Damien Hardwick's 'fatal mistake': Emotional Tigers coach explains role Last Dance doco played in shock exit

Richmond’s longest-serving coach Damien Hardwick has told a packed media conference exactly why he’s decided to walk away after three premierships.

He has resigned, effective immediately, after 14 seasons rebuilding the AFL club into a premiership force.

Hardwick became emotional when he thanked the club, the staff and the players for their support.

“It’s been an incredible ride and one that’s coming to an end but I couldn’t have wished a better place to have my journey as an AFL coach and the support I’ve received from not only the Richmond Football Club full stop, but the fans and their players,” he said.

“That was one of the more tougher conversations I’ve had to do.

“The way this club supported me, gave me every resource possible, gave me the best people possible. It’s a testament to what I think we’ve created.

“And one of the longest legacies that will continue to go on.

“The man beside me to my left (Richmond CEO Brendon Gale) obviously started a couple of days prior to me (in 2009) but he’s been enormous on my journey and I can’t thank you Brendon enough for what you’ve done for me and my family.

“To John O’Rourke and the board and Peggy O’Neal and Gary March before, the support when you could have quite easily at any stage probably tipped me out in 2016, the journey that we’ve responded to there, I cannot thank you enough.

“To my playing group, God it was tough before, it’s tougher now. I spoke to you before about how much I love being your coach and how proud I am of you the view and the three stalwarts that were here from the start, or the four I think it is, in Jack (Riewoldt), Trent (Cotchin), Dylan (Grimes) and Dustin (Martin) – you all mean the world to me and I’ve enjoyed every aspect of being a coach but more importantly I’ll enjoy every aspect of watching you continue to go on in your careers and whatever you choose to do.

“To my family in the front row. It’s been a hell of a journey. And my kids have had half their life as Richmond people and you’ve had the good half compared to a lot of other people.

“The support I’ve been given from mom and dad from when I was a young kid, at that point in time, even through my career and obviously now at Richmond, your support has been unwavering. And you’ve always been there for a pat on the back or a kick in the bum, whatever it is and to Danielle and the kids, I’m forever grateful for what you’ve given me and the support you’ve given me.

“I’d just like to thank once again, the Richmond Football Club for for what they’ve given me. The opportunity that presented itself and it’s a wonderful place.

“I’d also like to thank your fans. You know, it’s a tough gig being an AFL senior coach, but the support I think I’ve received from the majority of people has been absolutely outstanding and will forever go down as one of the great things that I’ve ever been in.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in a lot of footy clubs but by far the Richmond Football Club has been the love of my life so I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“To the AFL. It’s an outstanding industry we’re in. The game itself is in great shape. It’s so even, it’s so challenging and I think that’s the way we want it to be and it just all became a little bit too much to me. It was one of those ones where I sort of made the decision that I wasn’t going to be the coach of Richmond next year.

“I made the fatal mistake of watching ‘The Last Dance’ and thought what may have been, but once I decided that part of the equation started to slip away, then I started to question myself about what it was like to coach Richmond and as soon as I started asking the question more, I started to understand what the answer was going to be.

“So the best thing for myself was to step aside. If I couldn’t give 100% there was no way I was going to coach this footy club.”

“That gives the club the greatest opportunity to find the next coach and I wish Andrew and the assistants all the very best. But if I couldn’t give this playing group, this club, these people beside me the very best of Damian Hardwick, I wasn’t prepared to see say it out.

“So it was a tough decision. From the bottom of my heart, boys, I wish you all the very best. I’m going to miss you. As always, I love you to death and all the people who have supported me and been part of my journey, I thank you. I applaud you and I wish you all the very best for your future endeavours. And that’ll do me. See you tomorrow.”

After his initial thoughts Hardwick faced questions on his time at the club, including being asked to sum up his legacy.

“That is a good question. I wanted to create an environment where the players would walk in with a smile and regardless of the outcome would walk out with one. I hope I achieved that.

“Some of it was through the ability for me to make my energy, and the players to feed off that and some of it was from my bad jokes.

“I sit there and hope they have learned some life lessons off me, but I reckon I have learned more life lessons off my playing group than than they have learned off me.

“It has been been an incredible story. One last story before I go. I rang the great Jack Riewoldt and I sort of said, ‘mate, are you available to catch up’. Of course Jack made it all about him – he thought I was going to talk about him. I said, no ‘no, mate, this isn’t about you for once in your life’. He will be deeply embarrassed about that but that just sums up Jack to be fair.”

Hardwick said being an AFL: coach came with enormous pressure.

“It is incredibly hard but it is also rewarding at the same time. It is like a grieving period after every loss,”he said.

“I have got a lot better at managing it, trust me – but before that you go into this cave and you sit there and try to get out.

“Me and Clarko used to laugh about it all the time, we used to ring each other, ‘are you out of that cave yet?’.

“There are times where you feel yourself go into the dark place where you don’t have to go all the time. You probably find out more about yourself when things aren’t going well.”

But, he added, “There is not a better place to be when things aren’t going well than a footy club. There is so much care and love in the place to be a pleasure to be part of.”