Coach Alastair Clarkson III - new NMFC senior coach until at least end 2027 - NMFC board approved AC to start 1/11 amid ongoing HFC racism investigation

[Groucho]

Mate come on. We can’t go through all of them. In saying that I am shocked at how few indigenous players have played for the hawks. Apparently only 18 according to their webpage.

There have been rumblings and rumours for years that Hawthorn had an unstated policy of not recruiting aboriginal players. Only changed this century

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

If they had the report before giving us assistance what were they thinking knowing the rug was about to be pulled out from under us ?

This needs a thread of its own.

 

[tazaa]

Of course they will.

And the media won't bat an eye.

They love a redemption angle up at Tullamarine.

 

[Mcarcherey]

This isn’t a frivolous claim for a mobile phone

so because it's more serious due process shouldn't be conducted? i'd argue to opposite.

this board should take an excursion down to the district court and watch a proper trial. many horrific charges are made and many 'perpetrators' are found not guilty or charges are dropped just before trial. yet we're prepared to blindly believe accusations about a football club, assume they're all factual, then assume clarkson is the one guilty of these accusations.

There is absolutely no ******* way that this has been aired with the primary intention of sabotaging us. Pull your head in

lets see how the investigation goes first aye....

 

[Makeshift Park]

If we choose to part ways with Clarko then I wouldn’t put it on beyond Essendon to then go after him as coach.

Morally bankrupt to its core those campaigners would do it. If fact I can guarantee they would.

You know in this alternative dimension we end up with Hird, right?

 

[Archer_11]

About as bad as it gets.

The AFL has no choice but to stand Clarkson & Fagan down and irrespective of what happens from here - including if the report itself is brought into question - it's hard to see a way back for either of them. It will be seen as sweeping one of the most shocking developments in the history of the game under the rug.

Horrific findings aside there are so many questions. Why now? Why did the AFL, report in hand, softball our assistance package? What were they thinking?

What does this mean for Hawthorn, who appears to have willfully buried this matter until such time the fall out was to be experienced elsewhere? The idea that we're about to be set back another five years while they just truck on saying sorry and losing a few support staff is wholly egregious and utterly reprehensible. That is not justice.

 

[Harris 10]

Interesting to see if Cameron Matthews who was involved in player development before taking on an ops role is implicated in any of this.

Why did the AFL receive a report from the Hawks that didn’t include some of the more serious allegations?

 

[Horizons_00]

Wonder what all the players feel like now signing contracts because of Clarko…..

 

[Merlin007]

Both Clarkson and Fagan will stand down by the end of today. It’s a lock

well clarkson can't be stood down at North, because he doesn't start as an employee until 1 Nov; presumably the appointment would have to be suspended until the investigation is completed

It's a complete debacle, but as others have said, it's not about us, there's bigger issues involved than who coaches NMFC

 

[tazaa]

You know in this alternative dimension we end up with Hird, right?

We’re cursed.

 

[Le Grille]

If we choose to part ways with Clarko then I wouldn’t put it on beyond Essendon to then go after him as coach.

Morally bankrupt to its core those campaigners would do it. If fact I can guarantee they would.

Doubt it mate.

so because it's more serious due process shouldn't be conducted? i'd argue to opposite.

this board should take an excursion down to the district court and watch a proper trial. many horrific charges are made and many 'perpetrators' are found not guilty or charges are dropped just before trial. yet we're prepared to blindly believe accusations about a football club, assume they're all factual, then assume clarkson is the one guilty of these accusations.

lets see how the investigation goes first aye....

what I’m saying is many posts are diminishing the accusations. Of course it needs full investigation that’s my point.

It seemed to me that some of the comments in the spirit of let’s not punish without proof may have neglected that we shouldn’t dismiss the accusations based on “it doesn’t add up”.

 

[The Nostradamus]

surely clarko comes out with a statement now needs to get on the front foot today

 

[Archer_11]

Wonder what all the players feel like now signing contracts because of Clarko…..

