Damien Hardwick shouldn’t be the Messiah, however he seems like a really joyful boy on Christmas Day.
The new Gold Coast coach is bullish about orchestrating a fourth AFL premiership, saying the Suns have 80 per cent of the gamers they should problem for his or her maiden flag.
Hardwick and the Suns hierarchy saved the door ajar when inevitably requested if a type of gamers may be Richmond star Dustin Martin.
While he famous the Brownlow Medallist remained contracted to the Tigers, Hardwick, membership chairman Bob East and chief govt Mark Evans all deferred to the Suns record administration staff.
As extensively anticipated, the three-time Richmond premiership coach will take over on the Suns, and has signed a six-year deal.
It is three months since Hardwick abruptly left the Tigers in mid-season, saying he had carried out all he might on the membership, and 6 weeks from when the Suns sacked coach Stuart Dew.
Gold Coast are but to make the finals after 13 years within the AFL, however Hardwick oozed confidence at Monday’s media convention.
“I’m very, very, very excited – I liken it to waking up on Christmas Day, walking into a brand new set of toys,” he stated.
“Eighty per cent of our first premiership side is sitting in this room right now.
“This aspect and this membership are very able to saluting within the not-too-distant future.”
But Hardwick and East stressed that would take the efforts of the whole club, saying one man did not make a flag.
“I’m not the Messiah. I’m a part of the puzzle that is going to take us the place we have to go,” Hardwick said.
The 51-year-old will take over from interim coach Steven King after the Suns’ season ends next weekend.
King and much of the existing Gold Coast football department will stay put, with Hardwick saying he felt no need to make changes.
The Suns’ new coach forecast an attacking style similar to what has taken Collingwood to the top in 2023.
“You should tailor a recreation plan to what you’ve right here, and a whole lot of the instruments I’m in search of are on this constructing proper now,” he stated.
“We’ll deliver a method of recreation that shall be comparatively much like what you see Collingwood, GWS and Richmond play.
“At this stage, I’m thinking I have all the people I need in the building and I don’t really need to bring anyone else.”
But inevitably, Hardwick, East and Evans had been requested about their potential curiosity in Martin.
“He’s a contracted player at Richmond,” Hardwick stated. “List management decisions will come in due course.”
Hardwick stated he had not spoken to Dew. The pair had been 2004 premiership teammates at Port Adelaide and labored collectively at Hawthorn.
“It’s very cut-throat, that’s the reality of the situation,” Hardwick stated.
“My time will come … this is the nature of the business we’re in.
“No apologies for that, it’s important to succeed.”
East said the club was delighted to secure Hardwick, who had coached the Tigers from 2009.
At the start of August, East and Evans flew to Milan, where Hardwick was holidaying, to complete the hiring process.
Asked when they had convinced him to join the Suns, Hardwick said “in all probability after entree”.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
