SOME people mellow with time – Damien Hardwick doesn't appear to be one of them.

The new Tigers coach forged a 207-game career, with premierships at two clubs, on the back of being one of the hardest and most ruthless defenders in the game, and he's bringing that to Punt Rd.

"If blokes aren't competitive, or they haven't got a strong determination to succeed, they won't be coming to this footy club."

That was one quote.

"I love the sides that I've been involved with, because they are tough and ruthless.

"At the end of the day, my number-one team rule is 'win the hard-ball when it's your turn'.

"If your players do that, you're a fair chance you're going to be on top more times than down below, so I hope to bring that to the Richmond footy club.

"But the players have got to find it with in themselves – if they're not competitive, I reckon they'll find themselves very quickly out the door."

That was another.

Club president Gary March said leadership and teaching ability were a couple of the things that impressed the selection panel about Hardwick, and the 37-year-old said he had strong ideas on what needed to be done.

"Every club I've gone to has had a great team-first culture, and that's something I believe very strongly in," he said.

"I know it's easy to say but it's not easy to live, but I think I can deliver a blueprint for success, that's going to take the Richmond Football Club to their 11th premiership in the not-too-distant future.

"I want to give the players every opportunity, when they come to this club, to strive to be better players.

"If a player is going to leave this club, I want them to say they've had every opportunity to improve as a player, and they've actually improved not only on-field but off-field.

"So from that point of view, if I improve the list 10 per cent every year, we're going to get to where we need to go relatively quickly."

Hardwick said the time was right for him to step up to a senior role.

"I just want to be a senior coach now – I think I'm ready to coach and I think I'm ready to lead.

"More importantly, I think it's an outstanding footy club just teetering on the edge.

"With the right culture we can strive for great things.

"There are some similar traits here as when I first arrived at Hawthorn, and there's no doubt that will hold me in good stead."

The Richmond fans are notoriously fickle and extreme, either loving or hating, but Hardwick said he expected them to get on board.

"I don't think you can harness passion," he said.

"Our supporters, they are a passionate bunch, they love the Richmond Football Club, and their hearts are in the right place.

"I think as long as we can show them a plan, a blueprint for success, then they'll be riding with us all the way.

"There's going to be some ups and downs, there's no doubt about that, but at the end of the day, if they can see the way we're headed, I think they'll be happy to come along for the ride."