Tigers part ways with leadership consultant Gerard Murphy

Fairfax Media understands several senior players agitated for change, having lost faith in Murphy's leadership style.

While both parties played down the significance of Murphy's abrupt departure, it is believed the club made the call on the Leading Teams co-founder after relationships broke down.

Richmond Football manager Dan Richardson brought Murphy to the Tigers after he famously rejuvenated the leadership group at Geelong that led the Cats to the 2007 premiership.

The club said Murphy left the Tigers to pursue other business interests and Murphy said it was a "mutual agreement" between him and the club, but the real circumstances surrounding his departure remain unclear.

He said it followed a meeting with club bosses at which both parties agreed to go their separate ways. Richardson would not elaborate, but said Murphy left "to pursue other business interests".

Since Murphy's departure in May, the club has been operating without a leadership consultant.

Coach Damian Hardwick takes part with various other club figures, playing semi-regular roles in the leadership meetings.

Club chief Brendon Gale attended Monday's leadership talks after the Tiger's season-ending loss to Port Adelaide on Friday night.

Given how cagey both parties have been regarding Murphy's mid-season departure, combined with the fact there has been no public announcement, it would suggest significant acrimony played a part.

Murphy has left Richmond halfway through a season that the club's on-field leadership and decision-making at crucial times have been widely criticised, with Trent Cotchin's captaincy raised on several occasions externally.

He arrived at Richmond at the end of 2014 as a leadership consultant following his success with Leading Teams at the Cats.

Murphy worked at Geelong for the 2007-08 seasons and was  seen as largely a huge success story.

Murphy's leadership style is seen as bullish and direct, and while his methods have been widely praised he has, at times, been seen as confrontational.

He was the co-founder of Leading Teams in Australia, a system that has been adopted by several teams in the AFL, originally being made famous by the likes of Sydney and Geelong.

Murphy has been utilised by several businesses outside of sport, including Telstra, Shell and Caterpillar, and was recently involved in the merger between Fairfax and Macquarie radio.

In an interview with Sportsday radio last year, Tiger Steve Morris gave an insight into the work Murphy had been doing with the group.

He praised Murphy's impact on the group.

"He's been fantastic for us, Gerard.  Just helping with our leadership team, with our development, how we can communicate better with one another.  With his

experience, he's just invaluable to us as a young, developing group," Morris said.