Alastair Clarkson will return to Melbourne following North Melbourne’s clash with Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday on a separate flight to the Kangaroos.
The AFL had booked a shared charter flight to return both teams to Victoria on Sunday, but speaking in the lead-up to the match against his former team, Clarkson confirmed he would be on a separate plane, citing the ongoing Hawks racism investigation in which he is a central figure as his primary reason.
“Given the investigation that I’m embroiled in with Hawthorn, I don’t think it’s a great idea that we’d be sitting on a plane together,” Clarkson told media on Thursday.
“It’s only because of COVID that all of a sudden this [teams sharing a flight] is a great idea.
“We actually said for a long period of time we don’t think the races should be together anymore, just because of the emotion of what might happen when two teams come off at half time and at the end of the game – so let’s separate them.
“Yet after the game, it’s OK to put two teams on a plane. I don’t reckon it’s smart, and I don’t think it is particularly smart given what’s going on with me at the present time that I jump on that plane.
“I spoke to the club earlier in the week – I don’t think it’s fair on anyone from within Hawthorn, I don’t think it’s fair on anyone from within North Melbourne to have to subject themselves to that.
“If I’m sort of the central figure in that then it just takes all the fizz out of it altogether.”
The news comes amid speculation of a rift between Clarkson and Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, who replaced Clarkson at the helm at the end of 2021 in an ugly coaching handover.
The pair won four premierships together at the Hawks, including as coach and captain in 2008, but at present have ‘no great relationship’, according to football journalist Damian Barrett.
“There is no great relationship to speak of — that’s not a secret,” Barrett said on Nine’s Footy Classified.
“They’re not even deciding to actually promote this game. They’re doing press conferences 10 minutes apart at separate venues.”
Clarkson’s Kangaroos are out for an unexpected third consecutive win to start the season against the Hawks, which woul see them remarkably exceed their entire win tally for 2022.
Alastair Clarkson and Sam Mitchell celebrate with the 2008 AFL premiership cup. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
For the first time in months, the Hawthorn racism investigation has inched closer to a resolution, with mediation reportedly offered to all parties concerned in a bid to end the current stalemate.
Little progress has been made since shocking allegations of racism were made against current North Melbourne and Brisbane coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan during their time at the Hawks, as well as then-player development manager Jason Burt, in September 2022.
According to a report by the Herald Sun, Clarkson, Fagan and Burt, as well as the Indigenous players at the centre of the allegations and their partners and the members of an AFL-appointed independent panel to investigate the claims, have all been invited to a lawyer-free mediation session.
However, it is doubtful whether the proposal will be enough to change anything, with Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson expressing doubt Clarkson and Fagan would be willing to attend without legal counsel.
“That [mediation] sounds fantastic as we sit here and talk about it,” Robinson said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Wednesday night.
“But I don’t know if that’s going to happen because Alastair Clarkson might just say no. If he says no, well, this is going to go on for a long, long time.”
Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan at a Hawthorn training session in 2016. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Former Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis has offered a staunch defence of four-time premiership teammate and current Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, amid their dire start to the 2023 season.
The Hawks sit last on the ladder with a percentage of just 42.1 after crushing losses to Essendon and Sydney, having headed into the year off the back of a radical list cull at the end of 2022 which saw veterans Tom Mitchell, Jaeger O’Meara and Jack Gunston all depart the club.
However, speaking on AFL 360, Lewis described the accusations of tanking levelled at Mitchell as ‘offensive’.
“I will always stand up for Sam Mitchell because I believe in what he’s done for this football club,” he said.
“People will comment about how deep do you cut this list – I think it needed to happen. I don’t think they’re a better team right now with O’Meara or Mitchell in it… because it’s denying kids the opportunity to progress.”
Lewis also praised Mitchell for his selflessness in setting the Hawks up for future success, saying his coaching future could be jeopardised by his desire to prepare the team for years down the track.
“I hope he’s there to see the fruits of the risk he’s taking right now – he’s effectively taken a bullet for right now to be progressively better in three to five years,” Lewis said.
