A recent review of Damien Hardwick’s performance left Richmond’s board of directors with no hesitation to extend the contract of the Tigers’ senior coach until the end of the 2016 season.

Richmond president Peggy O’Neal delivered the news of Hardwick’s two-year contract extension at the 2013 Annual General Meeting, which was held at the ME Bank Centre yesterday.

Hardwick still had one year to run on his existing contract, but the Club moved quickly to lengthen his stay at Tigerland.

“It wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction.  We had a full and thorough review of Damien’s performance over the last 12 months, as we do with all of our employees,” said Richmond’s CEO Brendon Gale.

Sign up as a member of the Tiger Army for the 2013 season

“Off the back of that, we just felt, given his attributes, that he’s the right man to take us forward.

“Once you form that view, you back your own judgement, and you make a decision.

“We’re pretty proud of him, and we think he has all the attributes required to be a successful senior coach.  We have to continue to support him.

Gale confirmed the view of the Club’s board that Hardwick had steered the Tigers to incremental improvement since 2010, and that the senior coach had displayed “managerial courage”.

“We’ve turned over 30 players off our primary list since 2009, which is number one in the AFL competition,” he said.

“Damien has developed a team and game plan for the long term, and hasn’t talked about quick fixes. I think we need to support the direction he’s taking the team.”