'Let me finish': AFL greats in fiery clash on live TV

·Sports Reporter

21 July 2020 at 9:24 pm·2-min read

AFL greats Jonathan Brown (pictured left) pointing to a list while arguing with Garry Lyon (pictured right). — AFL greats Jonathan Brown (pictured left) and Garry Lyon (pictured right) went head-to-head on Fox Footy. (Images: Fox Footy)

Two AFL greats have clashed on live TV after arguing over how Hawthorn are travelling in 2020, following the coronavirus pandemic restart.

Garry Lyon and Jonathan brown, during Fox Footy’s On The Couch, were talking about the poor run of form for Hawthorn after three straight losses in a row.

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Lions great, Brown, suggested the Hawks “need to start playing like pigs” to get back into the contest.

“I mentioned it the other night and the boys laughed about it. Their contest work is absolutely deplorable ... they’ve got to get their hands dirty,” he added.

But Lyon said maybe the expectations were too high for the club, which started a fiery debate.

“Maybe they’re going through what your great team went through when you won three. When you’ve won premierships, I wouldn’t know,” Lyon said.

Brown took exception to this and tried to interrupt, but Lyon said: “Hold on, let me finish.”

“When you won your three, you had your runner-up then you went 11th, 10th, 11th, 11th and out went Leigh,” he added.

James Sicily and his team mates look dejected as they leave the field after defeat during the round 7 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Melbourne Demons. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Brown hit back: “Mate, I’m talking about hunger for the contest.”

Lyon finished asking whether Brown thought the Hawks were a top eight team.

Brown suggested they could be if they stop “over-complicating” their footy.

Hawks back Alastair Clarkson

In a letter to Hawthorn members on Monday, Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett stressed the four-time premiership coach was still the right man to lead the club through a challenging period.

"We are witnessing at the moment, that the 'experts' come out from their burrows with all the solutions and calling into question whether our coach Alastair Clarkson is the man to turn our performances around," Kennett wrote.

"Let me say categorically, he is. Both Alastair and I like nothing more than a challenge and enjoy nothing more than proving those with opinions, but no responsibility, wrong.

"Just about every other club would give their right arm to have Alastair coach their team, but he is not going anywhere.

"I will remind you that coaches can only do so much - players must be up to the task."