Jesse Hogan has Fremantle’s full support despite reports the club was preparing to pay out his contract, writes Mark Robinson
A radio report suggesting Fremantle was set to dump Jesse Hogan has infuriated the club, his manager and the AFLPA. Mark Robinson reveals what’s really happening at the Dockers.
Mark Robinson
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mark Robinson. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Jesse Hogan might not play football again.
But it won't be because Fremantle will rip up his contract in the immediate future.
The revelation on radio on Wednesday that the Dockers were preparing to “buy out” Hogan’s contract, effectively ending his AFL career, has been privately shot down by the key stakeholders.
Watch every match of the Marsh Community Series AFL pre-season comp LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Fremantle football boss Peter Bell called Hogan’s manager, Jason Dover, and Hogan’s family on Wednesday and said it wasn’t happening.
Dover didn’t expect Bell to say anything else, seeing as the two have spoken every day since Hogan took leave for mental health reasons in late January, and they have practically spoken every other day in the past three months.
The Dockers and Dover were frustrated and mildly angry with what they believe was scuttlebutt from a Perth-based journalist.
Bell told Dover there had not been a meeting or discussion within the club about that possible scenario.
The Dockers were more than mildly angry when new coach Justin Longmuir was associated with the story.
It was said Longmuir was of the view Hogan should go.
Bell told Dover that also was not the case.
If anything, the Dockers have been brilliant with their support.
The other stakeholder is the AFL Players’ Association.
The players union also called Dover on Wednesday to determine if there was truth to story.
If the Dockers, or any club for that matter, was preparing to dump a player who was on mental health leave, then the AFLPA would be consulted. They have not.
The flash point radio report angered the AFLPA, which once again is concerned about their perception of a lack of accountability in the football media.
While the radio report has been totally dismissed, the long-term future of Hogan, 24, is clouded.
There may well come a day when the Dockers and Hogan’s management will need to meet to discuss if football indeed is on Hogan’s agenda, but clearly it isn’t now.
The prevailing view in the west is the commentary we’ve seen this week only adds to Hogan’s anxieties.
And the seemingly endless stories — truth or not — about Hogan’s social habits have a life of their own.
If true, Hogan wouldn’t be the first player to make wrong decisions while battling a mental illness.
The fact is it’s not known if Hogan will play football again.
The big forward, who was taken by Melbourne at pick 2 in the 2012 mini-draft, is said to have opened up in recent months about his illness and gains are being made.
But football is not a discussion point.
He is working day-to-day with mental health experts and no time line on returning to football has been set.
“Jesse needs time away from the club so he can manage mental health challenges that he is dealing with and focus on his general well being,” Bell said in late January.
“We believe it is the most appropriate course of action and, more importantly, it is what is best for Jesse’s long-term health and well being.
“We will continue to provide all the necessary and ongoing care and support Jessie requires, as we would do for any of our players.”
In 2017, Hogan was diagnosed with testicular cancer and suffered the loss of his father and last year suffered a leg injury, which allowed him to play just 12 games.