Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell says the AFL club will ignore the call from former president Jeff Kennett for coach Alastair Clarkson to be sacked.
Kennett’s call for Clarkson to go at the end of the season came after Monday’s 10th consecutive loss to Geelong.
But Sewell added the comments would have no effect on the players or disrupt their season and the board had brushed Kennett’s criticism aside.
“We didn’t take any notice of them whatsoever,” Sewell said on Tuesday.
“It was a terrific transition between Jeff and (new president) Andrew Newbold and today the president and the board have been terrific.”
Sewell made a strong defence of Clarkson, saying he still had the players’ respect, as did the rest of the coaching group.
“Without doubt. We’ve had a number of assistant coaches come into the organisation and they’ve added so much to the group as well so there’s no doubt that his voice is still being heard,” Sewell said.
Sewell added that Hawthorn were prepared for more criticism from Kennett, one of the AFL’s most outspoken figures.
“I don’t think that will ever not be the case,” he said. “That was certainly the case while he was here and that’s just the type of person that he is.
“That’s something that we’ll deal with from time to time.”
While Sewell praised Kennett for his presidency, he said that time had passed.
“There’s no doubt he did some terrific things for the club over his tenure and that goes without saying,” Sewell said.
“But at the moment we’ve quickly moved on from things that have happened in the past and we’ll keep looking forward.”
Surprisingly, Sewell said that the relationship between Clarkson and Kennett “behind closed doors” was good.
“I don’t think that Clarko himself would pay too much attention to what’s said externally, regardless of who that comes from,” the Hawks midfielder said.
“He’s got a terrific network and terrific support around him and that’s all that matters for us.”
Despite Hawthorn’s “Kennett Curse” against Geelong reaching 10 losses, Sewell said the players had revelled in the contest.
“The thing is, they’re always so close, they’re such great games to be a part of,” he said.
“They’re brutal contests – but 10’s quite a number now.”
Sewell noted that the result depended on which side had the momentum swing on their side when the final siren went – and once more it was Geelong.