“There will come a time where he’ll be challenged and his position will be challenged. If he can withstand that period of time, like [Richmond three-time premiership coach Damien] Hardwick did and like [Hawthorn four-time premiership coach Alastair] Clarkson did, then he’ll hopefully get over the hill and see the rewards.
“I really admire what he’s doing, but to say that he’s tanking or deliberately losing, I think that’s offensive.”
However, Mitchell has also been heavily criticised for the game style he is attempting to implement at the Hawks, with league analyst and former North Melbourne player David King arguing his plan is ‘years ahead of where they’re at’.
“The hunt for corridor… that sort of kick doesn’t work. It doesn’t work in modern footy, it hasn’t worked for some time – that little dinky kick into the corridor.
“They’re 18th in the competition for giving up scores on turnover, and that’s why… I challenge the coach to get the corridor out of the game. They’ve come out of the defensive 50 15 times through the corridor, and haven’t scored once.
“That is not giving your players the best opportunity for success.”
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
AFL legend Matthew Richardson has questioned clubs’ bans on AFLW icon Daisy Pearce entering their changerooms after matches.
Brisbane have become the latest team to deny access to Pearce, who is employed by Channel 7 but also as an assistant coach at Geelong, for their Thursday night match against the Western Bulldogs. Richmond also banned Pearce from their rooms following their Round 1 draw with Carlton.
Speaking on 3AW, Richardson, who also works on Channel 7, said the ban was ‘over the top’, pointing out that other AFL figures with links to clubs have never been denied access before.
“Luke Darcy is the footy director at the Bulldogs, Jimmy Bartel is on the board at the Giants,” Richardson said of fellow media presenters who have been permitted behind-the-scenes access before.
“I don’t quite understand this one. I think it’s a bit over the top, to be honest.
“I do a podcast [at Richmond] – I don’t work in the footy department, but I could go down into the football department, which I don’t do.
“I don’t see why Daisy is being singled out here… there have always been people with dual roles in this business, whether you think it’s right or not.
“There have been plenty of media performers over the years that have also had roles at footy clubs, there’s plenty doing it now as we speak.”
Daisy Pearce in action. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Richardson also dismissed arguments Pearce could be privy to game plan information she could then pass back to the Cats.
“We’re generally down the other end of the rooms,” he said.
“You’re at a desk, you’re getting a couple of players up to have a nice ‘Dorothy Dixer’-type interview about how good the night was.
“You’re in the winning rooms, so it’s all about positivity, it’s all about what’s happened out on the ground and having a bit of fun with the players as well.
“I don’t possibly see how you could be finding out anything that could help the footy club that you may work for during the week.
“Let me stress, as the host broadcaster, we are going nowhere near the coaches’ rooms where there is maybe stuff written up on the wall, information that you don’t want to get out.”
Collingwood ruckman Mason Cox will miss the AFL blockbuster against Richmond at the MCG after complications with a rib injury.
Cox damaged the area during the Magpies’ round-two win over Port Adelaide, with the club initially believing it was just bruising.
However further investigation revealed a haematoma, which could sideline the 32-year-old for a number of weeks depending on the result of further scans.
“I’ve had better days, so [I’m] out for the Friday match against Richmond,” Cox told KIIS 101.1’s Jase & Lauren on Thursday.
“It is essentially a bit of bruising inside the rib area and a bit of internal bleeding.
“I went in [to hospital] yesterday and got scans and blood drawn. It has been a big 24 hours.”
While he will definitely miss Friday’s clash with the Tigers, Cox hopes to be back in action in time for the ANZAC Day clash with Essendon.
“My parents are coming to town [for the Essendon match], so I’m hoping I can make that one,” he said.
“That’s the one I definitely want to be there for but it is up to the doctors.”
Collingwood’s General Manager of Football Graham Wright said in a statement: “Mason’s health is our priority here – he will now undertake further scans before we determine a timeline for his return.”
(AAP)
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