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

[travelli]

I will give as honest an answer as I can. Firstly, I have empathy for the Kangas as the Clarkson situation is a product not of their own doing. I should state I am an Aboriginal person who hid his Aboriginality for close to the first 50 years of my life because I experienced the worst racism one could imagine at an early age and knew that being Aboriginal only brought me pain. My life was torn apart as a youngster, and I harboured much hatred. At first, I had nothing but anger towards Clarkson, Fagan etc because when you experienced what I did you have tainted glasses. If what is alleged to have been said and done, then Clarkson and Fagan should never ever coach again. There is still a story to be told though and we will wait and hopefully both sides will be given adequate opportunity to present their views. I am prepared to wait and hopefully let justice prevail through an inquiry and I hope that the media doesn't continue to taint the proceedings as they are. My heart breaks for the Aboriginal boys and their families, I feel their pain, but I am educated and empathetic enough to realise people must be given fair to go and have a chance to defend themselves.

Thanks for that. I think that you will find (outside a few posts of startling racism) that most on this board are in the same boat. Clarkson and Fagan have been smashed, possibly with good reason, but let's hear their defence. I am confident they were meaning well but were also possibly ignorant of some of the circumstances faced by our indigenous players. I find it hypocritical to stick it to these two guys when most of Australia still does not accept or understand what we have done.

 

[shinboner magic]

Busy on trade eon for the last few weeks and 30 pages were added - can someone summarise thanks

 

[nelroo]

Just been reported that the Hawks have offered mediation to the indigenous families involved..

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

Hawthorn racism scandal: Hawks offer to mediate with Indigenous families
www.heraldsun.com.au

The Hawthorn racism probe has taken a new twist with lawyers for the Hawks offering to mediate with the Indigenous families caught up in the saga.

A lawyer for the Hawks made the offer on Thursday — nine days after the AFL announced the make-up of a four-person panel to investigate disturbing allegations of racism at the club.

The families have been told that the mediation could take place instead of or in addition to the AFL process.

Hawthorn has engaged top law firm Piper Alderman.

Gillon McLachlan is still hopeful that aggrieved Hawthorn families will engage with the AFL’s independent review.

It is believed not all of the families who told their stories as part of the Hawthorn racism review have agreed to take part in the AFL investigation.

The families and former players cannot be compelled to participate, unlike former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and now Brisbane Lions coach Fagan, who are bound by league rules.

Mediation between Hawthorn and the families could result in apologies and compensation, outcomes recommended in the report authored by former Richmond indigenous player Phil Egan.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan during their time together at Hawthorn.

But even if the issues are successfully resolved it is expected that the AFL would be obligated to continue to investigate the allegations that have been made against Hawthorn.

The AFL is aware of Hawthorn’s approach to the families.

Clarkson, Fagan and former Hawthorn football staffer Jason Burt have all said they will participate in the AFL’s investigation.

The terms of reference for how the AFL probe will be conducted are yet to be agreed upon.
The investigation will specifically focus on a time period spanning from January 1, 2008 until December 31, 2016.

The probe will focus on the period between 2008 and 2016.

WorkSafe Victoria has also launched a probe into the Hawthorn allegations.

Clarkson, who signed a massive five-year deal to coach North Melbourne in August, has engaged King’s Counsel and former County Court judge Julie Condon and John Tuck and Paul Burns from Corrs Chambers Westgarth as his legal representatives.

Fagan has enlisted Clayton Utz lawyers and barristers Liam Kelly KC and David Turner.
The AFL has retained former Western Bulldogs president and leading lawyer Peter Gordon.
The league’s four-person investigative panel will be headed by Bernard Quin KC and includes barristers Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.

Clarkson and Fagan stood down from their duties at North Melbourne and Brisbane after the racism allegations first surfaced in Grand Final week.

League commissioner Andrew Newbold, Hawthorn’s president at the time of the allegations, has also stepped aside.

 

[King Hansen]

We might have just found an Assistant Coach?
View attachment 1535702

Not if we want hunter Clark next year.

 

[ROOBOB27]

Hawthorn racism scandal: Hawks offer to mediate with Indigenous families
www.heraldsun.com.au

The Hawthorn racism probe has taken a new twist with lawyers for the Hawks offering to mediate with the Indigenous families caught up in the saga.

