ALASTAIR Clarkson says he has made a verbal commitment to extend his tenure at Hawthorn, with the four-time premiership coach dismissing suggestions he could be poached by a rival club.
Clarkson told AFL.com.au in February he had agreed to a three-year extension until at least the end of 2019, which would give him time to oversee the regeneration of the Hawks' ageing list.
However, the master coach's future came back into the spotlight this week when Fairfax Media speculated Collingwood could have an eye on Clarkson to replace Nathan Buckley, given the Hawks coach was yet to put pen to paper on his new deal.
But on Thursday, Clarkson shut down any suggestion he might quit Hawthorn.
"It's all because of me, not anyone else (that no contract has been signed yet)," Clarkson said.
"I can't even remember if I signed the last contract; what I have done is make a commitment to the club and I don't back away from commitments.
"So I'm going to be a Hawker. As much as I'm flattered that Caro (journalist Caroline Wilson) and others are interested in what's going on with my contract, I made a commitment to the club six weeks ago and I'm going nowhere.
"I made a commitment six weeks ago, and for all those out there that think I might be going somewhere, it couldn't be further from the truth."
The 47-year-old has coached Hawthorn in 263 matches – including five Grand Finals - since taking the reins in 2005 and is closing in on the legendary John Kennedy Snr's 299-game club record for most matches coached.
Clarkson has become a statesman of the game since rebuilding the once-struggling Hawks into a powerhouse and he applauded the AFL's decision this week to scrap Grand Final replays.
However, as a student of overseas sports, he also called for changes to drawn matches during the season, believing fans would want to see extra time played to try to reach a result.
"I do like the idea that they want to try and get a (Grand Final) result right there and then," Clarkson said.
"Whether it's a golden goal or a golden point, I'm not too fussed.
"It does make me wonder, though, if they have that type of structure around a Grand Final result, why wouldn't they do that for the home-and-away (season)?
"I think it would be a great feature of our games that we try and get a result. Even if you just played the extra time and it was a drawn game after that, well maybe you have a drawn game then. That's what they do in other competitions around the world.
"But trying to find a result as best you can, I think it would be intriguing for the fans and better for the ladder.
"I know it separates sides (after a draw) teams getting two points, but I'd much prefer a win and a loss being the outcome of a game.
"So that would be the addition I would make to it, but I think it's a good initiative that a result is decided on Grand Final day itself and you don't have a replay."
