AFL coach denies bombshell abortion and racism claims

A cultural review of the Hawthorn Football Club makes some disturbingly sexist and racist allegations against former heroes.

A cultural review of the Hawthorn Football Club makes some disturbingly sexist and racist allegations against former heroes.

Content warning.

Forced abortions, family separations and intervening in relationships are just some of the things that are alleged to have occurred  at the Hawthorn Football Club during its glory days on the field.

That’s what an external review has reportedly found occurred during 2013 to 2015. A review which the club commissioned but has not yet released publicly.

According to the ABC, the findings were handed to officials recently and lay bare the trauma some players, and their families, experienced during a period of great commercial and playing success.

A time when the club won back to back AFL premierships for three consecutive years and had about 20 Indigenous players on the list.

The allegations centre around the treatment some players received during a time when the Hawks were led by head coach Alastair Clarkson and former assistant Chris Fagan, who is now the coach of the Brisbane Lions.

The review is said to reveal how senior figures allegedly pressured a couple to terminate a pregnancy for the sake of the young man's career and separated Indigenous players from their families and partners.

According to former Hawks players, who spoke anonymously to the media, a number of young Aboriginal couples - who either had young children, were expecting babies or had just relocated to Melbourne - were separated from their families and loved ones. 

Players were then sent to live with club officials and had their phone numbers changed.

“Hawthorn says it's the family club. Yet they tore ours apart,” a former partner said.

One former player, who has since experienced mental health issues and sought assistance through the AFL player’s association, claims he was intimidated by senior coaches at the time.

"[Alastair] Clarkson just leaned over me and demanded that I needed to get rid of my unborn child and my partner. I was then manipulated and convinced to remove my SIM card from my phone, so there was no further contact between my family and me. They told me I’d be living with one of the other coaches from that night onwards," he told the ABC.

"He told me to kill my unborn kid."

@theoz.com.au

TW: racism, pregnancy loss, inrergenerational trauma for First Nations. Disturbing allegations have been revealed about #AFL team Hawthorn Hawks, according to an external review into the team’s culture.

♬ original sound - The Oz

Clarkson has denied the allegations.

“I was not afforded any due process and I refute any allegation of wrongdoing or misconduct and look forward to the opportunity to be heard as part of the AFL external investigation,” Clarkson said in a statement on Wednesday.

He is set to become the new coach of the North Melbourne Kangaroos from November 1 after he recently signed a new five year deal.

His start date has now been delayed to allow him time to fully participate in further investigations. 

"The matters raised are now with the AFL’s Integrity Unit and Alastair welcomes the opportunity to cooperate with any investigation relating to the claims," a North Melbourne spokesperson said.

A similar investigation took place at Collingwood last year, resulting in the publication of the “Do Better” review and the resignation of stalwart and club president Eddie McGuire.

It is understood Fagan is "devastated" by the claims and has no memory of the alleged "meetings". On Wednesday he stepped down from his coaching role at the Lions pending an investigation.

The Oz spoke to former Hawks players on Wednesday. One said he was not "familiar" with the situations that have been alleged.

Former premiership captain Luke Hodge was "shocked".

"What we went through as a group, we had a lot of success over the years, but at this stage, that's irrelevant because what young blokes were told or put through," Hodge said.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney responded to the claims: "Aboriginal kids grow up dreaming of playing footy. For many just being drafted to a club is the highlight of their career, the culmination of years of hard work. They deserve so much better."

Reports of racism, harm and discrimination experienced by Indigenous players & their families at Hawthorn FC are harrowing.

My thoughts today are with the players & their families who were allegedly subjected to horrific treatment.

— Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP) September 20, 2022

Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves said despite the club receiving the review two weeks ago it was yet to speak to anyone directly impacted or involved. Reeves confirmed the AFL's Integrity unit was now involved.

While stopping short of saying the club continues to have a culture problem, Reeves said it was wider societal issue.

"I think Australia has a culture problem historically...I think like all of us, we focus on every day being better and building a great environment for our club," Reeves said.

Reeves said the club had spoken to a "wide ranging group" of people and that the findings had come as a surprise to them all.

"I feel confident from the report as well that currently our players feel culturally safe, but like so many institutions, I think we have to face our history and our past and we have to act responsibly and we have to cooperate and move forward from that."

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has now launched an investigation.

“We are appointing an external independent panel that will be made up of four people, led by an eminent king's council … (with) the right mix of diversity and an approach that prioritises cultural safety for all those who have shared their experiences," McLachlan said.

He added the issues canvassed in the media report point to a wider problem around the country.

“What we have seen today is a challenging, harrowing and disturbing read. I acknowledge the hurt, the anger and the grief of people who have shared their experiences and told their stories and all of those impacted.

“I think the country has a problem. When the Do Better report was released, I said very plainly there, if you look at any organisation in the country, specifically for issues in relation to the treatment and cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, you would anticipate finding a problem.”

“I don't think we're immune to that. It's really clear that we're not.”

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