Sam Mitchell addresses his apparent snub of Alastair Clarkson in Hall of Fame speech

Sam Mitchell has explained why he failed to thank his four time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson in accepting membership into the Australian football HoF.

The Sunday Footy Show 2022: Matthew Lloyd, Nathan Brown, Tony Jones, Damian Barrett and Kane Cornes. Picture: Channel 9/Supplied

Sam Mitchell says he didn’t mention Alastair Clarkson in his Hall of Fame speech because he didn’t want to get caught up making individual shout outs and he is “surprised” the apparent snub was so widely noted.

The champion Hawthorn player turned coach was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday and while some other inductees, such as Geelong pair Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright spent extensive time celebrating the coaches that helped them on the way, Mitchell didn’t mention Clarkson despite playing in four flags under him.

Sam Mitchell has explained why he didn’t thank Alastair Clarkson in his Hall of Fame speech, but still didn’t name or thank his former coach. Picture: Tony Gough

In his speech, Mitchell noted Hawks greats David Parkin, Peter Schwab and Shane Crawford, alongside others such as his family.

When questioned on Friday about not mentioning Clarkson, he said he was trying not to get caught listing off by name those who helped him along his journey but he still did not thank Clarkson or say his former coach’s name.

“I was surprised it came up actually, I thanked my coaches in general,” Mitchell said on Friday.

“There were so many people that help you achieve things, whether it is the first coach you have in the under-10s or the coach that you have for 14, 15 years. I think all of those people help you enormously.

“I tried not to get too individual in my speech at all and I am surprised it got picked up.”

Mitchell was adamant with reporters on Friday he had moved on from the fanfare of the Hall of Fame and was focused on Sunday’s meeting with Carlton.

LATEST AFL MEDIA FEUD REVEALED

- Scott Gullan

The great mystery involving the identity of the latest AFL media feud can be revealed.

After an Agatha Christie-like investigation, Media Street has managed to confirm the confrontation in the Triple M commentary box which had tongues wagging for the past couple of weeks involving Nathan Brown and his 3AW rival Sam McClure.

One version of events had McClure entering the Triple M and confronting Brown about how he was portrayed by the former Western Bulldogs and Richmond star in his watchdog segment, Media-Ocre, on the Sunday Footy Show.

Nathan Brown has played down his ‘feud’ with Sam McClure. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

The story again gained legs last Sunday when Footy Show host Tony Jones quizzed Brown on the Channel 9 program about the incident again with him refusing to reveal the identity.

“Somebody came into the Triple M box on Sunday and may have questioned why I would put him, or her, in Media-Ocre,” Brown said.

“We’re all in the media, everyone makes mistakes and sometimes you just like to pick on those mistakes like we do in the Triple M box. Now I don’t think other stations and media outlets enjoy the mistakes as much as we do. Unfortunately it’s the first one that’s cut up rough.”

Unfortunately before we start entering Brown and McClure into the media bust-ups Hall of Fame, it turns out the pair are actually mates who would chat once a week.

Their history dates back to when McClure was doing the stats on 3AW when Brown was calling for the AM station.

“I can confirm we’re good mates, we’re known each other for years and we’d speak almost every week,” McClure told Media Street.

He conceded his arrival inside a rival’s commentary box where he grabbed Brown’s shoulders had been misconstrued.

Sam Mitchell didn’t mention former coach Alastair Clarkson in his Hall of Fame speech. Picture: Tony Gough

WHY THE DONUTS FOR CLARKO?

A pointed act or a memory slip?

That was the question doing the rounds at Crown Casino on Tuesday night after Sam Mitchell’s Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

There was something rather large missing in it and given the current climate it stood out like a sore thumb – any mention of his premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.

Hawthorn and Clarkson have fallen out badly over the racism scandal. Mitchell has maintained his relationship with the man who led him to four premierships was still cordial.

However, the Hawks coach fitted a lot in during his speech, encouraging young players to work hard on every aspect of the game and hope for some luck along the way.

But as for Clarko, doughnuts.

By contrast, fellow inductees, Geelong champions Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright, were both effusive in their praise of former coach Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson.