HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson says his assistant Damian Hardwick is ready to be a senior AFL coach and has given his blessing for him to chase senior jobs at Richmond and North Melbourne.

Clarkson said he was not sure where Hardwick stood in the plans for both clubs.

"I’m not privy to what discussions are being held with the Kangaroos and Richmond - only that he is still involved with those processes," Clarkson said.

"We’ve supported him all along. He’s been in our system for five years and our view is that he’s ready to coach senior football. It will be up to Richmond and the Kangaroos to determine whether that’s the case as well."

Clarkson said he would be happy to keep Hardwick at Hawthorn if he did not win a senior coaching role.

"If he goes then we’ll prepare some sort of contingency where we’ll replace him. If he happens to stay then we’ll be delighted. He’s still contracted to our club and he’d still play a very big role for us in years to come," he said.

Clarkson was an assistant coach at Port Adelaide while Hardwick was a player and was quick to bring him along as an assistant when he was appointed Hawthorn coach at the end of 2004.

"I’ve known him for a long, long period of time. We played footy together back in the days at North Melbourne," Clarkson said.

"He’s been a great contributor to this footy club and in actual fact every club he’s been at he has been a great contributor and has had success. I’d imagine he’d be a great candidate for any club as a senior coach."