Hawthorn can put their current predicament down to poor recruiting since their premiership hat-trick and must separate coach Alastair Clarkson from their list management, Kane Cornes believes.
Clarkson and understudy Sam Mitchell last week emphatically rejected rumours of tension between the two, as the former prepares to vacate his seat for the latter.
“If there’s one area of weakness for Alastair Clarkson, particularly in the last six years, it is his influence over which players are recruited to that club,” Cornes said on SEN Flip.
“You can go through a whole number of them. (For example), Chad Wingard is Clarko’s guy.
“That was the wrong call for where Hawthorn were at, to give up Ryan Burton who is playing unbelievable football for Port Adelaide at the moment, and was at the time one of only two first round draft picks they had on their list.”
To secure Wingard, Hawthorn gave up Burton along with a first round pick, with which the Power secured wingman Xavier Duursma.
Wingard hasn’t reached the heights he hit at Alberton, where he was twice an All-Australian, and four times kicked 38 goals or more over the season.
In 43 games for Hawthorn, the 27-year-old has averaged 17.4 disposals and kicked just 37 goals.
“On what Wingard has delivered and the difference between what Burton and Duursma have meant for Port Adelaide, was a massive mistake,” Cornes went on.
“Tom Scully, mistake. Jonathon Patton, mistake. Jaeger O’Meara, mistake.
“Frost, Hartigan, the list goes on.”
Even Tom Mitchell didn’t escape Cornes’ crosshairs, despite having won two All-Australian selections and the coveted Brownlow Medal since he arrived at Waverley.
“I’m not questioning Tom Mitchell’s form as a Hawthorn player, but what you gave up at that time was the wrong thing to do when you clearly needed to rebuild that list and get as much talent through the draft as you possibly could,” he explained.
“They went the opposite way and now they are paying for that.
“The only reason they are in 18th spot - or will be by the end of the home and away season - is because of the list management mistakes they have made, and neglecting the draft through what I perceive is Alastair Clarkson’s influence over the list.”
Cornes says the recruiting reins should be handed to the coach-in-waiting.
“Sam Mitchell (should) be in charge of the long term with the list management committee, (and Clarkson) has to be removed from any list management decisions," said Cornes.
“Clarko, you coach for the next four weeks, you coach for the next season, day-to-day, game-to-game. Do not touch our recruiting.
“It has been a blemish on an otherwise flawless coaching career. That has to change moving forward, and I think that will.”
Cornes believes the public and even Clarkson “got caught up” in his success topping up his premiership teams with experience earlier in his tenure.
Shaun Burgoyne was signed in 2009 and has since made more than 200 appearances in brown and gold, while ex-Roo Josh Gibson was twice a best-and-fairest winner in premiership years.
Former Bulldog Brian Lake followed them through the door at the end of 2012 and won a Norm Smith Medal, and 2013 recruit Ben McEvoy now captains the Hawks.
“In recent times, he’s lost it with recruiting, and he shouldn’t have any influence over which players Hawthorn go to,” Cornes concluded.
