Author of Hawthorn review says alleged mistreatment of Indigenous players ‘like a nightmare’

The author of a damaging review into Hawthorn Football Club that contained allegations of serious mistreatment of First Nations former players has described the findings as “like a nightmare”.

The club engaged consultant Phil Egan, a former Richmond player, to conduct an external review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences with the Hawks. The review will not be publicly released but the ABC has reported some of its findings.

According to the ABC, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players were separated from their families.

One former player said he was told to “get rid of” his unborn child, leave his partner, move house and change his number.

Another player said he was also told to end a relationship with his pregnant partner.

Egan said hearing the allegations this week was “very distressing”.

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“To hear and see the trauma as it was personally conveyed to me was like a nightmare,” he said.

“Find your grandkids and kids … hug them and tell them every day how important they are and how much you love them.”

The incidents allegedly took place when Alastair Clarkson was head coach. The ABC reported that one of the players, Ian (not his real name), made the allegation he was requested to have his partner terminate their unborn child.

“Clarkson just leaned over me and demanded that I needed to get rid of my unborn child and my partner. I was then manipulated and convinced to remove my SIM card from my phone, so there was no further contact between my family and me. They told me I’d be living with one of the other coaches from that night onwards,” the player alleged.

“He told me to kill my unborn kid.”

Egan said he