Hardwick ‘hand grenade’ sparks AFL coaching ‘merry-go-round’

Hardwick ‘hand grenade’ sparks AFL coaching ‘merry-go-round’

Damien Hardwick’s shock departure from Richmond is anticipated to spark a training domino impact across the AFL.

In a bombshell report, news broke on Monday night time Hardwick was set to give up as Richmond coach successfully instantly in a transfer that shocked the AFL world.

The announcement is anticipated to be made official on Tuesday regardless of Hardwick having a yr and a half to run on his contract.

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Richmond have endured a tough begin to the 2023 season having gained solely three out of their opening 10 video games.

It’s unclear if Hardwick will coach a farewell sport towards Port Adelaide on the MCG on Sunday.

Hardwick coached Richmond to 3 premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020 — breaking a 37-year premiership drought and making a dynasty at Tigerland.

The 50-year-old was in his 14th season in cost on the Tigers and was the longest serving present AFL coach.

Channel 7 studies extremely rated Richmond assistant coach Andrew McQualter has been appointed interim coach efficient instantly.

In 2019, David Teague and Rhyce Shaw had been appointed as caretaker coaches of Carlton and North Melbourne, respectively, earlier than being given the top teaching job full time.

But neither Teague and Shaw lasted within the high job lengthy.

Hardwick turns into the second coach over the previous week to step down after Alastair Clarkson departed his function at North Melbourne.

Hardwick’s future is unclear however the news of his departure is ready to spark some teaching chaos.

Veteran footy journalist Caroline Wilson stated on Footy Classified: “It’s thrown a hand grenade into the coaching merry-go-round.”

Asked earlier this month about Hardwick’s future at Richmond, Fox Footy’s David King instructed news.com.au the veteran coach would don’t have any scarcity of “suitors” if he was to depart the Tigers.

“If Damien wants to coach them (Richmond), of course he is (the right man for the job),” King stated on the time.

“How can you question his credentials or CV in terms of what he’s done for Richmond. It’s just if he’s looking for a change or Richmond decide they need a change – a different voice, different message.

“Maybe Damien thinks he’s got the most out of this group, he’s run the rag dry. Only he would know the answer to that. And if he does feel that way, there would be suitors. It’s as simple as that.”

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is out of contract on the finish of this season and regardless of the Power’s scintillating 8-2 begin to the season, the membership says it should wait till later within the yr to make a name on his future.

Hinkley has been in cost at Port Adelaide since 2013, taking the Power to 3 preliminary finals.

Hardwick gained two premierships as a participant at Essendon in 2000 and Port Adelaide in 2004, and there’s a perception he is perhaps open to teaching Port given they’ve a staff able to problem for a premiership.

There can also be mounting stress on Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew, who’s in his sixth season on the helm however but to guide the Suns to a maiden finals look.

Dew is contracted till the top of the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, West Coast coach Adam Simpson is on borrowed time after the Eagles had been thrashed by 116 factors by lowly Hawthorn on the weekend.

Simpson’s deal runs to 2025 however any credit from profitable the 2018 premiership have run out and his sacking is all however imminent.

Journalist Tom Morris, who broke the story, instructed SEN Hardwick’s determination to give up mid-season might immediate some teaching chaos.

“By Damien Hardwick doing this now, it has a trickle effect around the league. Once one domino falls, it rarely doesn’t ensue in a number of others,” Morris stated.

“You have a smorgasbord of coaches that are ready to go.”

Morris described the Richmond teaching gig as a “plum job” and potential coaches would like to mentor the likes of Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Tom Lynch, Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Daniel Rioli.

He added Simpson and Hinkley had been skilled coaches “ready to walk into any club” in the event that they had been to be sacked.

A wildcard is former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, who will doubt be requested if he has a want to return to the teaching fraternity.

“There’s no burning ambition for me to get back into a football club,” he stated on Fox Footy final yr.

“You try and assess it, how much you’re carrying. There’s always a little bit of resentment around the pressure that is brought to bear.

“I enjoy helping young men be better versions of themselves. The winning and losing part, I love winning but I’m probably not as ruthless around winning and losing. It’s more about the development of individuals and the development of a group of people that I really enjoyed in the last four or five years.

“I’m definitely not in the space (to return).”

Originally revealed as ‘There would be suitors’: Hardwick ‘hand grenade’ sparks AFL teaching ‘merry-go-round’

Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au