A lawyer for the Hawks made the offer on Thursday — nine days after the AFL announced the make-up of a four-person panel to investigate disturbing allegations of racism at the club.

The families have been told that the mediation could take place instead of or in addition to the AFL process.

Hawthorn has engaged top law firm Piper Alderman.

Gillon McLachlan is still hopeful that aggrieved Hawthorn families will engage with the AFL’s independent review.

It is believed not all of the families who told their stories as part of the Hawthorn racism review have agreed to take part in the AFL investigation.

The families and former players cannot be compelled to participate, unlike former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and now Brisbane Lions coach Fagan, who are bound by league rules.

Mediation between Hawthorn and the families could result in apologies and compensation, outcomes recommended in the report authored by former Richmond indigenous player Phil Egan.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan during their time together at Hawthorn.

But even if the issues are successfully resolved it is expected that the AFL would be obligated to continue to investigate the allegations that have been made against Hawthorn.

The AFL is aware of Hawthorn’s approach to the families.

Clarkson, Fagan and former Hawthorn football staffer Jason Burt have all said they will participate in the AFL’s investigation.

The terms of reference for how the AFL probe will be conducted are yet to be agreed upon.
The investigation will specifically focus on a time period spanning from January 1, 2008 until December 31, 2016.

The probe will focus on the period between 2008 and 2016.

WorkSafe Victoria has also launched a probe into the Hawthorn allegations.

Clarkson, who signed a massive five-year deal to coach North Melbourne in August, has engaged King’s Counsel and former County Court judge Julie Condon and John Tuck and Paul Burns from Corrs Chambers Westgarth as his legal representatives.

Fagan has enlisted Clayton Utz lawyers and barristers Liam Kelly KC and David Turner.
The AFL has retained former Western Bulldogs president and leading lawyer Peter Gordon.
The league’s four-person investigative panel will be headed by Bernard Quin KC and includes barristers Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.

Clarkson and Fagan stood down from their duties at North Melbourne and Brisbane after the racism allegations first surfaced in Grand Final week.

League commissioner Andrew Newbold, Hawthorn’s president at the time of the allegations, has also stepped aside.

View attachment 1535704

You reckon this is done GR? Sounds like it’s about to conclude

 

[archereleven]

Busy on trade eon for the last few weeks and 30 pages were added - can someone summarise thanks

Waffle, waffle, waffle, if guilty should never coach again.

Waffle, waffle, waffle Clarko should start on or around Nov 1.

Waffle, waffle, waffle, institutional racism versus 3 thieving meth heads versus misaligned advice versus payouts.

Waffle, waffle, waffle, AFL>Broom>Rug.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[shinboner magic]

Waffle, waffle, waffle, if guilty should never coach again.

Waffle, waffle, waffle Clarko should start on or around Nov 1.

Waffle, waffle, waffle, institutional racism versus 3 thieving meth heads versus misaligned advice versus payouts.

Waffle, waffle, waffle, AFL>Broom>Rug.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Making me hungry with all this waffle talk

 

[nelroo]

It’s bullshit if the accusers don’t have to participate but the coaches do.
It’s a joke , get Clarko back to work on Nov 1 and move on..

 

[r_boy]

Honestly sick of the passing parade having their opinion on what they think should happen.

He's North Melbourne coach. North Melbourne will decide whether he stays or goes (at the appropriate moment). End of f***ing story.

 

[Mr Lloyd Christmas]

Imagine Clarko and Cunners together.

I reckon says Clarko I'll handle it and you focus on the rest.

Cunners and Clarko so exciting for mine.

 

[Roos1991]

Sorry it was raised many times in here. Just responding to posts about it and Aboriginal culture and incarceration etc.. All the best

Thanks for sharing your insights mate. I don't think Stolen Generations issues can be separated from the Clarko allegations. Some estimates suggest up to 1/3 of all Aboriginal people in Victoria were either Stolen Generations or descendants of Stolen Generations people - although the true figures are very hard to tell due to mismanagement of records by govt and orgs involved in forced removals. It's an absolute disgrace and given the impact of forced removals on the communities, any discussions of family and how Aboriginal players prioritise work/life should have been carefully considered by the Hawks. It was a long time ago and I think worst case Clarko's actions, if proven to a reasonable degree, came from ignorance rather than malicious intent but definitely a long way to go for the AFL and society more broadly to get it right in this space.

