1. Damien Patrick Hardwick was born on 18 August 1972 and 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.
28 Facts About Damien Hardwick
1. 2.
Damien Hardwick is the former senior coach of the Richmond Football Club, serving in the role between 2010 and mid-2023 inclusive and winning three premierships.
3.
Damien Hardwick won premierships with each club, in 2000 and 2004 respectively.
4.
Damien Hardwick was appointed head coach of Richmond at the end of the 2009 season, in which the club had placed second-last.
5.
Damien Hardwick coached Richmond to the 2019 and 2020 premierships and is the longest-tenured coach in the club's history.
6.
Damien Hardwick was a key player in the school's football side, which was highly competitive against other private schools in the EIS sports program.
7.
In football, Damien Hardwick was usually on the field for most of the game and known to be a tough, hard working, and versatile player who kept stability in play for his side.
8.
Damien Hardwick was a crucial member of Essendon's 2000 premiership side.
9.
Damien Hardwick played for Essendon from 1994 until 2001 for a total of 153 games and 13 goals.
10.
Damien Hardwick was traded from Essendon to the Port Adelaide Football Club at the end of the 2001 season, and played with the side from 2002 until his retirement at the end of the 2004 season for a total of 54 games and one goal.
11.
Damien Hardwick was part of Port's premiership win in 2004.
12.
In 2005, Damien Hardwick began working as an assistant coach under senior coach Alastair Clarkson at Hawthorn.
13.
Damien Hardwick replaced Richmond Football Club caretaker senior coach Jade Rawlings, who replaced Terry Wallace, after Wallace resigned during the middle of the 2009 season, when the Tigers were struggling.
14.
In March 2012, Damien Hardwick agreed to a two-year contract extension.
15.
On 11 December 2013, club president, Peggy O'Neal, announced that Damien Hardwick had accepted a two-year contract extension that tied him to the club at least until the end of the 2016 season.
16.
In 2016, Damien Hardwick agreed to a two-year contract extension to the end of the 2018 season.
17.
In 2017, Damien Hardwick coached Richmond to their first premiership since 1980 and their 11th overall with a 48-point victory over the Adelaide Crows.
18.
In 2019, Damien Hardwick coached Richmond to another premiership and their 12th overall.
19.
In 2020, Damien Hardwick coached Richmond to their third premiership in four years, and 13th overall.
20.
Damien Hardwick coached the Victoria State of Origin side in the one-off 2020 State of Origin match that was played on 28 February 2020 at Marvel Stadium.
21.
Damien Hardwick began the 2015 season under pressure to make amends for their past two failed Elimination Finals.
22.
Richmond came up against North Melbourne in the Elimination Final, but failed and Damien Hardwick's team suffered their third consecutive first week finals exit.
23.
Damien Hardwick joined a very small group to win three AFL premierships with three clubs as player and coach, ending Richmond's 37 Year drought in the process.
24.
Damien Hardwick was heavily featured in the Prime Video web-series Making Their Mark which documented the 2020 AFL season.
25.
On 22 May 2023, Damien Hardwick unexpectedly announced his immediate resignation from his role as senior coach of the Richmond Football Club, mid-season after Round 10,2023.
26.
Damien Hardwick was then replaced by assistant coach Andrew McQualter as caretaker senior coach of Richmond Football Club for the remainder of the 2023 season.
27.
On 21 August 2023, Damien Hardwick was announced as the senior coach of the Gold Coast Suns on a six-year contract, starting from the 2024 season.
28.
Damien Hardwick replaced Gold Coast Suns caretaker senior coach Steven King, who replaced Stuart Dew after Dew was sacked in the middle of the 2023 season.