Trent Cotchin shares Damien Hardwick’s brutal sledge to rival AFL club

Trent Cotchin has revealed Damien Hardwick’s brutal drive-by at an AFL rival sparked his shock departure from Richmond.

Damien Hardwick sledged Essendon after losing his last game in charge at Richmond. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Richmond champion Trent Cotchin has revealed a brutal sledge Damien Hardwick gave a rival AFL club in his final days as coach of the Tigers.

Cotchin and Hardwick won three premierships together at Richmond (2017, 2019, 2020) before Hardwick shocked the footy world with his sudden decision to quit as Richmond coach mid-season.

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Cotchin, who retired at season’s end, has lifted the lid on the game that proved the catalyst for Hardwick’s shock departure from Tigerland.

Hoping to make one last push for a premiership, Richmond’s one-point loss to Essendon in Round 10 at the MCG all but put an end to those hopes as the Tigers sat 14th on the ladder with just three wins.

Trent Cotchin has lifted the lid on Hardwick’s exit. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Essendon beat Richmond in Hardwick’s last game in charge. Pic: Michael Klein

The Tigers had previously won a whopping 13 games in a row against the Bombers prior to the loss in the ‘Dreamtime at the G’ clash.

Essendon famously have not won an AFL final since 2004, a drought that will reach 20 years next season.

In an extract of his autobiography From The Heart, as published in the Herald Sun, Cotchin said Hardwick ripped into the team while referring to Essendon as a “bunch of spuds”.

Cotchin said Hardwick described Richmond’s performance as “putrid” and said “the way some of us had played meant he would just get “another c*** to replace us”.

He pointed to the Essendon team that was displayed on the white board and said, “To be honest with you, I reckon this team is a bunch of spuds, and you aren’t even as good as they are.”

Dimma ripped into the Bombers. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The spray was a far cry from Hardwick at his inspirational best, including his famous halftime rev-up that helped spark Richmond’s comeback win over Geelong in the 2020 Grand Final.

Cotchin recalled: “He was quite rattled. I was thinking, ‘Well, this is different’.”

On the Monday after the game, Hardwick told Cotchin about his plan to quit as coach and publicly announced his decision on the Tuesday.

Cotchin said after meeting with Hardwick: “I checked in with Toby Nankervis, Dyl Grimes, Jack (Riewoldt) and a few others. I was actually told not to tell anyone.”

Hardwick has since been appointed as coach of the Gold Coast Suns on a six-year deal and will be aiming to steer the expansion side to their first finals appearance since entering the AFL in 2011.

He has been replaced at Richmond by Adem Yze.