Damien Hardwick’s first Gold Coast Suns signing target emerges
Extraordinary details about Damien Hardwick’s reported deal with the Gold Coast Suns have come to light, including his first key signing.
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The cart has been put before the horse at the Gold Coast Suns with Damien Hardwick’s first signing target revealed.
The former Richmond premiership coach is yet to be unveiled as the Suns’ next head coach, however, widespread reports claim a rich deal has been reached.
It came to light this month that Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans recently flew to Europe to meet with Hardwick to table a five-year coaching offer.
AFL journalist Damian Barrett has now reported Hardwick has already begun plotting his coaching appointments for when he takes over at the end of the 2023 season.
Barrett said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night Hardwick has identified Brisbane Lions football department boss Danny Daly as his first appointment — setting up a potential showdown with the Suns’ Queensland rival club.
Daly previously worked with Hardwick at the Tigers and has also held positions with Collingwood North Melbourne.
“He’s been doing a lot of thinking Damien Hardwick, a lot of that thought process has been around who will be his assistants — both in coaching and the football department,” Barrett said.
“One person in significant Damien Hardwick thought right now is Danny Daly — a man he spent a lot of time with at Richmond when he started back in 2010.
“Daly is currently the right-hand man of Chris Fagan at Brisbane, he’s worked in both the coaching and assistant coaching ranks.
“He’s got a track record that people trust in. He’s someone Damien Hardwick would like to work with, if the Brisbane Lions allow that to happen.”
Footy Classified hot Eddie McGuire also said a deal between Hardwick and the Suns has been reached — but not in the way some believe it has.
It was reported last week the Suns were hoping to have some of Hardwick’s wages paid by the AFL as part of a marketing role for the club in spruiking the AFL in a rugby league state.
However, McGuire says the AFL has knocked the request on the head.
“Lock it in, (Hardwick) will be the (Suns) coach,” McGuire told Footy Classified.
“This is how far it’s got — the Gold Coast Suns made an entreaty to the AFL for marketing purposes. They received a flat no, but the bottom line is, the deal is just about done.”
Hardwick stepped down from the Tigers job citing burnout, earlier this year, but just a few weeks later went on the Dyl & Friends podcast saying he already missed the role.
Gold Coast last month parted ways with former coach Stuart Dew after five and a half seasons at the helm.
The AFL-owned expansion club is still yet to play finals football since entering the competition in 2011.
Originally published as Damien Hardwick’s first Gold Coast Suns signing target emerges
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