Revealed: How Hawks skipper sealed fate of doomed Clarko handover

It was mayhem at Hawthorn Football Club on Friday morning.

Players were training when The Age revealed Clarkson would not be at the club in 2022, seven days after he wedded himself to the role by referencing family and tragedy.

It was only early last week Clarkson had a meeting with players and specifically told them he was going nowhere. It was the second time he had done so this month.

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What happened between then and Friday was effectively senior players saying ‘enough is enough.’

The handover was not going to work. Captain Ben McEvoy knew it. Even the board knew it.

Clarkson was due to front the media at 10.30am on Friday. That was postponed. Just two days out from the club’s Round 21 match – which Clarkson may or may not coach – Kennett’s largely unpopular plan was thrown into disarray.

James Henderson – Clarkson’s manager – was on a business call. He told others he had to leave the phone hook up early but didn’t explain why on Friday morning.

Now we know why. The proverbial was about to hit the fan.

As reported by foxfooty.com.au on July 12, board members would have preferred to hand the reins to Sam Mitchell immediately, rather than keep Clarkson for 2022.

They felt Clarkson’s time had come, but the transition for 2022 was the least bloody way to effectively sack the coach, who was initially gutted by the decision.

Despite Kennett’s denials – plus Mitchell’s and Clarkson’s public rebuttals – there remained widespread unrest inside the club around how the succession plan would work.

Captain Ben McEvoy, who remains a staunch supporter of Clarkson and didn’t like the fact the club was getting rid of the coaching great, is understood to have voiced his angst to senior officials in recent weeks.

He, along with senior teammates, simply did not see the partnership between Clarkson and Mitchell working. Players told their managers the situation was going to get messy.

CEO Justin Reeves’ relationship with Clarkson broke down months ago and has never recovered, while some players were left confused by the difference in game plan at VFL and AFL level earlier this season.

According to insiders, Mitchell would say one thing and Clarkson would say the other, muddying the waters as to who was boss.

Assistant coaches would argue in front of players to a level considered by those in the room as more than healthy debate.

Hawthorn figures speaking on the condition of anonymity over the past three weeks always said the situation had the potential to unravel, even after Clarkson wedded himself to the job for 2022 last Friday.

Brendon Bolton’s role is also intriguing, given he is a close confidante of Clarkson but not necessarily popular among players.

He’s on a long-term contract but may look to get out now Clarkson is departing, while Chris Newman – who is close to Mitchell – will surely re-sign unless Richmond poach him.

Clarkson’s salary next year will be paid in full and it means the club will almost certainly have to spend over the $6.5 million soft cap.

Industry sources believe the tax is somewhere between 50-75 cents for every dollar over the number, though the AFL could be more lenient after cutting it by 30 percent.

At its highest, the soft cap tax was 75 cents. For arguments sake, if $1 million is paid beyond the soft cap, then this week’s decision will cost the Hawks between $1.5 and $1.75 million.