Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett lashes the AFL over Mother’s Day scheduling and ‘campaign’ against Hawks

Jeff Kennett has accused the AFL of a deliberate campaign to weaken his club, labelling the competition’s scheduling as unfair and ignorant to fans, saying the league is “playing funny buggers” against the Hawks.

Jeff Kennett is not happy with the AFL. Picture: AAP Images

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has accused the AFL of a deliberate campaign to weaken his club, labelling the competition’s scheduling as unfair and ignorant to fans.

The Hawks’ Sunday afternoon clash — its fourth of eight in the 3.20pm Sunday timeslot this season — with Greater Western Sydney at the MCG drew just 14,636 attendees, which Kennett said was the result of a “perfect storm” of the Sunday afternoon slot, an interstate team and Mother’s Day.

But he believes the “bad hand” that he said had been dealt to Hawthorn was done “quite deliberately by the AFL”.

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“We have been the most successful side in the AFL this century, and we continue to be a dominant club with a great membership (base),” Kennett said.

“But the AFL have this year dealt us eight Sunday afternoon games. That is more than a third of the total games we play … and that is always going to cause problems, particularly with attendances, because Sunday for many families … it’s night by the time the game finishes.”

He said he had “no doubt” that the issue was “Hawthorn-specific”.

Kennett says the league has been “selfish”. Picture: AAP

“It’s (the eight Sunday games) going to cost us between $500,000 and $1 million in revenue over last year,” he said.

“We’re not a wealthy club — we struggle to have a surplus every year. That’s a lot of money to lose.

“I think they’re playing funny buggers with us. I think they’re trying to get us out of Tasmania, I think they’re definitely trying to weaken the club, and they’re doing that financially.

“Fancy scheduling a match at the MCG on Mother’s Day against an interstate side — which is a good side, but has a very small membership base.”

It is understood the club would have preferred the game to have been played in Launceston.

Kennett labelled the scheduling “selfish”.

“(The AFL) totally continues its position which is always about television ratings, and doesn’t take into account the views and activities of the community,” he said.

And while he said he intended to raise his scheduling ire with the league post-season, he was not hopeful of a resolution.

“They ask us, and then they do what they want anyway,” he said.

“They’re a law unto themselves

“They’re answerable to no one.”