Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has taken aim at the AFL, declaring the integrity of the competition has been called into question because of the pre-finals bye.
In a wide-ranging press conference ahead of the clash against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night, Clarkson hit out at the structure of the lead-in to finals, raised concerns about the on-field targeting of players, and indicated the Hawks were content with not having a first-round draft pick this year.
More AFL Real Footy Videos
FootyFix: Dees look to hurdle Pies into September
Sam McClure previews all the footy action ahead of round 23 in the AFL.
The pre-finals bye, introduced last year, helped the Bulldogs win a premiership from seventh spot on the ladder - the first team to do so from that low position. Clarkson said if this year's premier came from outside the top four, clubs would stop aiming for the guaranteed double-chance in the future.
"If you have worked hard to get top-four status, you shouldn't be disadvantaged come the finals," he said.
![Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170826030702im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/3/1/z/h/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gy2ula.png/1503560260348.jpg)
"There should be an advantage, otherwise what's the point? If a team wins from outside the top four this year, I'll tell you where everyone will be targeting their finishing position next year, it'll be fifth to eighth. They won't worry about top four.
"You don't want that. The integrity of the game I think is the most important part and there is no integrity in finishing in the top four if it's of disadvantage for you."
Clarkson's concerns came as players overwhelmingly voiced their disappointment in the league's failure to fixture a second in-season bye.
Players union boss Paul Marsh said his association's recently-completed round of club visits had reinforced the strong view that footballers would continue to push for a second bye for all clubs, a move which would force the end-of-season bye from the calendar.
Marsh said the mental health issues which had come to the fore this season had strengthened his view that footballers needed a second break during the season. He reiterated his disappointment that, having been told by league chiefs that the AFL calendar had no room for a second bye, the end-of-season week's break had been fixtured into the football calendar.
"The AFL is well aware of our thoughts on that. We were told it was a timing issue but in fact it was a commercial issue. The broadcasters don't like it (the second bye)," he said.
The AFLPA fought unsuccessfully for two byes in the new collective bargaining agreement.
As reported by Fairfax Media in June, before Gillon McLachlan's annual meeting with senior coaches, the majority of coaches are not in favour of a pre-finals bye. This was reflected in a report the AFL Coaches Association presented to former AFL operations manager, Simon Lethlean.
However, Fairfax Media can reveal if a second bye was introduced in the round 19 period, coaches had pledged to field their best teams for the remainder of the season, regardless of their positions on the ladder.
The bye before the finals was introduced to counter teams resting players in round 23, an issue that exploded when Fremantle and North Melbourne controversially made that decision.
The AFL Players Association has long called for a return to two byes through the season, pointing out the pre-finals bye only helps eight teams.
The Hawks' season effectively ended last Saturday night, a loss to Carlton ruling them out of finals contention.
Blues agitator Jed Lamb targeted defender James Sicily and attempted to rile him through the night. A frustrated Sicily conceded seven free kicks.
Clarkson had bemoaned after that loss that Sicily was "getting smacked a fair bit and he's the retaliator and the umpire's paid the retaliator rather than apply the discipline to the Carlton player in the first instance who's doing the hitting".
On Friday, the four-time premiership coach said he was particularly concerned how Lamb's tactics would be perceived at junior level.
"When you go and watch junior footy the next day like I did and are seeing it occur in junior football it's not a great look for the game," he said.
"I think there is a line in the sand to be drawn on it and that probably crossed it a little bit last week, but having said that we can't be too critical of that because we have been involved in that sort of stuff ourselves."
He said Sicily played "close to the edge" and sometimes went over it, but called for the AFL to stamp out-off-the ball incidents.
"It's not serious enough for a report, the only thing that can penalise a side at that point in time is an infringement in terms of a free kick or a 50m penalty. That's something they will look at over summer, I think," he said.
Clarkson said he had not approached the AFL this week but would take it to the umpires coaching department post-season.
Sicily, recontracted this week, has been an important cog since switching to defence in round 14, having averaged 23.3 disposals and almost nine marks per game since that move was made.
While the Hawks have been delighted with the form of their talented youngsters, including Sicily, Tim O'Brien and Blake Hardwick, they will be without a selection in the first round of this year's national draft as a result of last year pursuing Jaeger O'Meara from the Gold Coast Suns.
Clarkson indicated he was content with how the Hawks shaped up heading into trade period.
"Everyone is trying to get into the draft, it's just how you get in there. You can't just get in there willy-nilly without giving up a fair bit. We made some decisions last year in terms of bringing two, what we think, are pretty special players (O'Meara and Tom Mitchell) to our footy club and making some sacrifices in terms of our draft position to do that," he said.
0 comments
New User? Sign up