- Sep 5, 2017
- 260
- 884
- AFL Club
- Richmond
Richmond have signed three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick to a long-term extension on the eve of the 2021 season.
Sources close to negotiations have indicated to The Age that Hardwick – who has led Richmond to three premerships in the last four seasons – has agreed to a three-year extension on top of the year he had left.
It means Hardwick will be senior coach at Punt Road until the end of 2024.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and CEO Brendon Gale.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES
The decision will be ratified by the Richmond board on Tuesday afternoon.
The news will come as a huge boost for both Hardwick and the Tigers, who face Carlton in Thursday night’s season opener at the MCG, where the club will unfurl not one but two premiership flags.
The 2019 flag will accompany last year’s, given the 2020 season opener was played behind closed doors due to the impact of COVID-19.
The club had begun discussions with Hardwick and his management at the end of last season, which culminated in yet another famous premiership victory.
Richmond have staunchly defended Hardwick since the coach admitted to being in a relationship with a staff member in January.
Club boss Brendon Gale, President Peggy O’Neal and the rest of the board decided to tick off on the relationship, taking the view that the staffer, a member of their commercial sales team, did not work in football and that the relationship did not violate club policy.
Several senior players, including vice captain Jack Riewoldt, have been publicly adamant that the situation would not impact the playing group.
Hardwick had previously signed a three-year contract extension during the 2018 season
Sources close to negotiations have indicated to The Age that Hardwick – who has led Richmond to three premerships in the last four seasons – has agreed to a three-year extension on top of the year he had left.
It means Hardwick will be senior coach at Punt Road until the end of 2024.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and CEO Brendon Gale.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES
The decision will be ratified by the Richmond board on Tuesday afternoon.
The news will come as a huge boost for both Hardwick and the Tigers, who face Carlton in Thursday night’s season opener at the MCG, where the club will unfurl not one but two premiership flags.
The 2019 flag will accompany last year’s, given the 2020 season opener was played behind closed doors due to the impact of COVID-19.
The club had begun discussions with Hardwick and his management at the end of last season, which culminated in yet another famous premiership victory.
Richmond have staunchly defended Hardwick since the coach admitted to being in a relationship with a staff member in January.
Club boss Brendon Gale, President Peggy O’Neal and the rest of the board decided to tick off on the relationship, taking the view that the staffer, a member of their commercial sales team, did not work in football and that the relationship did not violate club policy.
Several senior players, including vice captain Jack Riewoldt, have been publicly adamant that the situation would not impact the playing group.
Hardwick had previously signed a three-year contract extension during the 2018 season
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