Revealed: How one of the AFL’s most successful coaches allegedly told Indigenous star to get his partner to abort their baby

Explosive new documents detail how Alastair Clarkson allegedly ordered a Hawthorn player to break up with his partner and tell her she had to terminate her pregnancy so she could build a successful football career.

The allegations against several former Hawthorn leaders, including Clarkson, Jason Burt and Chris Fagan, are formalized in an 89-page summons filed in federal court.

The lead plaintiffs in the case against the football club include legendary former player Cyril Rioli, his partner Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, Carl Peterson, Jermaine Miller-Lewis, Montanah-Rae Lewis and Leon Egan.

All claimants are seeking damages, increased damages and an apology from the club.

Clarkson, Burt and Fagan deny the allegations made against them.

The documents detail a number of alleged incidents, including one detailing how the trio of coaches pressured former Indigenous player Carl Peterson and his partner Nikita Rotumah into terminating a pregnancy in 2009.

The documents detail an alleged conversation between the coaches and Peterson, in which the player was summoned to a meeting with coach Clarkson, assistant Fagan and welfare officer Burt.

“Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Fagan and Mr. Burt were already in the room prior to Mr. Peterson’s arrival,” the document said.

‘There was an initial friendly and positive conversation about how impressed the coaches were with Mr. Peterson’s development and skills as a player.

‘Mr Burt then informed Mr Peterson that he had shared Mr Peterson’s news with Mr Clarkson and Mr Fagan.

“Mr. Burt said, ‘Carl, being a father is a huge responsibility and we don’t think you’re ready for it yet.’

‘Mr Clarkson said the following: ‘Carl, you need to break up with Nikita and just focus on your football.’

Mr Clarkson said: ‘If you don’t break it off and tell her to terminate the pregnancy, your football career will be in jeopardy.’

‘Mr Fagan nodded during the meeting.’

She did not terminate the pregnancy and they later resumed their relationship.

Other alleged incidents include Rioli claiming he was nicknamed ‘Humphrey B Bear’ is on a long list of racist and culturally insensitive issues that forced him AFL pension.

Rioli, who retired in 2018 after winning four championships with Hawthorn, is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the club in which he is accused of racism and racial discrimination during his time at the Hawks.

The group accuses the club of unlawful conduct within the meaning of the Racial Discrimination Act, causing them injury, loss or damage.

They also claim that they were victims of breaches of the Racial Discrimination Act during their time at the club.

Rioli alleged that during his time with the Hawks from 2008 to 2018, he was regularly subjected to comments that were “culturally ignorant,” the lawsuit said.

Rioli claimed that when he was sitting with other Indigenous players, then-Hawks coach Clarkson said to him, “Oh, all brothers together” and “why don’t you come sit with the rest of them?”

Rioli alleged in court documents that Clarkson called him “Humphrey B Bear” and that as a result, he “became associated with a black bear.”

He also said that in November 2011, while visiting family in Darwin, he met Clarkson at a hotel.

He claimed that Clarkson told him: “Be careful not to have children and realise that your career has just taken off and a child could disrupt or even end your career.”

Rioli and Ah Sam-Rioli said they felt “culturally unsafe” at Hawthorn.

He said a teammate of Bradley Hill, another Indigenous player, asked if Hill’s partner was also a ‘boong’.

According to Rioli, the final straw came in June 2018 when his wife attended the club’s Indigenous Peoples match in Launceston.

It is alleged that Jeff Kennett, the club’s then president, saw her torn jeans at the airport and said to her, “Can’t you afford to buy thread?” and “I’ll give you change so you can afford to buy thread to sew those jeans up.”

Rioli said he wanted to be off training for two weeks and was considering leaving the club.

“In order to protect himself, Ms. Ah Sam-Rioli, and his family from the culturally unsafe environment at Hawthorn, Mr. Rioli decided to terminate his employment with Hawthorn in June 2018,” the summons states.

In June 2018, Rioli announced his retirement and decided to move back to Darwin to be with his family.

The court documents contain serious allegations against Clarkson and then-Hawks employees Fagan and Burt.

In May last year, the AFL said no adverse findings had been made against Clarkson, Fagan and Burt.

All three have consistently denied the allegations.

Last month it was reported that two reports commissioned by the AFL found that several allegations against the club could not be substantiated due to a lack of evidence.

In May, mediation between the two parties failed and the Australian Human Rights Commission ended the claim against the club.

Last month, Fagan, now coach of the Lions, said: “I have always maintained my innocence and I am very pleased that the trial is now over and we can go to federal court.”

Andy Gowers, chairman of Hawthorn, said after the lawsuit was filed last week: ‘As we have done throughout this process, we will continue to work towards a fair and timely resolution for all parties.

“The trial in federal court gives Hawthorn Football Club the opportunity to respond to these allegations.”

The club has not yet filed a defense.

Burt, who worked as the club’s welfare manager, previously denied witnessing such an incident. He said: ‘It didn’t happen, that’s the first thing.’

Miller-Lewis alleges in his writ that when he moved from Perth to Melbourne after being selected in the 2014 national draft, the club rejected his request to allow his partner and young child to move with him to Victoria.

In December 2014, he moved to Melbourne, leaving Ms Lewis, who was pregnant at the time, in Western Australia.

He travelled back to Perth for the birth of their daughter in January 2015, but returned shortly afterwards.

Two weeks later, Mrs. Lewis developed mastitis, a painful breast infection, and had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics she had been prescribed.

“Ms. Lewis’ mastitis became so severe that her right breast burst and most of the breast tissue hung out of the wound,” the lawsuit states.

She was admitted to Swan District Hospital and underwent major surgery.

He returned to Perth in early February after being selected to play in the AFL Indigenous All Stars match, but says he was not granted permission to stay with her.

Mr Miller-Lewis alleges in the application that during the first half of 2015 he made multiple monthly requests for Ms Lewis and their child to come to Melbourne, but that these requests were rejected by Hawthorn’s player development manager Cameron Matthews.

In April or May 2015, Mrs Lewis and her child travelled to Melbourne and at the end of the visit decided they would stay.

“Mr Miller-Lewis texted Mr Matthews saying that Ms Lewis had not boarded her flight and that they were both very upset and did not want to be separated,” the summons said.

‘Mr Matthews texted Mr Miller-Lewis saying, ‘Put Montanah on that flight!”

Her flight was rebooked and she left for Perth against her will, it is alleged.

Miller-Lewis says he was told at a meeting two days later that he had to be “more ruthless” with his family and that he had to “choose between his family and his career at the club”.