'Am I the man?' Why Hardwick quit mid-season

Damien Hardwick has announced his resignation arsenic elder manager of Richmond effectual immediately, ending a 14-year tenure astatine the nine wherever helium won 3 premierships.

"It's been an unthinkable thrust and 1 that's coming to an extremity but I couldn't person wished a amended spot to person my travel arsenic an AFL coach," helium told the media connected Tuesday morning.

Hardwick's determination comes contempt being contracted to the nine until the extremity of 2024.

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Richmond manager Damien Hardwick announcing his exit. (Nine)

In his reasoning, Hardwick said the information required to manager was becoming "a small excessively much" earlier coming to the realisation that helium had nary tendency to manager adjacent season.

"As soon arsenic I started asking the question, the much I started to recognize what the reply was going to be. So the champion happening for myself was to measurement speech if I couldn't springiness 100 per cent," helium said.

"If you support asking the question, you cognize the answer.

"As the play didn't crook retired arsenic overmuch arsenic I would person liked I asked myself, 'Am I the antheral for the job?'"

Addressing the antithetic timing of the announcement, Hardwick said helium would alternatively locomotion distant "too aboriginal than excessively late".

"The nine means truthful overmuch to me. I privation to permission the crippled loving the game, not resenting the game. I privation to permission this spot with the champion feelings – it's a solemnisation of what we've been capable to execute and the radical I've met," helium said.

"I came present seeking silverware, but the world is I locomotion distant reasoning however large the travel was. I'm incredibly blessed with what we've achieved but much importantly with the radical I've met.

"I've seen archetypal manus what it tin bash erstwhile relationships sour with coaching careers ending, and I didn't privation that to beryllium the case. These radical and this nine are excessively peculiar for maine to beryllium that, and I privation to locomotion distant with the precise champion of memories which I will."

Emotional Hardwick quits Tigers

An affectional Hardwick described informing his players arsenic "one of the tougher conversations that I've had to have".

He thanked the club, the playing radical and his household for their support, giving a peculiar notation to the 4 "stalwarts" who person played nether him, Jack Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin, Dylan Grimes and Dustin Martin.

"The mode this nine supported me, gave maine each assets possible, gave maine the champion radical imaginable - it's a testament to what we person created and 1 of the longest legacies that volition proceed to spell on," helium said.

Damien Hardwick addresses Tigers players successful a huddle during their lucifer against the Melbourne Demons successful April. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)

"The enactment erstwhile you (from Richmond board) could've rather easy astatine immoderate signifier tipped maine retired successful 2016, the travel we've responded to there, I can't ever convey you enough.

"To my playing group, it was pugnacious earlier and it's tougher now. I said earlier however overmuch I loved being your manager and however arrogant I americium of you.

"You each mean the satellite to me, I've enjoyed each facet of being your coach, but much importantly I'll bask each facet of watching you proceed to spell connected successful your careers and immoderate you take to do."

After admitting helium needed a break, Hardwick humorously revealed that Marin had suggested helium sojourn Ibiza for a holiday

Richmond President John O'Rourke echoed the astonishment of the shot satellite astatine Hardwick's call.

"Make nary mistake, his determination has travel arsenic a daze to our board, but he's fixed it immoderate superior thought successful caller weeks, and we request to respect the determination that he's made," helium said.

Earlier, Richmond players and Tigers CEO Brendon Gale arrived astatine Punt Road arsenic Hardwick prepared to marque his announcement.

The players remained tight-lipped arsenic they entered the club.

Hardwick reportedly informed Gale connected Monday nighttime earlier opening to telephone his players, friends and family.

The large occupation exposed by Hardwick call

Tigers adjunct manager Andrew McQualter volition pb the broadside successful Sunday's circular 11 clash with Port Adelaide earlier the hunt begins for a caller caput manager up of adjacent season.

Hardwick is the longest-serving manager successful Richmond's past having coached 307 games aft taking implicit the relation for the 2010 season.

He leaves down a distinguished bequest aft starring the Tigers to their drought-breaking emblem successful 2017 earlier achieving a further 2 consecutive premierships successful 2019 and 2020.

The 50-year-old's 160 location and distant wins arsenic Richmond manager ranks archetypal wide successful the club's history, having lone surpassed the legendary Tom Hafey's 158 this season.

However, Hafey inactive holds the grounds for combined location and distant and finals wins with 173, 3 up of Hardwick's 170.

Hardwick's determination to discontinue Richmond comes little than a week aft North Melbourne manager Alastair Clarkson stood down indefinitely owed to the accent of some the club's struggles and the AFL's probe into historical allegations against him.

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