Alastair Clarkson to end standoff with Hawks and attend 100th anniversary match on Sunday

Alastair Clarkson will end his standoff with Hawthorn by attending the club’s 100th VFL-AFL anniversary game on Sunday, but it’s not just to break bread with his former players.

Alastair Clarkson will end his standoff with Hawthorn by attending the club’s 100th VFL-AFL anniversary match against Richmond on Sunday out of respect for his one-time mentors John Kennedy Sr and Allan Jeans.

The four-time Hawks premiership coach has had virtually nothing to do with the club since he parted ways with them at the end of 2021, with the relationship further damaged after the club’s historic racism allegations were first aired in grand final week 2022.

The now North Melbourne coach, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan and former player welfare manager Jason Burt vehemently denied any wrongdoing, with an AFL investigation having no adverse findings against them.

Alastair Clarkson will reunite with the Hawks. Picture: Tony Gough

The Hawks reached a settlement with the players involved last year.

Clarkson was highly critical of Hawthorn through the process, at one stage calling their behaviour “shameful”, but he said on Wednesday he had decided to accept an invitation to attend the club’s celebrations.

“Yeah, I’m going along,” said Clarkson, who famously coached the Hawks to premierships in 2008 and 2013-15.

“There’s a lot of people that need to be acknowledged in the history of the Hawthorn Football Club.”

“I want to go (to the game) particularly because I want to pay my respects to (the late) John Kennedy Sr … he was my first coach at the North Melbourne Football Club. He was a significant mentor of mine when I came through the coaching path.

“He and Yabby (Jeans) were fantastic for me.

“In my view they were the two most revered and decorated figures in the history of the Hawthorn Football Club, notwithstanding the marvellous contributions that many players have made too.

“I want to go there on Sunday and pay my respects to ‘Kanga’ (Kennedy) and Yabby, and all the others who have contributed strongly in the rich history of the Hawthorn Football Club.”

One of Clarkson’s premiership players Josh Gibson said he was delighted to hear that his former coach would be attending on Sunday.

“It’s great news,” Gibson said. “I know from my career Clarko and Fages were huge people in turning me into the footballer I became.

“So having Clarko there on Sunday is great. There has been so much that has happened … We just want to remember the fantastic things we built and the success we were able to achieve, and just cherish those moments.”

Clarkson and Josh Gibson during their time at the Hawks. Picture: Michael Klein

Gibson, who won three flags under Clarkson, joined five-time Hawks premiership hero Robert DiPierdomenico at Waverley on Wednesday as the club kickstarted the 100th VFL-AFL birthday celebrations ahead of Sunday’s big event.

The Hawks had all 13 VFL-AFL premiership cups on display – matched with a member of every grand final success – as 1991 flag player and club president Andrew Gowers detailed how the club had invited every living player to Sunday’s game and a relative of every deceased player.

“We have been fortunate enough to win 13 premiership cups, which is colloquially known as the ‘Baker’s Dozen’,” Gowers said.

“To celebrate what has already happened in our past over the last 100 years of entering the VFL (in 1925) is incredibly special.”

Originally published as Alastair Clarkson to end standoff with Hawks and attend 100th anniversary match on Sunday