AFL News: Fagan slams Hawks racism farce as legal action looms, Leppitsch's eye on Tigers, tribunal overturns two bans

Chris Fagan has blasted the Hawthorn racism investigation process as a farce, saying he is vindicated and would welcome the chance to test the bombshell claims in a public court.

The Brisbane Lions coach issued a strongly worded statement within minutes of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan announcing the independent inquiry into the allegations would end, following an agreement with six of the complainants.

But that only closes one chapter in the matter, with legal action now appearing certain and Hawthorn themselves set to come under AFL investigation for how they handled the initial claims.

After eight months of the inquiry making minimal progress, events moved quickly on Tuesday and the AFL called a snap media conference that evening to announce the end of the investigation.

Chris Fagan (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Fagan, Alastair Clarkson and Jason Burt were cleared of breaching AFL rules during their time at Hawthorn.

Fagan said the leaking of the initial allegations to the media, the AFL investigation and further media leaks were a “travesty of justice”.

While Fagan, Clarkson and Burt were not party to the agreement reached by six of the complainants, the AFL and the inquiry panel, the Lions coach said those matters are “fully justified”.

“I have always categorically denied all the allegations against me. The allegations are false. I am completely innocent,” he said.

“I am happy for any of my conduct and any documents to be aired publicly in a public court or proper public process and let someone impartial decide what is true and what is false.

“I have made no concessions. There are none to make … I have done nothing wrong.”

Fagan added he bore no ill will against the complainants.

“I am conscious this farce of a process cannot have been easy on those First Nations people who were complainants,” he said.

“Those whom I knew, I hold no grudges against and hold only a wish that whatever pain they are suffering can be healed over time.”

One question now is whether the AFL will take action against Hawthorn over their conduct.

McLachlan said the way Hawthorn handled the process when initial allegations were made put many parties involved in a “hugely vulnerable situation”.

Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett questioned “on what basis” the Hawks could be charged by the AFL.

Kennett said he has written to the AFL Commission asking them to finalise the process “very quickly”, saying he feared it could continue for an additional eight months.

“We did what we had to do,” Kennett told 3AW on Wednesday. “We got a complaint, we set in place a process to hear the stories from our Indigenous people. 

“Once we got the report, we realised what was contained in it, we gave it to integrity. 

“That is not acting against the interests of the AFL, that’s acting in the interest.”

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Hawthorn president Andrew Gowers held a media conference on Wednesday morning, reiterating that the club welcomed the AFL’s decision to end the inquiry.

Asked about the potential for AFL sanctions against Hawthorn, he said there are “a number of discussions” ongoing with the league.

“Of course we’d be extremely disappointed if this matter led to sanctions, including financial, but what I would say is we went into this process with the best of intentions. I don’t think anybody is questioning that,” he said.

Gowers added the Hawks went “by the book” by referring the report to the AFL integrity unit without speaking to Clarkson, Fagan and Burt first.

“It was also our expectation this would allow all parties to give their versions of events … the leaking of that work had a significant impact. It did not allow for a fair and just process,” he said.

The most serious of the accusations is that an Indigenous player was told to encourage his partner to have an abortion.

The Hawks saga started last year after former Indigenous star Cyril Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli publicly claimed they were treated poorly during their time at the club.

That prompted a Hawthorn review of current and former Indigenous players, which led to the bombshell racism claims being leaked to the media last September.

Leppitsch keeping eye on Tigers job

Justin Leppitsch insists he is committed to Collingwood but would not rule out an approach from Richmond to be Damien Hardwick’s successor.

The former Brisbane Lions coach instantly became a favourite to head back to Punt Rd after Hardwick’s shock decision last week to leave the Tigers after almost 14 seasons in charge.

Leppitsch had two successful stints working as an assistant at Richmond under Hardwick, including during the Tigers’ three premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

The 47-year-old has been an integral part of Collingwood’s coaching staff during the Magpies’ extraordinary surge up the ladder under Craig McRae.

“I guess I’m long enough now from my last appointment (at Brisbane) that I’m not burnt by the experience,” Leppitsch said on Wednesday. “But I think these things, it’s almost like a marriage, you’ve got to commit together for a long period of time. 

“It’s such a pie in the sky thing for me at the moment. I’m really committed to this club (Collingwood) and where it’s going and I’ve just started this journey, so for me, it’s not even on the radar.”

Leppitsch said he was “not ready” to answer if he would consider an approach from Richmond. “The difference is I know everyone at Richmond,” he said.

“(Richmond football performance manager) Tim Livingstone I speak to all the time because we do Powerball every Thursday night. It’s not like I need to go through an interview process. They might decide they want to go in a completely different way. 

Justin Leppitsch. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“I think it’s too early to decide, it’s such a long period of the season to go. You never say never because you never know if an opportunity presents and it suits where you’re at in your time in life, well why wouldn’t all of us take an opportunity like that if you want to do it.”

Leppitsch said Hardwick’s announcement to immediately leave Richmond surprised him.

“I always knew ‘Dimma’ was never going to overstay his welcome,” Leppitsch said.

