Damien Hardwick
Damien Patrick Hardwick (born 18 August 1972) is a current Australian rules football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League. He is the former senior coach of the Richmond Football Club, serving in the role between 2010 and mid-2023 inclusive and winning three premierships.
| Damien Hardwick | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hardwick in February 2020 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Damien Patrick Hardwick | ||
| Nickname(s) | Dimma | ||
| Date of birth | 18 August 1972 | ||
| Original team(s) | North Melbourne U19's/Springvale F.C | ||
| Draft | No. 87, 1992 national draft | ||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Wingman/Defender | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1993–2001 | Essendon | 153 (13) | |
| 2002–2004 | Port Adelaide | 54 (1) | |
| Total | 207 (14) | ||
| Coaching career3 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 2010–2023 | Richmond | 307 (170–131–6) | |
| 2024– | Gold Coast | 4 (2–2–0) | |
| Club total |
| 311 (172–133–6) | |
2020 |
Representative Victoria |
1 (1–0–0) | |
| Total | 309 (172–131–6) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2004. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of round 4, 2024. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
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Playing
Coaching
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Hardwick played 207 AFL games as a defender, comprising 153 games for Essendon (1993–2001) and 54 games for Port Adelaide (2002–2004). He won premierships with each club, in 2000 and 2004 respectively.
Hardwick was appointed head coach of Richmond at the end of the 2009 season, in which the club had placed second-last. In 2013, Hardwick's fourth season in charge, Richmond returned to the finals after an eleven-year absence, and in 2017 they defeated Adelaide in the Grand Final to claim their first premiership since 1980. Hardwick also coached Richmond to the 2019 and 2020 premierships and is the longest-tenured coach in the club's history.