Whether Cyril Rioli can mend relations with Hawthorn amid the club’s racism saga is up to the four-time premiership star, Hawks coach Sam Mitchell says.
Rioli is among six Hawthorn-linked complainants pledging to take their grievances to the Human Rights Commission.
Rioli, his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, ex-Hawthorn players Carl Peterson, Jermaine Miller-Lewis and his partner Montanah Miller-Lewis, and the club’s former Indigenous manager Leon Egan have publicly identified themselves as part of the racism saga.
Mitchell won four flags between 2008-2015 when a teammate of Rioli.
Asked on Saturday if Rioli could mend relations with the Hawks, Mitchell replied: “That will be up to him.
“Cyril has been a friend and teammate of mine for a long period of time and one day I am sure we will get in touch and chat it out.
“The whole ordeal, and just everyone involved in it, you just have to feel for everyone in the way it has played out.
“And it’s impossible to know what people think and feel and all the different aspects.
“Cyril was a fantastic teammate, I loved playing footy with Cyril … you just can’t help but feel for everyone involved.”
The AFL last Tuesday said there would be no adverse findings against Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan or Jason Burt from an independent panel investigating claims of racism during their time at Hawthorn.
Clarkson, who has stepped aside as North Melbourne’s coach, was Hawthorn’s coach at the time with Brisbane Lions coach Fagan his then assistant. Burt is the former welfare manager at the Hawks.
Mitchell is in his second season as Hawthorn coach after replacing Clarkson and his side were thrashed by 55 points by Port Adelaide on Saturday.
But Mitchell dismissed any connection between his team’s form – they were 82 points down at halftime – and the racism controversy.
“It doesn’t affect the team,” he said.
“… Certainly the focus for all of us is really clear: that we want to be going back to winning finals, winning premierships and we’re on that path and that is our clear focus.”
Mitchell also said the saga wasn’t impacting on him personally as coach.
“The board has done a great job … it’s not my role to deal with off-field things,” he said.
“I am really clear and the board has been great at (saying) ‘just you coach the football team, you help the football department, you take us back to premiership success and you be part of that group that is going to do that’.
“As a young coach I have got my hands full with coaching this group of players and getting the best out of this group and the club will handle the off-field.”
Australian Associated Press