Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick faces no action from AFL over f-bomb

AFL football boss Laura Kane has revealed what she told the Suns after Damien Hardwick’s media conference F-bomb, as Gold Coast braces for more injury pain.

Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick. Picture: Getty Images

The AFL has decided against any punishment or official please explain for Damien Hardwick over his press conference F bomb.

The Herald Sun reported on Sunday morning the Suns had reached out to speak to the AFL about the context of Hardwick’s profanity and his multiple apologies immediately afterwards.

On Monday AFL football boss Laura Kane said the AFL did not encourage language of that nature.

But she said there would be no sanction for the swear word.

“The Gold Coast were proactive. I spoke to them immediately after the press conference,” she said.

“We clearly don’t encourage that kind of language or behaviour in our press conferences, but the game is passionate and I think what we saw is a passionate coach who is invested in his players. We’ve addressed it with the Gold Coast and there’ll be no further action for Damien or the club.

“We spoke to them about making sure they’re comfortable with what’s delivered in their post-game press conference. Their proactive follow up suggests they’re aware. We’ve addressed it and there’s nothing further for the Gold Coast.”

The Suns fear Touk Miller has broken his wrist. Picture: Getty Images

The Suns dropped back into the chasing pack with the upset loss in a game where Gold Coast again failed to snap its away losing streak.

Co-captain Touk Miller could not play out the game with a wrist issue and will have scans on Monday. The Suns fear Miller has broken his wrist, which would likely sideline him for three or four weeks as they prepare to take on Port Adelaide at home, GWS Giants away and Brisbane at home in a patch where they must string together a run of wins to make finals.

Sam Day also battled a plantar fascia issue and limped off late in the third quarter, having battled an identical issue on his other foot leading into the game.

He had been in solid form for the Suns with three goals in the recent clash against Fremantle and will be badly missed in a forward line where Ben King and Jack Lukosius had off days.

Young gun Jed Walter would be his likely replacement for the Port Adelaide game.

Hardwick apologised immediately and then afterwards for his outburst that came as he challenged his group to get better.

He had handed them a similar message immediately post-match, with the Suns checking in on Saturday night to explain the context of his outburst to the AFL.

The Suns got Hardwick on board to drive their standards after so many missed opportunities so the sentiment he was attempting to express is exactly what they are after.

Ideally he might have chosen a different word to express it as he said the club had botched another chance to win away.

Damien Hardwick has apologised for his post-game outburst.. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m angry, to be fair. As a footy club we’ve got to grow the f--- up to be perfectly honest. Excuse the language,” he said.

“We’ve been in this situation too many times and it’s up to me and the match committee to get our boys going.

“You put on a Suns jumper, you’ve got to play the game a certain way. You don’t get to pick or choose.

“At the moment, we’re not where we need to be and it’s reflective on me as a coach, us as an organisation so we’ve got to demand better.

“We still had 62 inside 50s, we still had 32 forward half turnovers. That is enough to win a game of football.”

Originally published as Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick faces no action from AFL over f-bomb