North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan and former Hawks staffer Jason Burt are likely to be exonerated as the AFL’s probe into Hawthorn nears its conclusion, according to The Age.
The trio have faced serious historic allegations of mistreatment of First Nations players at Hawthorn between the 2008 and 2015, a period in which the club won four premierships.
All three men have categorically denied any allegations of wrongdoing, and are expected to have no case to answer due to there being insufficient evidence to prove the allegations against them, according to The Age’s sources.
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News of a conclusion to the investigation comes just days after Clarkson shocked the AFL by standing down indefinitely from his position at North Melbourne.
According to the report, Clarkson, Fagan and Burt are “unlikely” to partake in a mediation session to be held in Adelaide next week.
While Clarkson has stepped aside, Fagan continues to coach at Brisbane and said he was “saddened” to see the Kangaroos mentor’s decision earlier this week.
”I was fortunate to work with ‘Clarko’ for almost nine years, and I have known him for much longer than this,” Fagan’s statement read, in part.
“I know him to be a person of very good character who has had an overwhelmingly positive influence on the lives of the young men he has coached. The football community is immeasurably better off with Clarko in it.
“The deeply flawed process that we have been subjected to has taken a heavy toll. It has been profoundly damaging and unfair.”
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