HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson says he was “fine” with James Sicily’s on-field outburst at teammate Taylor Duryea during the Hawks’ 52-point win over Fremantle. 

The clash just before half-time at Domain Stadium on Saturday night was pre-empted by Sicily being struck in the face by a ball kicked by Docker Hayden Ballantyne.

Sicily was arguing vehemently with a field umpire after being denied a kicking-in-danger free kick when Duryea came in and tried to calm him down.

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But Sicily reacted by abusing his teammate which eventually led to captain Jarryd Roughead counselling him as they left the field at half-time.

“I think ‘Sicers’ got belted in the head with the footy and was a little bit away with the fairies for a time, but Dr Duryea was just trying to settle him down a bit. He was a bit grumpy he got hit in the scone,” Clarkson said.

“He’s a passionate player (Sicily) and he’s playing some good footy for us in the back half.

“It was a pretty significant event that led to it and how passionate and emotional about it he was, and I love the fact that one of our players came in to try to help settle him down and get composed and get back into the game again.

“I reckon it’s really good leadership from Duryea and I love the passion of Sicily so it’s all fine.”


Clarkson’s side celebrated his 300th game in charge with a performance which made the coach proud.

Five talking points: Fremantle v Hawthorn

“The application to the way we wanted to play and the pressure we were able to put on the Fremantle side was first-class,” Clarkson said.

“We just slowly broke them down. It took a long time, but it was really pleasing the way we ran out the game and had a pleasing victory in the end having won all four quarters, which is hard to do when you play Freo over here.

“Irrespective of ladder positions it's always a tough game in Perth and we are really pleased with the way the boys went about it.”

Jack Gunston’s reboot as a defender reached it’s highest point so far with a best-afield effort.

The premiership forward had 35 possessions and went forward to kick the goal which broke the Dockers’ resistance early in the final term.

“I thought in the first half, when it was pretty frantic, he was the one who just used the ball well and gave us some composure,” Clarkson said.

“At stages both sides were going pretty frantic and fast and there was a lot of turnovers … he was one of the guys that kept us pretty composed in the back end.”

WATCH: Alastair Clarkson's full media conference

Clarkson also lauded first-gamer Conor Glass, an international rookie from Northern Ireland.

“He’s made a significant sacrifice in terms of wanting to have a go at the Australian game, and part of that sacrifice is having the resilience and the courage to move offshore and play a foreign game,” Clarkson said of Glass.

“As you saw tonight, he acquitted himself really well.

“A lot of the Irish boys have got a really strong resolve about them and he’s no different.”