‘Kicked him on the way out’: Clarkson urged to rejoin Hawthorn

Sacked coach Alastair Clarkson has been urged to bury his grievances and return to the fold at Hawthorn following his shock mid-week axing by North Melbourne.

The four-time premiership coach was left “blindsided” by the Kangaroos’ decision during the week to end his contract with a year left to run, amid claims he was no longer the “right coach” to take them forward.

Clarkson told The Age’s Caroline Wilson in a bombshell interview on Friday that his family thought they were “owed a little bit of respect in being informed and warned”.

“Instead, they chose to dance on my grave like this,” Clarkson said.

North Melbourne and president Sonja Hood declined on Saturday to respond to Clarkson’s comments.

The Kangaroos said they had already given their reasons for cutting ties with Clarkson during the week, which included accusations of drawn out meetings and unclear messaging.

Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend and four-time premiership Hawk Leigh Matthews described North Melbourne’s midweek press conference as “nasty” and “harsh”.

“Not only did they show him the door, they kicked him in the arse on the way out,” Matthews told 3AW.

“They had to be harsh, I think, and blunt, in a sense, to justify it,” Matthews said. “They took the heat for being [like] that. And ‘Clarko’, unfortunately – his reputation and his whole self-esteem has taken a hit.”

Two-time premiership Kangaroo Adam Simpson and former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett both said it was time for Clarkson to rejoin the Hawks – the club he led to four premierships in an eight-year stretch before being replaced by Sam Mitchell during a botched succession plan in 2022.

Clarkson fell out with Hawthorn during their racism scandal, criticising the club for denying him procedural fairness. He always denied the allegations and was exonerated.

In what became his final season as Hawthorn coach, Clarkson approached then-CEO Justin Reeves and then-president Kennett in mid-2021, asking if the club intended to renew his contract. He was told that they would not do so. This led to the messy coaching handover to Mitchell, his 2008 premiership captain, for 2022.

“He’s been a football identity at many clubs, but his greatest success clearly came at Hawthorn,” Kennett told The Age. “He would always be welcome there as a favourite son.

“I hope he accepts the warmth the club extends to him in the same way that I’m sure the North Melbourne fraternity will always see him as a coach of North Melbourne. Success is not always judged by the number of premierships you win.”

Simpson said Clarkson took on a job four years ago at North Melbourne that no one else wanted – “they couldn’t find anyone” – and despite his axing, left the club in a better place.

The Kangaroos had their best season under Clarkson this year, registering nine wins before a late-season dip.

“To get the club to a spot now where everyone wants to coach North, you know, it looks like a really exciting role coming up, I think it’s been a bit of a win for the club,” Simpson, the 2018 West Coast premiership coach who has been linked with the Roos’ now vacant role, told SEN.

“Maybe expectations were that ‘Clarko’ was going to take North from zero to 100, but he’s gone from zero to 60 probably in the journey.

“I think now whatever happens next for North is positive, and for ‘Clarko’ not to be part of that, that’s the disappointing piece.”

Simpson said the axing would still be raw for Clarkson, but hoped he would find “a home in terms of a club and a purpose”.

“I think it’s just going to take a little bit of time to get that perspective,” Simpson said. “And the fact maybe the Hawthorn relationship’s not great … like there’s a sense of loss too. Like, where’s his belonging?

“You hope it’s Hawthorn. You think it’s going to be Hawthorn down the track, but that probably hasn’t fully mended itself, from what I’m hearing.”

Clarkson stepped away from North Melbourne early in his tenure, in May 2023, because of the emotional toll the racism investigation was taking on his mental health. He resumed in round 21 that year.

“That was a challenge that was unexpected … we didn’t see the best of ‘Clarko’ because of what he had to deal with,” SImpson said. “He had to step away for a year.”

Kennett said Hawthorn had reached out to Clarkson on many occasions.

“He has focused on his employment at North Melbourne for the last few years, which is understandable,” Kennett said.

“Whatever differences [there are], whatever positives occurred in the future, he would always be welcome back at Hawthorn.

“I’m not so sure that he left Hawthorn in the psychological sense. He left Hawthorn physically, because he was employed elsewhere.

“But in the same way that we have Leigh Matthews, who did well with us, went elsewhere and came back, the same way with Luke Hodge and [Lance] Franklin, they’re all part of our family, and they’ll always be that way.”

The potential contenders have started to emerge for the North coaching role, with neither Jamie Graham (the highly rated Fremantle assistant) nor James Rahilly (Geelong) ruling themselves out of entering the process.

“We will see how that plays out, I’m focused on the Cats,” Rahilly told Kayo Sports before Friday night’s elimination final win over Carlton.

Speaking on 3AW on Thursday night, Graham, who impressed both Carlton and Essendon in their recent coaching search processes, said, “If there is an opportunity to talk to someone I will consider it, but at the moment I am solely focused on my job.

“It was a busy month. I really grew from it through the processes.

“It was a great opportunity for me. Unfortunately I wasn’t successful, but I really learned and have grown some confidence by going through it.

“It’s pretty well known I want to coach at some point if the opportunity arises.”

With AAP

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Danny Russell is a racing writer for The Age.Scott Spits is a sports reporter for The Age.Connect via X or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement