AFL hands down decision over Tom Hawkins’ change room phone use during lightning delay

The AFL has made a decision on whether or not to punish the Cats after spearhead Tom Hawkins was seen using a phone during an extended three-quarter time break.

The AFL has cleared Tom Hawkins after his 350th game was marred by controversy around his phone use during a lightning delay. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Geelong has avoided a fine over star spearhead Tom Hawkins having a look at the weather radar during a lightning break during Monday’s game against Hawthorn.

Vision emerged during an elongated three quarter-time of Hawkins taking the phone of a staff member and looking it over, which prompted an AFL investigation.

The phone belonged to the staff member, who was one of 10 within the football department allowed to carry a device in the rooms during a match.

Players are not allowed to access their phone during a game, with mobiles locked away during play.

While Collingwood was slapped with a $20,000 fine in 2021 when Jeremy Howe and Jordan De Goey looked at their phones during a game, that case was seen as more egregious given the Magpies took their own phones out of the locked box.

Tom Hawkins looking at a Cats’ official’s phone during the lightning delay.

Hawkins was simply handed the phone and had a quick look, while young teammate Jhye Clark watched on from nearby.

The Cats told the AFL that Hawkins grabbing the phone was “unintentional”, according to an AFL statement.

“While the interaction was unintentional, it serves as an important reminder to all clubs that mobile phone usage is restricted to only authorised divide users during the duration of a match,” the statement read.

“The club has today received an official warning.”

Hawkins told media after the match that he had been handed the phone to check the radar.

The incident occurred during a 42-minute break when lightning was in the vicinity of the MCG on Monday.

Once the final quarter was played, Geelong won the match by 36 points, in what was Hawkins’ 350th appearance.