 

[KickItAnywhere34]

Hawthorn racism scandal: Hawks offer to mediate with Indigenous families
www.heraldsun.com.au

The Hawthorn racism probe has taken a new twist with lawyers for the Hawks offering to mediate with the Indigenous families caught up in the saga.

A lawyer for the Hawks made the offer on Thursday — nine days after the AFL announced the make-up of a four-person panel to investigate disturbing allegations of racism at the club.

The families have been told that the mediation could take place instead of or in addition to the AFL process.

Hawthorn has engaged top law firm Piper Alderman.

Gillon McLachlan is still hopeful that aggrieved Hawthorn families will engage with the AFL’s independent review.

It is believed not all of the families who told their stories as part of the Hawthorn racism review have agreed to take part in the AFL investigation.

The families and former players cannot be compelled to participate, unlike former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and now Brisbane Lions coach Fagan, who are bound by league rules.

Mediation between Hawthorn and the families could result in apologies and compensation, outcomes recommended in the report authored by former Richmond indigenous player Phil Egan.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan during their time together at Hawthorn.

But even if the issues are successfully resolved it is expected that the AFL would be obligated to continue to investigate the allegations that have been made against Hawthorn.

The AFL is aware of Hawthorn’s approach to the families.

Clarkson, Fagan and former Hawthorn football staffer Jason Burt have all said they will participate in the AFL’s investigation.

The terms of reference for how the AFL probe will be conducted are yet to be agreed upon.
The investigation will specifically focus on a time period spanning from January 1, 2008 until December 31, 2016.

The probe will focus on the period between 2008 and 2016.

WorkSafe Victoria has also launched a probe into the Hawthorn allegations.

Clarkson, who signed a massive five-year deal to coach North Melbourne in August, has engaged King’s Counsel and former County Court judge Julie Condon and John Tuck and Paul Burns from Corrs Chambers Westgarth as his legal representatives.

Fagan has enlisted Clayton Utz lawyers and barristers Liam Kelly KC and David Turner.
The AFL has retained former Western Bulldogs president and leading lawyer Peter Gordon.
The league’s four-person investigative panel will be headed by Bernard Quin KC and includes barristers Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.

Clarkson and Fagan stood down from their duties at North Melbourne and Brisbane after the racism allegations first surfaced in Grand Final week.

League commissioner Andrew Newbold, Hawthorn’s president at the time of the allegations, has also stepped aside.

All I can say after reading that is - November 1 can’t come quick enough. The media have dropped right off this and clearly most of the accusers and Hawthorn don’t want this to drag on. Clarkos itchy legal finger has put the wind up a few here and even when this is resolved I’d suggest a couple of people (read journos) might want to make sure they have good lawyers.

 

[zoomba23]

cool story bro

Piss off and stop being a w***er. Save that crap for the genuine flogs. God knows there's enough of them

 

[benbanjo]

Piss off and stop being a w***er. Save that crap for the genuine flogs. God knows there's enough of them

Elite.

 

[Event Horizon]

The way I’m reading this is the accusers really just wanted compensation from Hawthorn and/or AFL, but somehow the whole thing got way out of hand with Jackson and the ABC getting involved. As a result other media vultures got in on it and the story gathered legs it didn’t really have.

Now the accusers understandably wanted to backtrack without looking like liars hence they tried to get out of the review process. As a result now their lawyers together with the AFL lawyers (and likely Hawthorn lawyers and the lawyers for the accused) got together and came up with this mediation idea as a way out of this mess.

We will now see an apology from the club and in parallel the AFL investigation will present findings that Clarkson and Fagan weren’t really present during the abortion conversation and were implicated in this by mistake (or something along those lines). This will put a stop to the whole saga and allow Clarko’s and Fagan’s lawyers to go after the ABC.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Dan]

The way I’m reading this is the accusers really just wanted compensation from Hawthorn and/or AFL, but somehow the whole thing got way out of hand with Jackson and the ABC getting involved. As a result other media vultures got in on it and the story gathered legs it didn’t really have.

Now the accusers understandably wanted to backtrack without looking like liars hence they tried to get out of the review process. As a result now their lawyers together with the AFL lawyers (and likely Hawthorn lawyers and the lawyers for the accused) got together and came up with this mediation idea as a way out of this mess.

