North Melbourne says incoming coach Alastair Clarkson will delay the start of his tenure at the club while the AFL investigates allegations regarding Hawthorn’s treatment of First Nations players.
Key points:
- Clarkson was due to start with the Kangaroos on November 1
- Chris Fagan has taken a leave of absence at the Brisbane Lions
- Hawthorn says the allegations are “extremely disturbing”
Clarkson — along with Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan and former Hawks player development manager Jason Burt — was named in an external review commissioned by Hawthorn into the treatment of First Nations players at the club.
The review document was handed to Hawthorn’s senior management two weeks ago and is now with the AFL integrity unit.
Clarkson coached Hawthorn from 2005 to 2021.
“The North Melbourne Football Club is aware of serious historical allegations made against individuals who worked at the Hawthorn Football Club, including incoming North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson,” a North Melbourne statement read.
“The issues raised are now with the AFL’s integrity unit and Alastair welcomes the opportunity to co-operate with any investigation relating to the claims.
“Alastair was due to commence work with North Melbourne on November 1, however he will delay the start of his tenure to allow time to fully participate in the investigation.
“Given the matters raised are confidential and the investigation is ongoing, the club will not provide any further comment at this time.”
According to the families of three players interviewed by ABC Sport, the incidents at the center of the review allegedly took place during Clarkson’s time as head coach.
Fagan — who is now taking a leave of absence from the Lions while the AFL investigates the report — was an assistant coach at Hawthorn at the time.
The Brisbane Lions released a statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming Fagan would co-operate with the AFL’s investigation.
“The Brisbane Lions are aware Senior Coach Chris Fagan will work with the AFL on an investigation into allegations concerning historical events at the Hawthorn Football Club, where he was a former employee,” the statement read.
“Chris supports and welcomes the investigation.
“He was not consulted during the Hawthorn sponsored review and looks forward to the opportunity to be heard as part of the AFL investigation.
“The Brisbane Lions and Chris have mutually agreed that he will take a leave of absence from the club so he can fully cooperate in the investigation.
“As the matters are now with the AFL Integrity Unit, the Brisbane Lions won’t make any further comment at this stage.”
‘Serious allegations’
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the allegations made in the external review would be “fully investigated”.
“These are serious allegations. It is important that we treat them appropriately while also ensuring a formal process provides support to those impacted and also natural justice to those people who are accused.
“This is a process that is appropriate, that is held independent of a normal AFL integrity department response.
“As such, we are appointing an external independent panel that will be made up of four people, led by an eminent King’s Council.
“The independent panel, that we will finalize over the next 24 hours, will be appropriately skilled, have the right mix of diversity and an approach that prioritizes cultural safety for all those who have shared their experiences.
“We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it and this is important, out of respect for those making the allegations and out of respect for those being accused.
“We need to provide natural justice and allow the process to go on, but we will seek to have the panel in place and work with the Hawthorn Football Club to develop the report of the players and partners involved to engage with them, to expedite it and not extend the trauma.”
Hawks responds to allegations
Hawthorn chief executive Justin Reeves described the allegations in the report as “extremely disturbing”.
“When you do open an investigation into some of your (Hawthorn) past, you never know what may emerge,” he said.
“You are always concerned but you are always interested and, if you go about it with the … we are doing it for the right reason and that it to make sure that our people, if required, get the support that they require.
“Then that is validated for me every day of the week.
“This process was initiated by the club and it was to speak purely to our First Nations past players and staff.
“We had no idea of what was to come out of those conversations. We didn’t speak to anyone outside of that group while the consultants didn’t speak to anyone outside of that group.”
Reeves said it was “hard to say” whether player safety was compromised in the pursuit of premierships.
“I wasn’t here at the time and I don’t want that to be a cop-out, but I think what happened — we can only act on what was produced in the report,” he said.
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