Former Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has spoken publicly for the first time since his last day at Punt Road, revealing he is already missing coaching and sees himself stepping back into the landscape "at some stage".
Hardwick stood down from his role as senior coach of the Tigers last month after 307 games in charge of the Victorian powerhouse, which he led to three premierships between 2017 to 2020.
The decision came as a shock just 10 games into the 2023 season - Hardwick's 14th campaign at the helm. The Richmond mentor revealed he felt burnt out from his long stint in the role, deciding to go out on his own terms.
Hardwick's departure has opened the door for interim coach Andrew McQualter to take the reins on a caretaker basis for the rest of the year, with the man known as 'Mini' a live chance to be Hardwick's full-time successor at the club.
As the Tigers work through a process to find "the next Damien Hardwick", the champion coach himself will begin to weigh up his options later this year after travelling overseas to Europe in the coming weeks.
Just over a month after leaving Richmond, Hardwick spoke openly for the first time since stepping away from football on the Dyl and Friends Podcast, where he revealed he'll soon assess what the next challenge of his career will be.
The 50-year-old said he'll likely "step back in" to coaching in the future, but just how quickly that move comes remains to be seen.
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"I'd be lying if I said I couldn't see myself doing it," Hardwick said.
"I love it. I miss it. I've been out for two weeks and I wanted to miss it, but I need to decompress for a while, I need to go away. I need to reflect, figure out the things that make me good and the things that put me in dark places as well.
"I need a bit of time, but I just love the game. Like everyone, I've known it for a long time. I'll go overseas and I'll still watch the Tigers play and watch other games as much as I can
"At some stage I will probably step back in. When that is, I'm not too sure.
"... For me, a new challenge, and whatever that looks like, things are exciting like that. I just need some time to step away and rediscover what makes me good and what makes me bad and go from there. Reflection is the key."
Hardwick revealed he travelled up to Central Victoria to visit his parents Noel and Pam to make sure they were the first people to be made aware of his decision to leave Richmond after prior discussions with his partner.
The former Tigers boss said he was able to "go out at a time that felt right" and not be left "resenting" the club he loved.
"I went up and saw my folks. Alex, my partner, I had spoken to her about it. I had felt that way for a number of weeks," he said.
"I went and saw my old man. They're at a hobby farm up in Tallarook and I went up there and surprised them. I didn't tell them I was coming.
"I spoke to him about what I was thinking and what I was feeling. Obviously, it's been a big part of their life as well.
"He could understand it was a really, really challenging job. I was very fortunate to do what I do, but the time was right to leave the footy club.
"They're in a really good spot. Got some really good coaches and terrific players, but I feel like I had my time and I spoke to my Dad through that process.
"What they had done for me to help me achieve my goals, I thought it was important to tell them first and get their opinion. They'll always support anything I do. I'm just happy that I'll go out at a time that felt right.
"I wanted to go out feeling great about what I had achieved at the club I had been at rather than resenting the club. I had seen a lot of other coaches go out that way."
Hardwick, who managed three wins with the Tigers across 10 games in 2023 before resigning, said he faced challenges that 'started to evolve' at Richmond when he began to farewell a host of players that had enjoyed decorated careers under his watch.
With premiership players calling time on their careers through recent seasons, Hardwick noted he was left in an "emotional state" through the final moments of his time at the club.
"I look back to when I first started in 2010, and you form this journey and go through this journey with these players. And then all of a sudden those players you've worked so hard with and have such great relationships with leave," Hardwick said.ย
"I've seen guys get married, have kids and you become part of their family. Then all of a sudden Shane Edwards retires, Chris Newman retires, Kane Lambert retires and you start to feel a little bit of a void.
"Don't get me wrong, there's players that come into the football club as well, but the journey is different and that's when the challenges start to evolve.
"I started to get really emotional through the back end of my career as coach of Richmond. All the players I've loved and have broken bones for me are now starting to leave. Every retirement speech I was getting more emotional as it was getting on.
"It became harder and harder to see those guys go. Not that I didn't love the players that were coming in as much, but the fact of the matter is it's just really, really challenging. That emotional turmoil and having that emotional state and seeing those players dissipate along the way became really, really hard.
"I thought I was coaching well, but I wasn't coping as well as I would've liked with that change."
The champion coach is now looking forward to more time away from the toll that is coaching, however life after Richmond has challenges of its own, says Hardwick.
The Essendon and Port Adelaide premiership player said he had struggled to relax and become accustomed to his new lifestyle.
"All of a sudden footy was such a big part of my life, it almost defined me," he said.
"It was a real challenge after the first couple of days about getting back to some form of normality and what that looks like for me.
"It's been a bit challenging learning how to relax and I think it's something I've become better at, but also I need to find what my next purpose is moving forward and getting my teeth stuck into something, otherwise I'll drive myself insane."
The fullย Dyl and Friendsย interview can be streamed here.