“I definitely knew that part of it, but I didn’t think anyone would have predicted it would be so soon.

“At the time I was shocked, but in hindsight I think I can see why he made the decision – he made it for the club to give them the best chance.”

Leppitsch coached the Lions between 2014 and 2016 during a tough transformational period for the club, winning just 14 of his 66 matches in charge.

The triple premiership defender has previously given interviews where he acknowledged mistakes he made while coaching the Lions but said the environment wasn’t set up to give Brisbane the best chance to succeed.

Cerra, Laird overturn AFL bans, Parker not as lucky

Tom Hickey’s glorious locks received glowing praise as Carlton star Adam Cerra had his one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle overturned.

Adelaide’s Rory Laird was also successful in overturning his own dangerous tackle ban, but Sydney co-captain Luke Parker wasn’t as lucky on a marathon night at the AFL tribunal. 

Cerra was charged with rough conduct for his swivelling tackle on Hickey that resulted in the Swans ruckman being slammed back-first into the ground.

Hickey’s head whipped back and struck the turf after being brought down, but the Swans big man escaped a concussion.

The nature of Hickey’s long hair meant the action of his head hitting the ground was somewhat accentuated and it didn’t escape the attention of Cerra’s lawyer Peter O’Farrell.

“The hair on this particular player is an unhelpful distraction and we ask you not to be distracted by it,” he said.

Lisa Hannon, acting for the AFL, noted the “very fine hairdo”, but said there was other evidence that proved how dangerous the tackle was.

“I think if you look at that vision from many angles you won’t be for one second distracted by his hair upon seeing the impact as his head hits the ground,” she said.

Cerra argued he barely had a grip on Hickey and was off-balance as the Swans ruckman tried to barge through him.

“I was falling. This is a big guy coming through me,” Cerra said.

“I didn’t pin his arms. I didn’t get a grip in the tackle at all. The footage showed I had two fingers around his left tricep and the other arm around his back.

“I did not lift Hickey. I’m not in a position of strength to lift up a guy of that size.”

The tribunal panel, led by chairman Jeff Gleeson, found it wasn’t a dangerous tackle.

“Cerra only has a light grip on Hickey’s arms. They are not truly pinned,” Gleeson said.

“Hickey could use one or both of his arms.”

The result frees Cerra for Friday night’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG.

Laird is available for Adelaide’s encounter with Gold Coast on Saturday after successfully arguing he showed enough duty of care in his “slingy-looking’” tackle on Brisbane star Lachie Neale.

“In our view that slowing of momentum, that split-second moment of care, contributed to Neale not being slung into the ground and being exposed to injury,” Gleeson said. 

Parker will miss Sydney’s round-13 clash with the Saints after his one-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Carlton star Sam Walsh was upheld.

The midfielder argued he tried to lower his centre of gravity when laying a tackle on Walsh and showed a level of care for the Blues player.

“I don’t think I went in with excessive force once we went to the ground,” Parker told the tribunal.

“Once the tackle took place, at no time did I feel he was in a vulnerable position. 

“I was dragging my feet across the ground while he had a pretty good stance.”

But the tribunal panel disagreed.

The cases involving Fremantle’s Jaeger O’Meara (rough conduct for a dangerous tackle) and Lions veteran Dayne Zorko (making contact to the eye region) will be held on Wednesday night.

McCartin out rest of season

Paddy McCartin’s AFL season is over as the Sydney defender battles to recover from concussion symptoms.

The decision for McCartin to sit out the rest of 2023 reflects renewed concern about his ongoing health and playing future.

The 27-year-old has not featured for the Swans since he was concussed in the round-four loss to Port Adelaide.

It was his first significant injury since the 2014 No.1 draft pick returned to football two years ago.

“While McCartin has been making progress in his recovery and commenced some light exercise, he is still experiencing mild symptoms and is yet to make a full recovery,” the Swans said in a statement.

Sydney football manager Charlie Gardiner said the club made the decision alongside the player and his family to put McCartin on their inactive list.

“In discussions with Paddy, our medical team and external specialists, we all felt the decision to sit out the remainder of the season was the right one to allow Paddy to focus on making a successful return to full health,” Gardiner said.

Paddy McCartin. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“We have adopted a very cautious approach to Paddy’s recovery timeline to this point and while Paddy has made progress – he has resumed some light exercise and is involved day-to-day at the club – he continues to experience some mild symptoms and his focus remains centred around becoming symptom free.”

Gardiner added McCartin would be given “all the time and support he needs” in his recovery.

McCartin suffered his 10th concussion in last month’s match against the Power. Making his AFL debut with St Kilda in 2015, he only managed 35 games across four seasons as he suffered eight concussions.

His career went on hold in 2019, with the Swans picking him up in the 2022 pre-season. Playing alongside his younger brother Tom, McCartin made an outstanding return to the AFL and played 24 games last year, including in Sydney’s grand-final loss to Geelong.

He is in his sixth AFL season altogether and has played 63 senior games. Tom McCartin also has not played since he was concussed against Port in round four.

with AAP