Gold Coast expected to offer Damien Hardwick five-year deal

Most in AFL circles expect Gold Coast to offer Damien Hardwick their vacant coaching job, but the Suns may face a key obstacle.

Damien Hardwick announces his retirement during a Richmond press conference at Punt Road Oval on May 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans is reportedly on his way to Europe in the hope of convincing Damien Hardwick to become the club’s new coach.

Hardwick stepped down from his role at Richmond in May after guiding the Tigers to three flags during his 13 years at the helm.

Repeatedly linked with the vacant job at the Suns, Hardwick is set to be offered a five-year deal, according to a report in The Age.

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The article states that a Gold Coast source confirmed the club had reached out to Hardwick last week, although there would still seem to be some distance between that and the coach deciding to take over the struggling expansion side.

Evans’ trip to Milan to catch up with Hardwick was labelled a “power move” by one media outlet in the club’s desperation to lure him to Queensland.

Damien Hardwick announces his retirement during a Richmond press conference at Punt Road Oval on May 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Gold Coast have never reached the finals since they were introduced to the competition back in 2011.

Stuart Dew was sacked last month after almost six years at the helm of the Suns.

The AFL is desperate for the club to taste some real success and start to build a following in the rugby league-mad state and an established name like Hardwick could be the right fit.

Hardwick has been the only name firmly linked with the role at the Suns thus far.

The 51-year-old shocked the AFL world when he announced his decision to leave the Tigers with immediate effect.

Richmond had been largely treading water since its last premiership in 2020 and Hardwick said at his press conference in May he could no longer give the role 100 per cent.

Damien Hardwick is being lured back into coaching. @cleary_mitch has exclusive details. https://t.co/5zYfOfGqUb@7AFL#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/5gkjD7FnYy

— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) August 2, 2023

Damien Hardwick could be the coach of the Gold Coast Suns within days. (per @cleary_mitch) #AFLpic.twitter.com/O1AAYr6alQ

— Every Daily AFL (@everydailyafl) August 2, 2023

“I had a fair indication of the start of the year that I would like this to be my last year,” he said.

”And then when the season did not turn out as I would have liked it, I started to question whether I was the right man for this job.

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

“If I could not give 100 per cent, there was no way I was going to coach.”

Damien Hardwick enjoyed enormous success during his time at Punt Road. (Photo by Scott Barbour/AFL Media/Getty Images)

The 51-year-old Hardwick has been enjoying his break, posting on social media his travels in the United States and Europe.

Speaking on AFL 360 on Wednesday night, Herald Sun reporter Mark Robinson expressed his confusion over the need for Evans’ European jaunt to see Hardwick.

“I don’t know why it’s happening,” he said. “They went to show Damien Hardwick they’re keen.

“But you could have done it over Zoom, couldn’t you?

“Everyone expected it to happen. Damien Hardwick might say no.

“Believe it or not, the Suns tell me, they did not sack Stuart Dew for Damien Hardwick.

“It just happened that Damien Hardwick, the three-timer, was available, so that’s handy.”