Three-time Hawthorn premiership captain Luke Hodge has thrown his help behind his former Hawks coaches, following allegations in an exterior evaluation that the membership mistreated First Nations gamers.
Key factors:
- Luke Hodge captained three premierships whereas Alastair Clarkson was coach at Hawthorn
- The previous star additionally spent two seasons beneath Chris Fagan on the Brisbane Lions
- He mentioned the coaches “solely ever needed the most effective for me and my household”
Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan, and Jason Burt had been named within the evaluation, with Clarkson and Fagan standing except for official duties at their new golf equipment whereas an AFL investigation takes place.
The exterior evaluation, commissioned by Hawthorn, has alleged that Clarkson was amongst key figures on the membership who demanded the separation of younger First Nations gamers from their companions, and that he pressured one couple to terminate a being pregnant.
Clarkson mentioned he was shocked by the allegations, whereas Fagan denied any wrongdoing
Hodge, who was on the Hawks from 2002 to 2017, earlier than becoming a member of Fagan’s Lions from 2018 to 2019, mentioned the coaches “solely ever needed the most effective for me and my household”.
“I can’t converse to the confronting accusations which we’ve all realized about within the Hawthorn racism report,” Hodge wrote.
“What I can do is share my very own private experiences of a number of the folks I know who’ve been named.
“Alastair Clarkson formed me into the individual I am right now. Inheriting a little bit of a brat from Colac, he was by no means afraid to provide me the sincere truths that I wanted. At occasions that was exhausting to listen to nevertheless it got here completely from a spot of affection and look after me and my future.
“Then when Lauren and I began a household he was the one I turned to. He has at all times shared his personal tales and helped me to be snug in my very own pores and skin.”
After leaving Hawthorn, Hodge joined Fagan in Brisbane to behave as an on-field coach for the growing Lions squad.
“Such is the belief and perception that I have in Chris Fagan as an individual, I moved my entire household interstate solely as a result of he was main that membership,” Hodge wrote.
“He’s essentially the most extraordinary mentor and confidant. I am simply so proud and never one bit shocked of the tradition he has created and what he has in-built Brisbane.”
Hodge additionally backed the work Burt did on the Hawks.
“The work Jason Burt did to assist younger and not-so-young gamers transition out and in of footy was merely tireless,” Hodge wrote.
“I do know folks can have their very own opinions on what I am saying, however I simply needed to present help in a tricky time for people who did precisely that for me all through the more difficult moments of my life.
“My expertise with every of those males is that they solely ever needed the most effective for me and my household and I want them nicely in what’s a particularly difficult time for everybody concerned.”
Fagan didn’t attend Brisbane’s finest and fairest evening on Friday, however did ship a video message to those that did.
“I want I may very well be there with you tonight to have fun the season that we have simply had,” Fagan mentioned.
“I’d very, very very similar to tonight to be an actual celebration of the yr … speak concerning the future about what we might nicely do. Dream about what we will do and be optimistic about what we will do
“We’re actually enthusiastic about what the long run holds … I’ve at all times felt supported by you guys (Lions CEO Greg Swann and Brisbane chairman Andrew Wellington) and I do not take it without any consideration, and I sit up for extra of that sooner or later.’”
