AFL investigate Tom Hawkins’ phone use during lightning break

On a day where Tom Hawkins played his 350 AFL game, the Cats star was caught out using a phone during a lightning delay.

Tom Hawkins on his phone

Cats champion Tom Hawkins has landed himself in hot water after he was caught looking using a mobile phone during the lightning delay in the match against the Hawks.

The 35-year-old star played his 350th match for the club in the clash but reports have emerged that the AFL is investigating the situation.

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AFL players are not allowed to use their phones during the match and they are locked up while the game is on due to avoid the potential of match-fixing.

The Herald Sun reported that Hawkins was handed the phone by a Cats official who was authorised to hold their device during the game to check a weather app.

“I wanted to get a look at what (weather) was coming our way. It certainly wasn’t my phone,” Hawkins told Channel 7.

The report added that the league began making inquiries immediately after the match after being made aware of the potential breach as soon as it was broadcast.

Geelong led by 36 points at three quarter time and the players were ready for the umpire to bounce the ball to start the final term before officials ordered everyone to the rooms as wild weather forced a rare midgame delay as lightning was reported within 10km of the stadium.

After a 46-minute delay, play was allowed to resume at 6.11pm AEDT in persistent rain.

It’s the first time lightning has stopped an AFL game since similar circumstances brought a Melbourne vs. West Coast game to a halt at Perth’s Optus Stadium in 2021.

After play resumed, Geelong won 17.4 (106) to 10.10 (70) to go 3-0 and join Fremantle and GWS as the only unbeaten teams.

Tom Hawkins on the phone.

Hawkins chaired off. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Hawkins kicked four goals in his 350th game and was chaired off the ground after his milestone match.

The ageless wonder revealed he and follow forward Jeremy Cameron spent the delay warming up with tea and coffee.

“I said to ‘Jezza’ there’s one way to warm up here and he looked at me and he knew exactly what I was talking about,” Hawkins told Fox Footy.

“So we popped into the little tea and coffee room for a Moccona and just chewed the fat for a bit.

“It was interesting watching different players walk around the rooms looking for things to do.”

Each AFL team is allowed 10 “authorised device users.

In 2021, after the rule was brought in, the AFL fined Collingwood $20,000 after Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe retrieved their phones during a match after both suffered match-ending injuries and were telling family and friends of the injuries.

Originally published as AFL investigate Tom Hawkins’ phone use during lightning break