Hawks defend coach Alastair Clarkson after post-match altercation with fan in Adelaide - AFL.com.au

Hawks defend coach Alastair Clarkson after post-match altercation with fan in Adelaide

Giulio Di Giorgio  April 26, 2015 1:43 PM

HAWTHORN CEO Stuart Fox has defended Alastair Clarkson after the Hawthorn coach was involved in an altercation outside the team hotel in Adelaide on Saturday night.

Vision supplied to Channel Seven showed Clarkson being provoked by a young man after the Hawks' eight-point loss to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

In the footage, the man asked Clarkson: "Hey 'Clarko', how was the win, mate? How was the win, brother?"

The man then edged closer to Clarkson and shouted, "Go the Power!", prompting the coach to forcefully push the man away with an open hand in him away.

"Alastair was walking back to the hotel with our general manager of football Chris Fagan and (they) came across some intoxicated boys, and Clarko was certainly harassed," Fox told Channel Nine on Sunday.

"He politely declined to be photographed and (filmed) and the boys just got in his face.

"We tried to get Clarko into the hotel and it was one of those issues that just got a bit ugly."

It was unknown whether the man at the centre of the incident was a Power supporter, Fox said. 

"They had no Port Adelaide gear on, they just looked like punters on the street to me," he said.

"I wouldn't have even known whether they'd been at the football or at the pub, so it was hard to tell."

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas said those responsible would be dealt with if they were found to be club members.

"If it is a Port Adelaide member … we'll be acting pretty aggressively about that," Thomas told Fox Sports on Sunday.

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Hawks defend coach Alastair Clarkson after post-match altercation with fan in Adelaide - AFL.com.au