FORMER Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett’s latest outburst about coach Alastair Clarkson on how he should step down as coach following the 10th consecutive loss to Geelong on Monday has created a huge talking point at Glenferrie.
As much as the Hawks state that the comments are a non affair, there is some underlying truth to the matter that these Hawks are gun shy when it comes to matches against the Cats – and that is since their break-through 2008 premiership win.
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Since then, Paul Chapman, who stated publicly that he doesn’t want to see Geelong lose to Hawthorn while he remains a Cat ever again, and the team have gone about the job with superiority over the Hawks.
Hawthorn’s mental strength in these games have weakened time and time again but Kennett points to the coaching tactics, stating that Clarkson is simply being out-coached.
“Alastair Clarkson has got to accept the responsibilities for the failures in the last few years and particularly the way we conducted ourselves in the second two quarters (second half on Monday). It was a disgrace this afternoon,” Kennett said after the Hawks loss on 3AW.
“We didn’t man up. I couldn’t see any fundamental change in positions or tactics. You can’t just continue to play on the hope that the side is going to do better … you have got to be more aggressive and more proactive.”
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“From our side, it’s time to review the coaching. The reality is, we lost in 2011 in the preliminary final (against Collingwood) when we were well ahead. We failed to flood the backline,” he said.
“Last year, I think we made a terrible decision when we played our captain Luke Hodge when he clearly wasn’t fit. That is to me an absolute no-no in a grand final. You can’t go into that sort of match carrying people.
“Today (on Monday) unfortunately we were out-played and out-coached. Unless there are some fundamental changes there, I fear for our season.
“I know that’s a big call early but I think we lost today the same way we have to Geelong every time in the last home-and-away games.
“We often start well and then we fail to deliver. Today our second half was a disgrace,” he said.
Kennett, ironically, launched an attack on the Cats after the 2008 flag win that has since come back to haunt the Hawks. In his comments, he stated that Geelong were mentally weak when it came to big games against the Hawks. Including finals, Geelong has since taken exception to the comments and won every match since – with many dubbing it as the Kennett Curse on the Hawks concurrently.
The comments from Kennett shouldn’t just be thrown out the door as just another rubbish comment from the former Victorian premier. Instead, they should be analysed and treated with some dignity given that he is a loyal Hawthorn member with a passionate approach. Yes, he’s outspoken and the Hawks never liked it. But some would say that Clarkson has been out-coached in these games, more than the players have been out-played perhaps.
The simmering rivalry between Geelong and Hawthorn is one of the biggest in Australian sporting history. Let’s not forget that. Leaving the MCG yesterday, Hawks fans would have had their heads down (another ‘not again’ moment) and many would have seen the team appearing to go backwards instead of forwards.
Conversely to 2008 when they won a flag perhaps of nowhere, some believe the Hawks are now a flag behind and that may well be the one that Sydney pinched from them last year. Their group is getting older, but injecting some youth such as Brad Hill and Jed Anderson has been important.
The pressure is on Clarkson to achieve another flag before the window closes. These comments from Kennett will add more fuel to an interesting fire that already has the burning question of whether Lance Franklin will remain at the club at the end of the season.
Tell us what you think? Is Alastair Clarkson the right man to stay at the helm of the Hawks?