Anyone who has not signed will no longer come, surely.

I know this is fresh but I can't believe Essendon are closer to having a coach than we are. And the new coach will have much less to work with in terms of momentum and player interest.

I get that the investigation is more important but we have very little to do with it. The one thing we can change is whatever the heck we do next.

 

[trooroo4life]

"Former Hawks staffer Fagan has been devastated and blindsided by the allegations and he has told he has no knowledge of the meetings that have been alleged by former Hawthorn indigenous players." - Jon Ralph.

 

[Bazzbot13]

Support for Clarko would be to have Jed sign on and get Brad Hill across from Saints. Two indigenous ex hawthorn players from the period of time the media reports state the issues occurred.

I have no doubt clubs manipulate young players regardless of race in order to manage external influences. It would be interesting to see how Richmond managed Dusty in his youth. I hope however that clubs aren't over stepping how they manage players though. These reported actions are simply over the top and horrible. I can't imaging a normal work place attempting to manipulate a workers personal life as has been suggested.

As another poster suggested, hopefully discussions regarding options available to players have been taken out of context.

 

[Makeshift Park]

surely clarko comes out with a statement now needs to get on the front foot today

I reckon it'll come from the club.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Read the whole article, it went way, way further than a suggestion in a meeting. There's absolutely no way this could be interpreted as "trying to help." This was an instance of people in positions of power abusing that power to cut young men off from their support networks. It's cultlike grooming behaviour that put the success of the organisation before the basic rights and wellbeing of players, that took advantage of people's precarious financial situations and vulnerabilities to exercise a greater degree of control over them. That Hawthorn did this as an organisation is beyond damning, and everyone involved should be out of the industry for good.

The very very kindest interpretation of the behaviour that has been alleged is that the people doing it genuinely felt that being separated from family and connections and “bad influences” and having the best shot at success in footy was in the young players‘ best interest (an interest they were not capable of determining for themselves). Even if you try to take their side, it’s hard to see any way these guys - and anyone else who was part of the system that took this path - an now justify their beliefs and decisions and convince anyone they should be responsible for kids’ lives, indigenous and not. If these things happened, the people who did it are out. And the AFL should move to a league-wide investigation and league-wide safeguards.

 

[Cyber_punk]

You know in this alternative dimension we end up with Hird, right?

Might be soon time to fire up the Mark Williams thread?

 

[Mcarcherey]

surely clarko comes out with a statement now needs to get on the front foot today

as if it's going to change anything for this board. they'll believe anything except due process it seems.

they should go read up on witch burnings. clarkson is as good as dead to 90% of ppl here.

 

[Brian Fontana]

 

[buttox]

OK so just trying to think logically.
The ABC report was very thorough. It has either been leaked from the AFL itself.
or
The ABC has got hold of all three complainants. and put the article together from that.
Gil not being aware of the full ABC article probably means the ABC have got multiple sources.
This is going to be very messy.
Best he stands down IMO.

 

[Only Forwards]

And the AFL should move to a league-wide investigation and league-wide safeguards.

Should absolutely be an outcome here.

 

[adas]

If Clarko does stand down/ is stood down pending the investigation, where does that leave our club?

Do we have to wait for the findings of the investigation before making a final call.

If we wait, where does that leave list management decisions? Will a caretaker be appointed in the interim.

Or do we preempt the findings and deem his position untentable regardless of the findings? If so, what happens to his multi million dollar contract?

Do we need to go down the path of finding a new coach again?

What does it mean from a list management perspective given trade period is a week away.

So many questions..

Ps- i dont mean to play down the allegations. Purely discussing things from a NM perspective..

 

[krakouers]

BigFooty is broken.

When im reading more than a few clubs with lolnorf guys having sympathy for us... I tend to agree

 

[The Nostradamus]

"Former Hawks staffer Fagan has been devastated and blindsided by the allegations and he has told he has no knowledge of the meetings that have been alleged by former Hawthorn indigenous players." - Jon Ralph.

Now hopefully clarko says the same