Major news coming out of the Hawthorn camp: Justin Reeves, the chief executive of the Hawks, has officially stepped down from his position. This announcement was confirmed during a board meeting this Wednesday.
For those of you who’ve been following the internal workings of the Hawks, you’re likely aware that Reeves’ tenure as CEO was a tumultuous one. He was at the helm for just over five years, overseeing a period of significant change and challenge for the club. This included the handover from Alastair Clarkson to Sam Mitchell as well as the fallout from a cultural safety review, which led to an AFL investigation into allegations of historical mistreatment of First Nations players. It should be noted, though, that Reeves was not at the club during the time covered by these allegations.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 26: CEO of Hawthorn Football Club Justin Reeves talks during a press conference on November 26, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced the Government’s contribution to the Hawthorn Hawks AFL Football Club’s Kennedy Community Centre at the future site of the facility in Dingley Village. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Under Reeves’ leadership, the Hawks also embarked on a significant rebuild of their playing list. This bold move saw stars like Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara being offloaded, and as a result, the club regularly fielded some of the youngest teams in the AFL.
“I’ve worked hard with my team to establish strong foundations for the club to work through some important cultural, strategic and operational matters and, with that work done, I’m confident the club can emerge stronger than ever,” Reeves said.
Reeves’ contract, signed in 2021, was supposed to last five years. Jeff Kennett, the man who spearheaded Reeves’ appointment as CEO, was the club president at the time. However, this contract had stipulations for early termination and protections for the club in case of an early split, which is what has transpired now.
Another significant thread in this story involves Reeves’ relationships within the club. He had a close bond with Kennett and other board members but clashed with Clarkson in 2020 and 2021. These conflicts ultimately led to Clarkson’s exit and payout, and Reeves was a strong supporter of Mitchell in the succession plan. This support resulted in an early transition by 12 months, leading to a payout of $900,000 for Clarkson for the final year of his contract and a year-long break for the four-time premiership coach.
Despite the leadership change earlier this year, when Andy Gowers replaced Kennett, Reeves was retained by the board. This change followed an election last December, during which former deputy premier James Merlino also joined the board as a result of the members’ vote.
The challenges for Reeves continued with the completion of a cultural safety review by Phil Egan. This review put further pressure on the CEO when allegations against Clarkson and his former lieutenants Chris Fagan and Jason Burt emerged. This spurred a lengthy AFL inquiry that proved taxing for all involved parties. For their part, Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt have staunchly denied the allegations and expressed their intent to clear their names.
So, what’s next for the Hawks? Only time will tell.
