The Score: Two umpiring officials caught out discussing what they think of Alastair Clarkson

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson had no issues letting the umpires know what he thought of their performance. Now the roles have been reversed.

Alastair Clarkson made an apology on Fox Footy on Sunday. Picture: Fox Footy

FIRST there was “Whispers in the Sky”, now we have “Whispers in the Elevator”.

In the aftermath of Alastair Clarkson’s umpire spray on Saturday, two umpiring officials have been caught out discussing what they thought of the Hawthorn coach.

Witnesses were surprised to hear the conversation in the goods lift at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon before the Carlton-GWS game.

The two uniformed officials were heard discussing Clarkson’s antics with one official saying: “He’s out of control ... he doesn’t have Evans or Fagan there anymore.”

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Rumours have been rife through the AFL landscape that since Clarkson’s right hand men Chris Fagan and Mark Evans left the club, the four-time premiership coach has been running his own race unchecked.

Ironically, Clarkson made his way to Etihad Stadium on Sunday to make a live televison apology on Fox Footy for labelling the umpires in the Hawks loss to Gold Coast as “disgraceful”.

The famous “Whispers in the Sky” scandal erputed in 2005 when Channel Nine reporter Tony Jones revealed a conversation he heard on the plane back to Melbourne from Perth.

It was following a St Kilda loss to Fremantle with Jones alleging field umpire Matthew Head remarked: “Now I know what it feels like to have a victory.”

The AFL investigated the matter before clearing the umpires of any wrongdoing.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

MONTAGNA RETURNS FIRE

LEIGH Montagna has revealed he rang Dermott Brereton to check whether he “had an issue” after the AFL great’s criticism of the veteran Saint in his Herald Sun column.

Montagna said he thought Brereton had gone too far with his comments, claiming they were a “personal cheapshot”.

Asked whether a comment over Montagna’s physicality and hardness had stung him, the defender was blunt.

“Yeah that did,” Montagna told Triple M.

“I saw the article on the Friday and I actually phoned Dermott ... I just thought when it was a personal cheap shot and almost taking the mickey out of me, I didn’t think that was appropriate.

“I just asked if he had an issue with me and if there was anything that I need to know because I’ve never really had any issues with Dermott.

“It was good for me to be able to get that off my chest and speak to him. He gave me a response which was OK, but we move on.”

In his column on the Saints, Brereton questioned whether coach Alan Richardson needed to look beyond Montagna and other some ageing stars.

Leigh Montagna was not happy with Dermott Brereton. Picture: Mark Stewart

CAT’S MOUNTAIN MADNESS

WHAT do old ruckmen do in retirement?

They climb Mt Everest ... twice.

That’s the extraordinary story of former Geelong ruckman Damian Bourke who twice dodged death on the world’s biggest mountain.

On his first attempt in 2015 Bourke made it to Camp 1 before an earthquake struck and he was lucky to escape.

The 52-year-old went back this year and made it to Camp 4 which is just 850m from the summit but initially declined the opportunity to go with a fellow climber on the final leg because he didn’t feel ready.

The next day he took off but was hit by a rock which forced him back down the mountain.

He then later found out that the American climber who had asked him to go up the summit earlier had died on the mountain.

“So although I am disappointed I didn’t make it to the summit. I count my blessings that I’m still alive,” Bourke told Cats Media.

THE WHISPER

Does a leading television reporter have a special skill that keeps him ahead of the pack? Word has it this newshound has a photographic memory when it comes to the number plates of cars driven by AFL stars.