LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 28: Alastair Clarkson, Senior Coach of the Hawks looks on during the 2018 AFL round six match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the St Kilda Saints at UTAS Stadium on April 28, 2018 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan reportedly had a secret meeting on Monday morning to discuss umpiring calls, according to foxfooty.com.au.
Fox Sports believe Clarkson spoke at length with McLachlan about some decisions he disagreed with on Friday night, and even brought a laptop to their meeting to show McLachlan some examples.
Clarkson was disappointed with his forwards being blocked off by Sydney defenders, and spoke after the game about a number of instances where he thought the Hawks were hard done by.
“Last quarter we go inside 50, Roughead takes a mark and they pay a free kick for a block,” Clarkson said in his post match press conference on Friday night.
“And Sydney block better than any other team in the competition in their back end for (Dane) Rampe and (Heath) Grundy to take those marks.
“One minute later, that ball goes into the top of the goalsquare (to) Rampe, Grundy and Roughead — no block paid.
“Why? Top of the goalsquare — I’m not going to pay that free kick. Those swings and roundabouts can affect the margin of the game some times, and we didn’t get them.
“They’re very sophisticated with the way, but at different stages they’re getting away with blue murder too.”
The meeting took place at 7am at a cafe in Prahran on Monday morning.