Damien Hardwick in new relationship with younger stafferThree-time Premiership coach Damien Hardwick’s relationship with a younger club staffer has ruffled feathers within the Richmond Football Club.
Jackie Epstein
January 4, 2021 - 3:21PM
Herald SunRichmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick’s new relationship with a younger staff member is causing growing tensions within the club.
It’s understood senior figures have raised concern about the relationship after it was confirmed last month that Hardwick split from wife Danielle, with whom he shares three children.
Hardwick has been seen with his new partner, a member of the Tigers’ commercial sales team, on holiday in Queensland and around Melbourne recently.
It’s believed the relationship has rocked staff within the club and could affect the playing group.
Danielle Hardwick, who was often referred to affectionately as Mrs Hardwick, is a much loved figure around Tigerland.
She and their two daughters spent Christmas morning with the family of Tigers captain Trent Cotchin.
Cotchin’s wife Brooke posted a picture of the Hardwick girls with their children calling them “second fam”.
On the post Danielle commented: “What a special Christmas morning. Our hearts are full. Love you Cotchins.”
Sources say it also raised eyebrows when Hardwick’s new love interest quarantined via Darwin and then stayed on the Gold Coast in the lead up to the Grand Final.
Some senior members of the club are understood to have raised concerns that Hardwick’s relationship with the staff member has similarities to the AFL’s situation with executives Simon Lethlean and Richard Simkiss’s relationships with younger employees in 2017.
Both resigned acknowledging the relationships were inappropriate.
But other senior figures at the club have defended the Hardwick relationship saying that he’s never had direct authority over his partner.
The issue is even understood to have been raised among members of the board.
When contacted the club gave a statement to the Herald Sun:
“The Club is aware that coach Damien Hardwick is currently in a relationship with a member of the Club’s administration staff. The Club has no concerns with this under Club policy. Beyond this, it is a private matter and we ask that privacy be respected.”
Hardwick, the Tigers’ three time premiership coach, has been granted leave until February after an intense season.
“I’m going to take a bit of a longer break this year over summer,” Hardwick told 3AW in October.
“It’s been a pretty full on 3-4 years and we’ve done a hell of a lot of work and had a lot of success along the way but sometimes you need to step back.
“I’m very lucky that I’ve got some terrific assistants, and a couple of those guys will move on, but the coaching group and the people I have around me do a large amount of work and the reality is I sit at the top and manage those guys.”
Hardwick has won a premiership with the Tigers in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and has coached 252 games with the club.
It was a year of turmoil for many involved in the AFL, with Richmond facing some off-field issues in the hub, yet still achieving ultimate success.
Hardwick had often discussed his long-time partner Danielle and her influence. He credited her with the stunning selection of Marlion Pickett, who played his first game in the 2019 grand final.
“I must admit, she was pushing Marlion harder than anyone,’’ Hardwick said after the win.
“She goes, ‘You’ve just got to play him he’s too good’. She was in the VFL coaches box watching me and she kept smiling at me looking at him as he was playing.
“She’s been a terrific supporter of mine and behind every man is a great woman and I’m very fortunate.”
Hardwick also apologised to Sydney coach John Longmire in July last year for comments he said were out of line.
“(Mrs Hardwick) wasn’t overly happy with the press conference. She gave me a dressing down after it. That was a good result,’’ he said at the time.
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