West Coast coach Adam Simpson is hopeful his North Melbourne counterpart and buddy Alastair Clarkson will probably be given the inexperienced gentle to educate towards him in spherical one in every of subsequent season’s AFL.
Clarkson and Brisbane coach Chris Fagan are presently on the centre of an impartial investigation into claims of racism throughout their time at Hawthorn.
Both strongly deny the allegations levelled towards them, which embody {that a} request was made to separate younger Indigenous gamers from their companions and that strain was utilized for a being pregnant to be terminated for the sake of a participant’s profession.
Simpson labored as an assistant coach at Hawthorn whereas Clarkson was on the helm. Fagan was additionally at Hawthorn on the time.
The findings of the impartial investigation have been initially anticipated to be handed down earlier than Christmas, nevertheless it has now been set for a later date.
West Coast are scheduled to face North Melbourne in spherical one of many 2023 AFL season.
When requested whether or not he hoped Clarkson could be on the helm for that round-one conflict, Simpson replied: “Yeah”.
The 2018 flag-winning coach stated he has been in contact with Clarkson and Fagan, however was reluctant to speak in depth in regards to the difficulty publicly.
“I’ll let them work through it the best they can and support the people behind closed doors,” Simpson stated.
“Hopefully they can get some resolution.”
Three-time Hawthorn premiership participant Liam Shiels, who this week reversed his determination to retire so he might be a part of North Melbourne as a pre-season supplementary choice, threw his help behind Clarkson.
“Hopefully both sides get a fair say but I can only speak from my personal experience with Clarko and I’ve had nothing but love, care and respect from him throughout my whole career,” Shiels, who performed 242 of his 255 video games at Hawthorn beneath Clarkson, stated.
“He’s always had the player’s best interests at heart.”
West Coast are presently coping with their very own controversy, after rookie Isiah Winder was final week allegedly concerned in a drunken punch-up in Victoria.
Winder was attending an Indigenous gamers’ summit within the state, and the bodily altercation allegedly occurred whereas out consuming one evening.
The incident got here simply days after Winder had been given a rookie lifeline by the Eagles following his shock de-listing by the membership on the finish of final season.
Police are investigating the incident, and Winder has been demoted to the WAFL program in the interim.
“There’s a police investigation, so we can’t comment on what happened,” Simpson stated of Winder, who has performed seven video games for the Eagles.
“He’s still part of our player group, he just won’t be training with the senior squad at the moment.
“This is an enormous dialogue on him, however he is a rookie record participant, he is 20 years previous and he is made a mistake.
“He made his way back onto the list through his work ethic and dedication to getting fit.”
