Damien Hardwick

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**Damien Hardwick**
Personal information

Birth	August 18, 1972 (1972-08-18) (age 35),
Recruited from	Upwey-Tecoma
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 5, April 23, 1994, Essendon vs. Collingwood, at MCG
Team(s)	Essendon (1994-2001) 153 games, 13 goals Port Adelaide (2002-2004) 54 games, 1 goal
¹ Statistics to end of 2005 season
Career highlights
Essendon Best and Fairest 1998 Essendon premiership side 2000 All-Australian 2000 International rules series 2000, 2001 Port Adelaide premiership side 2004

Damien Patrick Hardwick (born August 18, 1972) is a former Australian rules footballer.

Beginning his career with the Essendon Football Club in 1994, Hardwick was known as a tough, solid defender. His aggressive nature sometimes got him into trouble at the AFL Tribunal. He was a crucial part of Essendon's 2000 premiership side.

He moved from Essendon to the Port Adelaide Football Club and played with the side in the twilight of his career, until his retirement in 2004.

He played a big part in Port's premiership win of 2004, his niggly role in the Grand Final invaluable as he won 3 free kicks at crucial times, including a reversal against Jason Akermanis which cost the incensed Lion a shot at goal.

Since 2005 Hardwick has been working as an assistant coach under Alistair Clarkson at Hawthorn.

In 2007 Hardwick was shortlisted for the senior coaching job at Melbourne Football Club, however he was unsuccessful, with the position going to Dean Bailey. Following this application he was also shortlisted for the senior coaching job at Essendon Football Club to replace the outgoing Kevin Sheedy however he was overlooked in favour of former Richmond captain Matthew Knights.

Attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.

v • d • e Essendon Bombers squad – 2000 AFL Premiers (16th Title)

Captain: Hird \| Alessio \| Barnard \| Barnes \| Bewick \| Blumfield \| Caracella \| Fletcher \| Hardwick \| Heffernan \| J.Johnson \| M.Johnson \| Lloyd \| Long \| Lucas \| Mercuri \| Misiti \| Moorcroft \| Ramanauskas \| Solomon \| Wallis \| Wellman Coach: Sheedy

v • d • e Port Adelaide Power squad – 2004 AFL Premiers (1st Title)

Captain: Tredrea \| Bishop \| Brogan \| P.Burgoyne \| S.Burgoyne \| Carr \| Cassisi \| C.Cornes \| K.Cornes \| Dew \| Hardwick \| James \| Kingsley \| Lade \| Mahoney \| Montgomery \| Pickett \| Schofield \| Thurstans \| Wakelin \| Wanganeen \| Wilson Coach: Williams

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