Alastair Clarkson won four premierships as coach of the Hawks.Credit:Getty Images
Clarkson is due to be paid about $450,000 - the second tranche ofhis $900,000 payout for his 2022 contract with Hawthorn - but the money is not to be paid until early or mid-November,after Clarkson has assumed his duties as North Melbourne coach.
Sources suggested that the phone call to Henderson - from Hawthorn’s head of legal,risk and integrity,ex-player Nick Holland - was prompted in-part by Clarkson wearing North Melbourne gear,with his new club’s major sponsor Mazda on the polo shirt,at the media conference announcing his appointment.
Todd Viney has joined North Melbourne with Alastair Clarkson.Credit:AFL Media
While it is plain to all within football thatClarkson is already influential in North’s football planning - having had his lieutenant and friend Todd Viney join the Kangaroos,and with the coach contacting a raft of players from other clubs - the severance agreement with Hawthorn has clauses that essentially prevent him from chasing Hawthorn staff,players and sponsors.
The Hawks,however,did not object to North Melbourne hiring ex-Hawthorn football official Cam Matthews in an upgraded role at North Melbourne,despite the obvious connection to Clarkson.
Clarkson also still has possession of a Nissan,a Hawks sponsor,as part of his employment conditions with Hawthorn. He is not due to start work at North Melbourne until November 1,a start date that was forced by his arrangement with Hawthorn,with the agreement with the Hawks in place until October 31.
The extent to which Hawthorn could enforce those contractual conditions on Clarkson,before he starts work at Arden Street,is debatable,given that North Melbourne could hire people - or recruit players - from Hawthorn in a way that is technically independent of Clarkson,even if he had relationships with those people.