Coaches' plea to AFL amid 'most serious' probe

2 years ago 132

The AFL has been urged to expedite their probe into the Hawthorn racism saga, arsenic a starring writer labels the allegations "the astir superior ever made astir immoderate idiosyncratic successful the AFL system".

Speaking connected SEN's AFL Trade Radio, Damian Barrett said helium believes some the Kangaroos and Lions volition request to sanction interim coaches arsenic neither Alastair Clarkson oregon Chris Fagan volition beryllium successful the wide by circular one, if they instrumentality astatine all.

"I conscionable can't spot this being wrapped up successful a timeframe that suits anyone and it does interaction 2023 already, nary doubt," helium said.

"It's not weeks and months. I was amazed erstwhile (AFL CEO) Gillon (McLachlan) said determination was a anticipation to wrapper it up successful six to 8 weeks.

"You can't wrapper it up with the magnitude of allegation made. It's not a agelong to accidental these are the astir superior allegations ever made astir immoderate idiosyncratic successful the AFL system."

Both Fagan and Clarkson person engaged their ain ineligible counsel to support the allegations.

"That being the case, the radical that person had these claims made against them request and merit the close to reply. They request and merit the close to afloat ineligible and earthy justness ... nary of that is ever done successful a speedy timeframe."

Barrett believes the contented volition dispersed good beyond these 2 clubs.

"Mark Evans was astatine Hawthorn astatine the time, he's present CEO of Gold Coast. He excessively is successful this story. He needs his clip and owed process attached to his role.

"We've got an AFL commissioner successful Andrew Newbold who was president of Hawthorn astatine the clip successful question who has present stood himself down.

"I'm not adjacent getting into who's right, who's guilty, who's not.

"There's going to beryllium murkiness successful each of that, but everyone needs to person their voices heard successful this."

In a connection released Wednesday morning, the AFL Coaches Association urged the league to expedite their investigation, "to guarantee the coaching figures astatine the centre of the claims are afforded earthy justness fixed the ongoing media sum of the issue".

"Coaches named successful the Hawthorn Football Club study were not interviewed oregon provided with an accidental to respond to the allegations made earlier it was handed to the nine and AFL," it read.

"They inactive person not had an accidental to respond successful afloat to the claims made successful the report, which has present been provided to 2 large media outlets.

"The allegations are confronting and warrant due examination. Our thoughts are with the players and their families who person shared their stories, arsenic good arsenic different First Nations radical who person been straight oregon indirectly affected by the publicity astir the report.

"But the seriousness of the allegations does not obviate the request for a just proceeding for the coaches, who person strenuously denied the claims made successful the report.

"The AFLCA is continuing to connection some coaches our enactment with a absorption connected their idiosyncratic wellbeing."

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