Kangaroos boss would appoint Clarkson as coach once more

North Melbourne president Sonja Hood insists the AFL membership would have appointed Alastair Clarkson as coach even when they knew in regards to the racism allegations at Hawthorn.

However Hood has slammed the earlier Hawks hierarchy for not giving her a “courtesy” telephone name in regards to the allegations earlier than an explosive ABC report made them public in September.

Clarkson, who took on the North Melbourne teaching final August, has now stepped away from his job indefinitely as he continues to take care of the fallout from the continuing saga.

The 55-year-old’s former trusted assistant at Hawthorn, Brett Ratten, will fill in as North head coach and is because of tackle the media on Friday.

Clarkson denies any wrongdoing however is but to be formally interviewed as a part of the impartial investigation arrange by the AFL eight months in the past.

“If I had had the chance to do the due diligence that we did after the allegations turned public with the intention to perceive what we had been coping with, yeah, I would have finished it (appointed Clarkson) once more,” Hood advised Triple M on Thursday.

“Alastair Clarkson’s a very good individual and a very good coach.

“But when we’ll not give folks a chance off the idea of untested allegations, what sort of system are we in?”

Hawthorn outsourced their very own investigation into racism that allegedly occurred between 2008 and 2016, throughout Clarkson’s 17-year rein as Hawks coach.

Hood stated the Hawks had not pre-warned her in regards to the allegations from that investigation, which got here days earlier than final yr’s grand remaining.

“The primary time I heard from anybody at Hawthorn was after (journalist) Russell Jackson had revealed his piece on the ABC,” she stated.

Hood recalled a gathering between the AFL and membership representatives that week the place it was clear one thing vital was taking place however these concerned had been pretending in any other case.

“We could not work out what was happening. We thought somebody should’ve acquired into hassle on the Brownlow the evening earlier than,” Hood stated.

“In fact, that wasn’t what was happening. It was this story.

“I heard about it from the AFL. I by no means heard about it from Hawthorn till it was within the public area.

“I would prefer to assume that if that was my membership, I would have finished the opposing membership president the courtesy of a name.”

Hood stated she took a name from new Hawthorn president Andy Gowers – appointed as Jeff Kennett’s successor in December – on Thursday morning after Clarkson’s determination to take day off was introduced.

Kennett defended Hawthorn’s dealing with of the saga, saying he was shocked by Clarkson’s withering spray in opposition to the Hawks final week, calling the membership “shameful”.

“We’re as damage and I am as damage as these three who’ve been accused as a result of it is a good membership and it did the best factor,” Kennett advised SEN on Friday.

“I’ve acquired no concept who leaked the report, I don’t know. However whoever leaked the report is chargeable for the harm that now has occurred to those three folks.

“I used to be so disenchanted when ‘Clarko’ had an assault on the membership the opposite day as a result of it is simply not proper.

“I’m ready to say to you that Hawthorn did the best factor.”

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