Richmond Football Club CEO Brendon Gale has made it vehemently clear that Damien Hardwick will be handed a new contract.
The premiership-winning coach is under contract with the Tigers until the end of the 2018 season but there is no doubt in the mind of Gale that he will be a fixture at Punt Road beyond this year.
“This is his last year, we want him to coach beyond 2018,” said Gale on SEN Afternoons.
“What that looks like? We’re working through. When we resolve that? We don’t have a timeframe.
“But now, our belief has been validated. It’s very hard to win premierships at Richmond.
“It’s a very tough environment to manage and coach so our confidence in him has been vindicated, and I think he just keeps growing.
“Having experienced 2016 has made Damien a much more accomplished coach, and (he has) so much more self-knowledge.”
Richmond will meet Essendon in Wangaratta on Saturday in the JLT Community Series.
They kick off the 2018 AFL season by unfurling their 2017 premiership flag against traditional rivals Carlton on Thursday, March 22.