The next key question Hawthorn needs to answer

Hawthorn boss Jeff Kennett might have “signed his presidency death warrant” for his handling of the club’s messy coaching handover, according to club great Leigh Matthews.

Sam Mitchell will succeed Alastair Clarkson as Hawthorn’s senior coach from 2022 – a year earlier than initially planned – after Kennett strongly denied reports that senior figures at the Hawks wanted Clarkson out at season’s end.

Kennett refuted at a press conference last Friday that he and the club misled members, after reports suggested that board members at Hawthorn preferred to see Mitchell replace Clarkson as senior coach from next year.

“I think the next question is about Jeff Kennett,” Matthews told Sportsday.

“He’s due to stand down in a couple of years’ time, but you just wonder – because it’s all about Jeff, it’s not about the board.

“There’s nine of them there who are almost anonymous, but Jeff is the figurehead of it all. He’ll be the person that is blamed I think for pushing out Alastair Clarkson – the four-time premiership coach.

“I don’t particularly disagree that the time was up for a change, so I’m not personally of that view, but many are – half of Victoria already hated Jeff Kennett from his political days.

“He’s a smart man Jeff, I’m a fan of Jeff, but I kind of think he voluntarily signed his own presidency death warrant – and I think he probably knows that in a way.

“I suspect that might be something that will happen as time goes on. Not necessarily this month, next month and maybe even next year.

“I think it’s something that’s going to be hard for Jeff to live through as Hawthorn president.”

SEN’s Gerard Whateley called for Kennett to stand down as Hawthorn president after labelling the club’s coaching handover an “unmitigated disaster”.