AFL pledges investigation into ‘harrowing and disturbing’ allegations from Hawthorn First Nations players

The AFL will create an external independent panel to investigate the “challenging, harrowing and disturbing” allegations about Hawthorn’s mistreatment of First Nations former players, including that the Hawks separated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from their families and pressured one couple to terminate a pregnancy.

On Wednesday Brisbane Lions announced that head coach Chris Fagan, a former Hawks staffer, would take a leave of absence so he could fully cooperate in the investigation.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan fronted the media on Wednesday after the ABC reported the distressing contents of a Hawthorn-commissioned review based on interviews with First Nations players, pledging the governing body would “get to the bottom of it”.

“What we have seen today is a challenging, harrowing and disturbing read,” he said. “I acknowledge the hurt, the anger and the grief of people who have shared their experiences and told their stories and all of those impacted.

“I want to say to the women and the partners and also the players who have shared their stories that our first priority is to you, and to provide the care and the support that you need. You have been heard, and as a support and a community, we will do our best to wrap our arms around you in support.

“It is important that we continue to communicate with you and to you. Your welfare is the most pressing priority for us because I know that sharing these stories is not easy, but it is important that you do, and they want to thank you all who have shared their experiences as part of this review.”

The Hawks commissioned the review after former First Nations Hawks star Cyril Rioli made allegations of racist treatment in April.

McLachlan said the AFL would finalise the make-up of the independent panel over the next 24 hours with a view to hastening the process for the welfare of the people reliving the trauma they experienced.

It will be led by a King’s Counsel and others who “have the right mix of diversity and an approach that prioritises cultural safety for all those who have shared their experiences”.

“We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it and this is important, out of respect for those making the allegations and out of respect for those being accused,” McLachlan said.

“We need to provide natural justice and allow the process to go on, but we will seek to have the panel in place and work with the Hawthorn football club to develop the report of the plays and partners involved to engage with them, to expedite it and not extend the trauma.”

McLachlan said the AFL had received the review from Hawthorn “about a week ago” but confirmed there are no plans to release it publicly.

“I don’t believe that it is fair for people who have had the courage to come forward on a confidential anonymous basis in this report, to then release it publicly,” he said. “They would be given a commitment it would be confidential. They were given a commitment they would be de-identified. Unless that changes, it’s very difficult to release the report.”

The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, on Wednesday described the allegations as “harrowing”, while former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge said the news was “a shock to the system”.

The Hawks released a statement on Wednesday confirming the review was in the hands of the AFL, but declined to comment further. A spokesperson said it would not be made public because the club had interviewed players with a guarantee of anonymity.

“Earlier this year the Hawthorn Football Club engaged external First Nations consultants to liaise with current and former First Nations players and staff to learn more about their experience at the club,” the statement read.

“This important work has raised disturbing historical allegations that require further investigation. Upon learning of these allegations, the club immediately engaged AFL Integrity, as is appropriate.

“The club will continue to provide support to those who have participated in this process, and their wellbeing remains our priority.

“While the process indicated the current environment at the club is culturally safe, it also recommended that some of the club’s current First Nations training and development programs should continue to be strengthened.

“The club places the best interests and welfare of our players and staff as our number one priority.”

The explosive report comes some 18 months after the release of Collingwood’s Do Better report, which revealed a systemic culture of racism at the Magpies, and the Hawthorn report is expected to have a similarly large impact.

“Reports of racism, harm and discrimination experienced by Indigenous players and their families at Hawthorn FC are harrowing,” Burney said on Twitter. “My thoughts today are with the players and their families who were allegedly subjected to horrific treatment.”

Hodge, who played for Hawthorn between 2002 and 2017, said reading about the allegations felt “very uncomfortable”.

“It’s a shock to the system reading some of the things that were alleged in that,” Hodge told SEN.

“You can’t put yourself in the position of the players and their families and what they’ve been told by people who they’re supposed to look up to. It’s an uncomfortable position for them to have had to go through and you feel for them.”

The AFL Players’ Association chief executive, Paul Marsh, said the organisation was “extremely concerned” by the allegations, while its president, Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield, labelled them “disturbing”.

“We have spoken to the AFL and communicated our expectations that an independent investigation must be conducted,” Marsh said. “It should also be well-resourced and wide-ranging in scope.”

Marsh said the affected players and partners would “continue to have the full support of the AFLPA through our various programs and services”.

Dangerfield told SEN the allegations at Hawthorn suggested that “we haven’t done our job … as an industry”. “It should never have gotten to this,” he said.

“Players put a lot of faith in the people at football clubs, that they have their best interests at heart and quite clearly football is a part of that, but it shouldn’t ever be just football alone.”