ABC journalist blasts Eddie McGuire over Hawks scandal comments

The journalist who broke the news on the Hawthorn scandal has taken aim at Eddie McGuire’s comments on Wednesday night.

Warning: This story contains intergenerational trauma for Indigenous people and pregnancy loss

An ABC journalist has taken aim at Eddie McGuire as the AFL world descends into damage control over disturbing racism allegations exposed in a bombshell report.

Allegations senior staff at Hawthorn Football Club demanded the separation of First Nations players from their partners were published by the ABC on Wednesday.

The most troubling allegation centres around one case mentioned in the report which details how one player claims newly signed North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson and current Brisbane Lions head coach Chris Fagan were present at a meeting where he was told to get rid of his partner and unborn baby — and then move to live with a member of the club’s staff.

The pair were formerly on the coaching staff at Hawthorn during their premiership era which included four flags between 2008 and 2015.

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The allegations were also detailed in an external review of the club commissioned by Hawthorn, which was supplied to the AFL integrity department two weeks ago with no plans to release the report or make its findings public, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan confirmed.

Now the reporter who published the claims, the ABC’s Russell Jackson, has hit out at AFL media personality and former Collingwood president McGuire over a discussion on Nine’s Footy Classified about the way it was reported.

Eddie McGuire has been slammed for downplaying the reporting. Photo: Channel 9

Veteran football reporter Caroline Wilson said she was not sure Jackson had seen the external report but had found out the information separately via his investigative journalism and said she had been told Jackson had gone to all parties with some of the allegations.

McGuire replied: “My understanding is that it was sent to Brisbane to the general number on the email.”

Wilson: “But he still contacted them.”

Ross Lyon said: “So you’re saying the journalist did go to Fagan and ask the question? Because that’s journalistic rigour isn’t it? To be given the opportunity so they would have known today this isn’t a shock, because he would have left a message, ‘I’m ringing in’.”

McGuire said: “It was an email that went to the club, went to the general number, it doesn’t matter.”

Lyon: “I think it’s important they were all aware …”

Wilson: “They were all contacted.”

It was a claim that didn’t sit well with Jackson as the ABC journalist took to Twitter to clarify how he gave Fagan a chance to speak regarding the issue.

“Eddie McGuire has attempted to smear my reputation here and I will not stand for it,” he tweeted.

“I sent detailed questions to Chris Fagan’s Lions email address with 24 hours’ notice. He didn’t respond to my email, nor when I called his phone and left a message offering him more time.”

Eddie McGuire has attempted to smear my reputation here and I will not stand for it. I sent detailed questions to Chris Fagan’s Lions email address with 24 hours’ notice. He didn’t respond to my email, nor when I called his phone and left a message offering him more time. https://t.co/4iewmxspfB

— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) September 21, 2022

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan at Hawthorn. Photo: Michael Willson/AFL Media

The bombshell report has already had a huge impact on the football world.

Lions coach Chris Fagan agreed to take a leave of absence from the club and four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson’s tenure at North Melbourne has been delayed after the pair were named in the report.

Clarkson released a statement on Wednesday denying any wrongdoing.

Wilson said on Footy Classified Fagan was also privately denying reports.

“Chris Fagan and people close to him are not sure he was actually at the meeting, and I think Chris Fagan has told the Brisbane Lions that he doesn’t recall it,” she said.

Both men have reportedly said they were not consulted in the external review.

Wilson added Hawthorn’s four premierships between 2008 and 2015 “had been tainted”.

The bombshell claims have also sparked widespread condemnation across the football world.

Former Indigenous footy star Eddie Betts said it was “a tough read” but he “wasn’t surprised”, calling for all clubs to conduct a review into how they have dealt with First Nations stars in the past.