick’s house in Elwood on Sunday night.

Despite that he still wasn‘t expecting what transpired when he got inside and sat down for a beer with his coach.

The pair had been joined at the hip since they started just days apart back in 2009 and had ridden a roller coaster journey which included three premierships.

Gale’s concerns about the text were justified. Something was up. Hardwick was cooked. Done. Finished.

Brendon Gale and Damien Hardwick at Hardwick’s final press conference as Richmond coach. Pic: Michael Klein

For the next couple of hours they shot the breeze, talked about how he’d reached this moment, recalled the good times and funny times. Gale threw up the idea of a farewell game on Sunday against Port Adelaide but it soon became obvious that wasn’t going to happen.

That wasn‘t Hardwick’s style, he didn’t need a farewell lap and more pats on the back.

It turned out Richmond‘s longest serving coach had made up his mind at the start of the season that this would be it and he wouldn’t be fulfilling the final year of his contract in 2024.

He’d watched the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance over the summer and that had put the idea in his head of putting everything into one last run at it this year.

The recruitment of GWS Giants midfield pair Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper had given him confidence that he again had the list to contend but it became increasingly apparent in the early rounds that the Tiger train wasn‘t on its tracks.

Hardwick, 50, tried all his tricks to ignite his team but the spark was missing and the coach started to continually ask himself if he was still up for the challenge.

It turned out he no longer was.

After Gale left, Hardwick slept the best he had for a while and then spent Monday reaching out to his senior core of players who were all completely blindsided by the decision.

It became apparent to Hardwick that the Tigers weren’t in position to contend this season. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“I had no idea whatsoever which is a credit to Dimma,” Co-captain Toby Nankervis said.

Hardwick thought he‘d dropped a few clues on Saturday night after the game when got back to Punt Rd for his regular post-match debrief with football manager Tim Livingstone and list boss Blair Hartley.

“Tim and Blair have very much been my lieutenants and I think they picked it up after the game,” Hardwick said. ”Normally after a loss we come back here and have a few drinks and I am straight into the match committee room on the board trying to figure out what the next course of action is.

“I think they probably sensed something when I didn‘t go into that room, I didn’t start pencilling in what was the plan of attack for the review.”

By Monday night the word was out and on Tuesday morning Hardwick became emotional when he addressed the entire playing group.

An hour later he strode into the Maurice Rioli Room at Punt Rd with Gale and president John O‘Rourke for his final press conference. The room was at capacity with players, staff and media while the front row of seats were occupied by his three children, his mother Pam and new partner Alex.

“I sort of wish I wore a better jumper to be honest. I didn‘t realise there would be so many people here,” were Hardwick’s opening words.

An emotional Damien Hardwick announces his departure from Richmond. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

For the next 30 minutes he held court, mixing up jokes with choking up on a couple of occasions as he spoke about his love for the Richmond Football Club.

He revealed the idea of walking away had manifested over the past month. He almost did it after the brilliant win over defending premier Geelong a week early but knew how important the Dreamtime Game was to the club plus one of his favourites Nankervis would also make his return against Essendon.

“As a coach you are always questioning yourself,” Hardwick explained. ”It is a lonely job, it‘s a great job and don’t get me wrong I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I received.

“It becomes more apparent as you‘ve had more success, the losses become harder.

“I had a fair indication at the start of the year that I would like this to be my last year. Then when the season didn‘t turn out as much as I would have liked, I started to ask myself the question, `Am I the right man for the job?’.

The three-time premiership coach revealed his thoughts of quitting had manifested for a month. (Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images)

“I kept asking myself the question more and more and if you keep asking yourself the question, well, you know the answer.

“It became apparent probably two weeks ago that the time was about right. In all honesty, I‘d rather leave too early rather than too late.”

He said the players needed a new voice and he needed a break to “decompress”.

“I pushed every button I can, I have tried to cook the sausages a thousand different ways and I couldn‘t find 1001.”