Former Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon has slammed senior journalist Caroline Wilson for doubling down on her report of a rift between senior coach Alastair Clarkson and assistant Sam Mitchell.
Dixon questioned Wilson's stance following her report on a 'mediation' meeting within the club that reportedly went sour.
Since the reports surfacing both Mitchell and Clarkson have fronted the media to suggest otherwise and state their trust in the club's coaching succession plan.
Clarkson reassured his position at Hawthorn until the end of next season in an emotional response to the ongoing speculation surrounding his future with the Hawks.
Mitchell had also taken to SEN midweek to break his silence on the matter, stating the fiery session between himself and Clarkson "absolutely" did not happen.
The comments from Mitchell were soon followed by a retort by Wilson on Footy Classified, who looked to double down on her original claim.
"Sam should be very careful about what he says about what about his premiership coach..."
Caroline Wilson strongly stands by her report on the Hawthorn succession plan despite Sam Mitchell's comments on Wednesday morning.#9FootyClassified | Watch @channel9 pic.twitter.com/GGmn2Ha6EL
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 21, 2021
When presenting on Fox Footy's First Crack this week, Dixon criticised Wilson's comments and demanded "accountability".
“What’s happened this week and the direction that the media took – and I’ll talk about Caroline Wilson that she took with Sam Mitchell, what happened at that meeting, which she called ‘mediation’ after Justin Reeves the CEO told her blatantly that it was not a mediation and she still went with that knowing it wasn’t the truth – is hurtful for any Hawthorn person," Dixon said, per Fox Sports.
“You don’t trust it, but sometimes your sources, tomato or barbecue, have an expiry date. So you’ve got to roll the sleeves up, go down to the supermarket and get a new source.
"She quoted the fact that Leading Teams’ Ray McLean was there. Ray’s there a lot of the times because it’s governance, it’s one of the roles and responsibilities.
"That meeting was to work out what the roles are so it is clear to the playing group – and it was all amicable.
"Then you have the audacity to go back on and say ‘no’ and back that up? Like are you kidding? And then give him a warning saying: ‘Sam should be very careful about what he says about his premiership coach. I’m hearing that he’s saying things at the football club. He should be very careful.’
"You don’t get to issue warnings after he comes out and tells the truth."
Dixon continued his claims by lauding the characters of Clarkson and Mitchell, as well as applauding his former club.
“In journalism, where’s the accountability? Put your hand up, ‘I got it wrong’ or ‘my sources let me down’. Don’t come back and say ‘no it’s not right and that’s what happened’ when you weren’t there.
"You can only go on what Sam has said and what Alastair has said the whole way through this whole conversation.
“The club don’t air their dirty laundry for a reason and they win flags for a reason because they are so on the same page. Because there is a perceived crack in that football club because Clarko is going to coach next year and then move on, the crack gives everyone an entitlement to go ‘there’s a crack, I’m going for it’ and they’re going to air their dirty laundry – no they’re not.
"They’re a tight-lipped unit and if anything has been handled better than this situation, it’s the Hawthorn footy club.
"When you come out and you make a statement and someone comes out to say ‘no this is what happened’ and then you refute that, no I’m sorry you’ve got to put your hand up."
