The AFL community remains none the wiser as to what – if any – sanctions Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan will face as the league’s investigation into historical claims of racism at Hawthorn continues.
The allegations from several Indigenous families who were at Hawthorn under Clarkson’s reign at the club that were leaked by the ABC are still yet to have reached a conclusion.
The revelations included in the original report, authored by Phil Egan for the Hawthorn Football Club, accused then-coach Clarkson, assistant Fagan and player development manager Jason Burt of vastly overreaching acts in the pursuit of success.
When the news broke, veteran AFL journalist and AFL Media’s chief correspondent Damian Barrett reacted in two ways. Firstly, was to suggest that he couldn’t foresee a scenario where the investigation was completed in a timely manner before Christmas – as the AFL had hoped – a belief which has become true.
However, in an indication to the seriousness of the “bullying and intimidation” the report references, Barrett also added he couldn’t foresee a world where Clarkson and Fagan were coaching in Round 1, 2023, such was the allegations made and time it would take to investigate.
“It’s not a stretch to say these are the most serious allegations ever made about any person in the AFL system,” he said at the time.
Notwithstanding a drastic U-turn, Clarkson and Fagan are almost certain to coach North Melbourne and Brisbane respectively in six weeks’ time.
The AFL finalised the terms of reference for the investigation on October 20, with all participants to hear and respond to the perspectives of others.
At that time, the league again forecasted a projected end date in December. It’s now over a month late with no explanation.
From recent comments by Brisbane leader Dayne Zorko, it appears the scandal which just months ago threatened Fagan’s career is now no longer mentioned inside the four walls.
“We haven’t really discussed it, we haven’t touched on it,” Zorko told SENQ’s Pat and Heals on January 27.
“The first day back in December I think we touched on it for maybe two minutes and that’s it, we haven’t hear (anything) since.
“Obviously it’s a matter of the AFL and those parties going forward, I think we’re just focusing on the footy side of things now.”
Earlier this week, reports emerged that Egan – the report’s author – was unlikely to take part in the AFL’s investigation after signing a non-disclosure agreement with Hawthorn when writing the review.
His advisor Peter Jess told the Herald Sun: “It is clear the report will be fatally flawed without him. It requires the person who is the producer to be part of the report to be part of this. Not to do so makes it incomplete.”
It was reported last year that some families were unwilling to take part in the league’s investigation, but it’s understood that most have now agreed.
The investigation still has ongoing repercussions, even if not in the form of Clarkson and Fagan. Gillon McLachlan delayed his departure as AFL CEO until Round 5 of the 2023 season, a date which will be a year after he announced his plans to step down, with the Hawthorn investigation one of a number of items to resolve for the long-time AFL administrator.
Since the claims aired, the Hawks have also invited hundreds of past players to participate in a subsequent investigation into allegations of racism at the club.
It will, understandably, be difficult for Hawthorn to move on until the review is complete.
“(Hawthorn president Andy Gowers reuniting the club will be difficult to do) until the findings of the independent investigation into allegations of racism at the club have been finalised. The time frame for this happening keeps being extended and it is anyone’s guess when it will be completed,” Kane Cornes told SEN Sportsday earlier this week.
Clarkson and Fagan have denied any wrongdoing throughout the scandal.
Everything currently points to Clarkson and Fagan continuing with their lives and careers as normal when the process eventually runs its course.
But as veteran journalist Caroline Wilson said on her podcast Don’t Shoot The Messenger late last year, there’s unlikely to be any victors.
“I hope that the men that have been implicated in their allegations, I hope they too (receive some closure). I don’t think there will be winners in this but I hope some good comes out of it,” she said.