Why Damien Hardwick should be viewed as one of the AFL’s biggest icons of the 21st centuryTom Morris
Fox Sports
March 18th, 2021 As Damien Hardwick prepares to lead Richmond for a 12th season, it is worth reflecting on his standing in the game among contemporary greats.
Since 2000, there has been no more successful person in the AFL. As a player and coach, he has been peerless since the turn of the century.
He deserves to be spoken of in the same bracket as Kevin Sheedy, Mick Malthouse and Alastair Clarkson. He is an all-time great with time to eclipse them all.
Almost 21 years ago, Hardwick played in Essendon’s most recent premiership. The following season, he was part of the club’s Grand Final loss to Brisbane.
Having been offered a one-year deal by the Bombers, he instead accepted a three-season proposal from Port Adelaide. It would prove to be a masterstroke.
It was there Hardwick was a member of a team that won consecutive minor premierships in 2002 and 2003. In both years, Mark Williams’ team fell in preliminary final week.
He also worked closely with Alastair Clarkson and played with Stuart Dew. The trio would sink Geelong half a decade later.
In 2004, the Power finished top again. But this time, they made the most of it, winning the club’s first and, to date, only AFL flag. Hardwick played a critical role in his 207th and last game, winning three free kicks at important moments, including a reversal against Jason Akermanis which cost Brisbane a shot at goal.
“I genuinely believe he was the most influential player in the first half of that Grand Final,” Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd, a former teammate of Hardwick’s, said to foxfooty.com.au.
“Brisbane was so intimidating. His hardness and physicality was great. He made Port believe they could win in the midfield.”
Having wedged his way under Brisbane’s skin, he retired at 32 to focus on completing his commerce degree. But football and more flags weren’t far away.
Hardwick linked up with Clarkson in 2005 and three years later was the forwards coach in Hawthorn’s unexpected premiership.
“How I see him in the media is how I remember him,” Jordan Lewis said to foxfooty.com.au.
“He was part-lighthearted but also when the time was needed, he could really go. He had a tough task with the forwards we had. It must be easy to control Jack Riewoldt having dealt with Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead.
“What he has as a coach is that players want to play for him. Relationships are his biggest asset.”
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Melbourne appointed Dean Bailey ahead of Hardwick in 2007 and Matthew Knights edged him at Essendon weeks later.
By August 2009, Richmond was hunting for a new senior coach and had narrowed it down to two candidates: Ken Hinkley and Hardwick.
The latter got the nod.
“Every club I‘ve gone to has had a great team-first culture and that’s something I believe very strongly in,” Hardwick said during his first press conference at Punt Road.
“I know it‘s easy to say, it’s not easy to deliver – I think I can deliver a blueprint for success that’s going to take Richmond to their 11th premiership in the not-too-distant future.”
In the official AFL Season Guide for 2010, journalist Andrew Wallace wrote: “In Damien Hardwick, Richmond has landed a young hard-nosed front man who will bring modern thinking to the table as well as a history of personal achievement.”
Hardwick also stated his desire to improve Richmond’s playing list by 10 per cent annually. He swung the axe immediately, delisting Mark Coughlan, Cleve Hughes, Dean Putt, Adam Pattison, Kayne Pettifer and Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls.
Meanwhile, Matthew Richardson, Nathan Brown, Joel Bowden and Kane Johnson retired, while Jay Schulz and Andrew Raines were traded.
All up, 12 players departed Punt Road.
Who arrived? Dustin Martin, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes.
It took until 2013 for the Tigers to return to finals. Finishing fifth, they were humbled by Carlton at the MCG. It was a similar tale for the next two seasons and by the start of 2016, Hardwick was under significant pressure to stay in the role.
But president Peggy O’Neal and her board prioritised stability, re-signing their coach for a further two seasons until the end of 2018.
“In making this decision, the board considered what Damien has accomplished during his tenure, including the fact he has taken the team to three consecutive finals series,” O’Neal said on the eve of the 2016 season.
“We also considered whether he was the right man to take us further and, after thorough analysis and discussion, the unanimous view was that Damien is the right man to coach our club.
“Importantly, Damien has the character and values we want in someone who leads our players. The players also have great respect for their coach and his approach to getting the best out of them.”
What has followed is this century’s fourth dynasty, defined as three flags in five years. The others speak for themselves: Brisbane, Geelong and Hawthorn.
In 2021, the Tigers are gunning to become the first club in 60 years — and third overall — to win four premierships in five seasons. Melbourne won five in six years in the 1950s and Collingwood collected four in a row in the 1920s.
To achieve success this year would put Hardwick in the same conversation as coaching greats Jock McHale and Norm Smith. Think about that.
Lloyd, now a pundit for Channel 9 and 3AW, sees Hardwick’s competitiveness from his playing days shine through in his coaching, but has been surprised by his growth as a more measured leader.
“He had white line fever as a player,” the retired goalkicking champion said.
“He had a nastiness in the most complimentary way. I was very grateful that I was on his side. He would go in to get under the skin of his opponents. He would sniff out a weak opposition player and go after them and not let up. Opponents would crumble around him.
“Now he is so process-driven. Damien was the ultimate role player. He wasn’t about egos. He would whip you into line if you carried on. He lets his good players play and they have to play within a framework. Damien gives you confidence if he’s in your corner.
“I didn’t see the articulate and measured footy brain as a teammate that I see now. He has a great temperament. He balances being measured versus being able to dial it up and stimulate the players.”
DAMIEN HARDWICK’S RESUME SINCE 20002000: Premiership player and All-Australian back pocket
2001: Grand Final player
2002: Minor premiership player
2003: Minor premiership player
2004: Premiership player
2008: Premiership assistant coach
2013-2015: Finals coach
2017: Premiership coach and All-Australian coach
2018: Preliminary final coach
2019: Premiership coach and All-Australian coach
2020: Premiership coach and All-Australian coach
TOTAL: Involved in six premierships, one losing Grand Final, three losing preliminary finals, and three other finals series.
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