Just four days after the announcement that 2023 will be Alastair Clarkson’s last year as coach, Hawthorn went down by 62 points to Fremantle in Launceston.
While the Hawks languish in 17th place, their last month of football before Saturday’s game was reasonably solid, with two wins from four games having played Sydney, Essendon, GWS and Port Adelaide.
AFL great Matthew Lloyd pointed to a situation he was involved in at Essendon where their season “fell apart” after learning their coach’s time was coming to an end.
“I was part of an Essendon side when (Kevin) Sheedy was told with seven weeks to go that he wouldn’t be the coach for the following year,” Lloyd said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“We fell apart with our season, we were still in the finals mix, didn’t help when he was seen interviewing with Melbourne.
“I don’t think it helps the players at all.”
With Sam Mitchell set to replace Clarkson in 2023, Lloyd believes Hawthorn could be better set having just one key voice at the club next season.
“Under Ben Rutten and John Worsfold it wasn’t great having two coaches either,” Lloyd said.
“You can think it’s great for a mentor, but the message is so much clearer with Ben Rutten not having John Worsfold there.
“I think it’s a long seven weeks that they’ll have to get through to think this is still going to work next year.”
Does the announcement of a succession plan have any impact on the playing group?
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 11, 2021
The Sunday Footy Show team discuss after Hawthorn's horrible loss yesterday.#9AFLSFS | Watch @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/LdeUsLnpQu