We will now see an apology from the club and in parallel the AFL investigation will present findings that Clarkson and Fagan weren’t really present during the abortion conversation and were implicated in this by mistake (or something along those lines). This will put a stop to the whole saga and allow Clarko’s and Fagan’s lawyers to go after the ABC.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

If this turns out to be a cash grab venture….then I want names.

 

[DunderHead]

If this turns out to be a cash grab venture….then I want names.

You can’t really blame them - they probably felt like they were owed more by the club and then stretched the truth a bit to ensure something gets paid. It’s shit but if pushing the truth means you could help your family it’s a pretty easy to see how and why it happened. They would never have guessed it would get this sort of attention.

 

[KickItAnywhere34]

The way I’m reading this is the accusers really just wanted compensation from Hawthorn and/or AFL, but somehow the whole thing got way out of hand with Jackson and the ABC getting involved. As a result other media vultures got in on it and the story gathered legs it didn’t really have.

Now the accusers understandably wanted to backtrack without looking like liars hence they tried to get out of the review process. As a result now their lawyers together with the AFL lawyers (and likely Hawthorn lawyers and the lawyers for the accused) got together and came up with this mediation idea as a way out of this mess.

We will now see an apology from the club and in parallel the AFL investigation will present findings that Clarkson and Fagan weren’t really present during the abortion conversation and were implicated in this by mistake (or something along those lines). This will put a stop to the whole saga and allow Clarko’s and Fagan’s lawyers to go after the ABC.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

100% spot on.

 

[disco_cowboy]

100% spot on.

Strongly disagree, respectfully of course.

The accusers didn't launch the investigation and their grievances are more than likely true.

The original report by Jackson would have been pitched to those who went on record as way to make sure the original report does not get hidden or swept under the rug.

The problem is now that as the accused look to clear their names, as is their right. The accusers will have their personal lives opened up to all manner of questioning and investigation, regardless to whether they believe it should impact this particular case.

Sadly, everyone involved is going to be tarred by this experience, no one comes out clean. It sets back race relations in Australia and the potential to do good will diminish.

I believe Hawthorn are now trying to appease those who came forward in the document, likely with direction from the AFL, so that this looming battle to prove who is right vs wrong doesn't need to go ahead and instead, the AFL can mandate progressive changes at a club level to avoid it happening again.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

At some point we really need a separate thread for deep historical racism because tbh it’s hard to read this thread about our coach without getting distracted by it….which has nothing to do with Clarko.

It’s been discussed in multiple threads, in particular the rc thread.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Strongly disagree, respectfully of course.

The accusers didn't launch the investigation and their grievances are more than likely true.

The original report by Jackson would have been pitched to those who went on record as way to make sure the original report does not get hidden or swept under the rug.

The problem is now that as the accused look to clear their names, as is their right. The accusers will have their personal lives opened up to all manner of questioning and investigation, regardless to whether they believe it should impact this particular case.

Sadly, everyone involved is going to be tarred by this experience, no one comes out clean. It sets back race relations in Australia and the potential to do good will diminish.

I believe Hawthorn are now trying to appease those who came forward in the document, likely with direction from the AFL, so that this looming battle to prove who is right vs wrong doesn't need to go ahead and instead, the AFL can mandate progressive changes at a club level to avoid it happening again.

I‘d only adjust this to suggest the grievances have truth in them, rather than assuming they are true in that they all happened exactly as reported. And the AFL will be motivated more by brand and reputation management than by addressing core issues. But yes, the investigation was based on real things, not instigated by the people who have now had claims recorded in the report and the media, and should be addressed seriously rather than pushed aside.

 

[Smoocher]

It's always been about the payout.

Prove me wrong.

Sent from my CPH2197 using Tapatalk

 

[disco_cowboy]

I‘d only adjust this to suggest the grievances have truth in them, rather than assuming they are true in that they all happened exactly as reported. And the AFL will be motivated more by brand and reputation management than by addressing core issues. But yes, the investigation was based on real things, not instigated by the people who have now had claims recorded in the report and the media, and should be addressed seriously rather than pushed aside.

Thanks Hearts to hearts - I agree completely. Truth is a funny thing, it can be absolute to one person and complete fantasy to another. I don't doubt the accusers, not the accused. It all lies somewhere in the middle.

Without knowing the numbers, I believe that most football clubs are likely not funding the required indigenous support programs to avoid these types of issues, and, ultimately that is the main failing found in this report.