LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 09: Tigers head coach Damien Hardwick speaks to his players during the 2019 JLT Community Series AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Richmond Tigers at University of Tasmania Stadium on March 09, 2019 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
The AFL has confirmed that they will seek further information about Richmond coach Damien Hardwick's alleged comments made towards Williamstown player Darby Henderson over the weekend during the VFL clash between the two sides.
Despite both clubs believing the matter to be closed, the AFL released a statement on Monday afternoon that stated that they seek further clarification surrounding the incident.
"We are seeking some further information from Richmond in relation to an exchange between their senior coach and a Williamstown player during Saturday's VFL match," a league spokesperson said in a statement, via AFL.com.au.
The Tigers had released a statement in which they deemed that no further action would be taken.
Henderson labelled the incident as "a bit bizarre", but confirmed that the witness accounts reported from spectators "were spot on from memory" in terms of what had been said.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Henderson said he was unaware that it was the Richmond coach who was throwing the comments his way and that there are "no hard feelings" from the incident.
"I heard what was coming from above and didn't know who it was, then sort of looked up and saw that it was 'Dimma' (Hardwick)," he said.
"It was a bit of a weird one. It was just a bit strange...a bit bizarre.
"He was going pretty hard at me...it would have been for five or six minutes (from the incident) before I came off, so obviously he kept it in mind and he was waiting there.
"One of the support staff sort of started going back at him, but I just kept my mouth shut. He might have been having a fair bit to say to the support staff, too.
"I understand he was sticking up for one of his young players...it was probably in the heat of the moment, and I have no hard feelings."
The incident occurred during the first quarter of the matchup at Punt Road Oval, after an on-field altercation involving Henderson and Tiger Rhyan Mansell, with Hardwick allegedly calling the Williamstown players "weak f***ing p**ks" during the break.