“The allegations the complainants have made are wrong.”

The Human Rights Commission process can involve conciliation,but if that fails to achieve a resolution,then action could be lodged in the Federal Court.

“They have made their choice,and we will now bring them to a Human Rights Commission conciliation to listen to the truths that they don’t want to hear,”the families’ letter said.

“And if they still won’t listen and learn,then it will end up in the Federal Court where we will tell our truths in the witness box. But they will hear us one way or another.

“We told our truths in confidence,because we believed that it would bring change. And because we needed to heal and move on. That confidence was betrayed.”

The open letter from the players and their partners did not name the former Hawks officials at the centre of the allegations – Alastair Clarkson,Chris Fagan and Burt. The trio have strenuously denied all allegations against them.

The letter expressed the families’ satisfaction with the settlement agreement they reached with the AFL on Tuesday,explaining that it was achieved “not out of fear,but strength”.

It also voluntarily removed their anonymity,which had been preserved since the initial 2022 Hawthorn report by Phil Egan. Other players not party to the letter remain known by pseudonyms.

Hargreaves said that Burt had always been happy to sit with the players in mediation during the AFL inquiry process,but would only do so after they’d had a chance to view the relevant Hawthorn internal documents that the lawyers for the former players and their partners possessed.

Former Hawthorn football manager and assistant coach Fagan has also previously said he was prepared to enter mediation but only after access to documents.

Hawthorn sought out the players for their experiences at the club when undertaking their cultural safety review;the players did not approach the club.

The AFL made no findings against Clarkson,Fagan and Burt on Tuesday night when it announced it had reached an agreement with the families.

James Henderson,the manager of Clarkson and Fagan,did not respond to a request for comment.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said you can’t help but feel for everyone involved in the racism saga.

“Cyril was a fantastic teammate;I loved playing footy with Cyril,” Mitchell said after his side’sloss to Port Adelaide in Adelaide on Saturday.

When asked whether the bitter relationship between Rioli and the Hawks could ever be mended,Mitchell said he felt the ball was in the 2015 Norm Smith medallist’s court”

“That will be up to him,” Mitchell said.

“Cyril has been a friend and teammate of mine for a long period of time. One day I’m sure we’ll get in touch and chat about it.”

In aninterview withThe Agelast week,Burt said the most serious claim made by a former player – that the player was to told to encourage his partner to have an abortion – was untrue and never happened.

He also said his major regret was that he should have gone alone,rather than with Clarkson and Fagan,to the home of “Zac” when the player was telling his then partner and now wife,“Kylie”,that he was ending the relationship. Fagan stayed in the car and did not enter the house.

The Hawks launched a “welfare check”following an interview inThe Age in April last year with Rioli and Ah Sam-Rioli,in which they said they were poorly treated during his playing career and that she was “belittled and humiliated”.

​After Hawthorn received the​ initialBinmada​ Report​,​it was ​handed over to the AFL’s integrity unit for further investigation.

When details of the review became public,the​ AFL launched an investigation by an independent panel,which ended when theAFL announced the agreement with the families on Tuesday.

The families who are party to the deal agreed not to take further action against the AFL in the courts or at the Human Rights Commission.

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

- With Steve Barrett and Jon Pierik