Damien Hardwick has confirmed his departure from the Richmond Football Club, effective immediately.
The three-time premiership coach has decided to resign from his role as the club’s head coach after more than 13 years at the helm.
Hardwick has revealed his reasons for walking away despite being under contract until 2024.
He said he had an inkling 2023 would be his last season but he opted to fast-track his exit after constantly asking himself if he was the right man for the job.
“As a coach you’re always questioning yourself, it’s a lonely job,” he said at his press conference.
“It’s a great, job don’t get me wrong, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I received but it is challenging at various stages.
“It becomes more apparent when you’ve had more success that the losses become harder.
“I had a fair indication at the start of the year that I would like this to be my last year and then when the season probably didn’t turn out as much as I would have liked, I started to ask myself the question about, ‘Well, am I the right man for the job?’
“I kept asking myself the question more and more and if you keep asking yourself the question, you know the answer.
“I had some conversations with some really key people around me just to make sure that I was in the right frame of mind to make that decision. It became apparent about two weeks ago that the time was about right.
“In all honesty, I’d rather leave too early than too late. The club means so much to me and I want to make sure that I leave the game loving the game, not resenting the game.
“Also I want to make sure that I leave this place just with the best feelings. It’s a celebration of what we’ve been able to achieve but more importantly a celebration of the people I’ve been able to meet.
“I came here seeking silverware, but the reality is I walk away thinking how much the journey was and how great the journey was.
“I walk away incredibly happy about what we’ve achieved but more importantly the people I’ve met.”
Hardwick said he will not coach for one final time against Port Adelaide at the MCG this Sunday, with assistant Andrew McQualter set to take over as interim coach for the remainder of 2023.
“It’s sort of not me to give a send off,” he added.
“I’ve had an incredible journey and I just think it’s time to step away. I’m actually looking forward to sitting down with my kids, to sit there and see what it’s like.
“I just thought once I committed to stepping aside it would be not the right thing to do for me. I couldn’t quite possibly give as much as I’d like to.
“It’s a really important game for our footy club. I still firmly believe that this club is in place to challenge. Many people will look at that, but I know the list here and I know the people here and it’s much bigger than one man.
“What we’ve got is a really capable playing list capable of doing great things.”
Hardwick leaves Punt Road as the club’s longest-serving coach (307 games) with a winning percentage of 56, but more importantly he ended a 37-year premiership drought when the Tigers were triumphant in 2017.
Add the 2019 and 2020 premierships and Hardwick leaves Richmond with one of the more enviable CVs in the game and indeed in the history of the club.