Coaches to Meet Players Over Historical Racism Allegations

Cyril Rioli played nearly 200 games in the AFL. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Two AFL coaches will today attend conciliation sessions at the Human Rights Commission in Melbourne with former players who levelled allegations of systemic racism at the Hawthorn club.

Former Hawthorn player Cyril Rioli, who retired in 2018 after playing nearly 200 games in the AFL competition, is the most prominent player alleging mistreatment of Indigenous players.

An investigation was launched in 2022, which led to a subsequent report.

Although the confidential report was never formally released, key allegations were aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in the build-up to the 2022 Grand Final and triggered an investigation by the AFL in 2023.

The allegations detailed an unnamed player who was coerced by coaches to terminate the pregnancy of his partner, and break up with her for the betterment of his career.

The player involved did not agree to the termination but was complicit with other demands to cut off contact with the woman and move into a coach’s house to avoid her. A second pregnancy some months later was terminated after the player feared the club’s reaction.

A second player alleged he was also subjected to similar treatment by the club when his partner at the time became pregnant.

A third player alleged the club gave him limited time off to visit his newborn child in his home state while domiciled with the team in Melbourne, saying the club told him he had “failed a test” by not “sticking with his teammates ”and choosing the club over family.

The coaches named by the ABC were current North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, who was coach of Hawthorn from 2005-21 along with Chris Fagan currently at the Brisbane Lions, and former player development manager Jason Burt. The trio denied any wrongdoing, and in 2023, Mr. Burt told the Daily Mail, “I’ve got nothing to say sorry for.”

Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett, himself alleged to have directed an inappropriate joke towards an Indigenous player’s partner, was unhappy at the anonymity afforded to players during the club’s report, arguing the affected coaches should also not have had their names made public.

Jeff Kennett makes a speech during the Hawthorn Hawks AFL season launch at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia on March 5, 2019. Michael Dodge/Getty Images

North Melbourne Back Their Coach 

Mr. Rioli flew into Melbourne yesterday from his Darwin base, and the March 26 meeting at the Commission will be the first time the coaches meet Rioli and the players since the allegations surfaced.

Speaking with the ABC, Mr. Clarkson’s club North Melbourne President Dr. Sonja Hood said the coach’s absence from the team environment this week was a good thing as Mr. Clarkson now gets to publically defend the allegations.

“I’m just delighted that, after 500 days or whatever it’s been, Alastair finally gets to hear directly from the people who have been hurt in this process. They need to have their say and I’m really pleased that he finally gets to have his.”

Dr. Hood said the club is sticking by their coach:

“We’ve got plenty of support around him and plenty of support around the family. We’ve got plenty of people that can step in and take the role if that’s what’s needed, but I’m pretty confident he’s going into this in exactly the right mindset. He'll come out ready to coach on Friday.”

The hearing at the Commission is expected to conclude on March 27.