I understand alright. I copped a lot of crap at school...

I am not sure it's relevant to this situation but I am sorry you had a hard time at school.

Initially felt sorry for Clarkson, but after seeing the vision and the full on Hawthorn media blitz with little repentance really my overriding thought is that both the Port idiot and Clarkson deserve each other.

You left out a couple of steps.

If that happened to a mate of yours & you were there, wouldn't you at least step in between them & separate them?

If you got decked doing it, THEN you've got a serious assault case.

Channel 7 should find out who he is (and it would have been him who gave them the footage which they've probably paid for, so they should know), splash his name & face all over the media, let his family & employers find out. This guy deserves having every shock-jock and narcisso-journalist in the country down his throat for the next 4 weeks or more.

Remember what happened to that 12yo girl who called Adam Goodes an ape? She probably copped too much in the end. But this guy deserves all that 10 times over.

Your ifs are irrelevant as neither actually happened.

On one hand you not happy with how the 12 yo girl was treated for her slip up but you promote it as a justifiable response to this slip up from Clarkson.

Go figure.

What an insane comment. What if you or someone you're with is being assaulted/sexually attacked/robbed on the street? Oh I guess there IS a situation where it is acceptable to hit someone. What this moron did put himself in a position where his victim was absolutely in his rights to stand up for himself. As many have said, it's a shame he didn't get knocked out cold because that what morons like him deserve. Why would anyone be going in to bat for this character, it is mind-boggling. Here's how to not get a hard shove from a former footballer - don't get in his face with intimidating, stupid behaviour and you'll be fine.

I don't think it's ever ok to hit someone. In a situation where someone is being assaulted the priority needs to be getting the victim out of harms way rather than engaging in a melee. Punching someone for being violent is like yelling at your child to stop screaming.

As usual, Caroline Wilson hits the nail on the head with this.

I'd trust her over Fagan, Robbo, Fox, and any other mate of Clarkson.

I think Clarko would have been more concerned for his own self preservation whilst in the moment, than what the media consequences were going to be.

I understand alright. I copped a lot of crap at school...

you should never have kept wearing the clan outfit to that high school in Harlem WYL.

Even if it did get a laugh the first time.

Clarkson did nothing wrong.

The yobbo is lucky Clarkson was smart enough to not give him the same treatment he (wrongly back then) dished out to Ian Aitken of Carlton in the 1987 Battle of Britain!! At The Oval from memory.

Clarkson did nothing wrong.

The yobbo is lucky Clarkson was smart enough to not give him the same treatment he (wrongly back then) dished out to Ian Aitken of Carlton in the 1987 Battle of Britain!! At The Oval from memory.

Fossil, it was wrong then and it is wrong now. The very fact that Clarko and the Hawks have gone into the 'feared for our safety' line shows that they are mildly concerned about the consequences. He has a number of priors, something that the drunken idiot or his mates probably knew. One fool provokes another fool and gets an overreaction. Fortunately no one was hurt. Probably time to move on.

This peanut is yelling in his face, and filming it, after Clarko has (reportedly) asked for him to back off. Clarko is surely within his rights to then act accordingly in order to remove what he deems a threat to his safety. 100% behind Clarko on this one.

Clarkson has issued a statement of regret about the incident in which he acknowledges that he has a responsibility as a father a coach and a leader to set an example for the community. While he "lost it" when lashing out at the drunk who was harassing him, he should have had enough presence of mind to avoid what happened.

One of my grandsons plays soccer (yes, I know) and one of his teammates playing his first game yesterday also "lost it" and abused the referee and, at one stage came very close to lashing out at him. It makes the task of explaining to kids that they need to control their behaviour all the more difficult when adults behave badly and in this case both the Clarkson and the drunk let themselves down and the publicity this has been getting won't be lost on the young and impressionable in the community.

Clarkson has issued a statement of regret about the incident in which he acknowledges that he has a responsibility as a father a coach and a leader to set an example for the community. While he "lost it" when lashing out at the drunk who was harassing him, he should have had enough presence of mind to avoid what happened.

One of my grandsons plays soccer (yes, I know) and one of his teammates playing his first game yesterday also "lost it" and abused the referee and, at one stage came very close to lashing out at him. It makes the task of explaining to kids that they need to control their behaviour all the more difficult when adults behave badly and in this case both the Clarkson and the drunk let themselves down and the publicity this has been getting won't be lost on the young and impressionable in the community.

all true jack, but this matter should never have got media publicity in the first place

unfortunately 1984 is already here and nothing is private and youth can find a way to see anything no matter what. and it will only get more so in future

all true jack, but this matter should never have got media publicity in the first place

unfortunately 1984 is already here and nothing is private and youth can find a way to see anything no matter what. and it will only get more so in future

The more you see, the less any individual thing you see affects your overall perspective.

I can't believe Clarkson has to apologise and the offending bogan becomes the victim.

I think Clarko would have been more concerned for his own self preservation whilst in the moment, than what the media consequences were going to be.

I understand alright. I copped a lot of crap at school...

I think everyone did.

I can't believe Clarkson has to apologise and the offending bogan becomes the victim.

Cmon Chook, it's club driven.

Cmon Chook, it's club driven.

Agree but that doesn't make it right.

To answer your new point, no you don't have to tolerate drunk people invading your space and repeatedly yelling in your ear as you try to walk the street. But you have to use reasonable force only, or preferably none, to end the situation.

In the context ...define reasonable force ?

He didn't punch after all

Gees Clarkson has got away with the one especially given his priors. Just shows the media influences the opinion on the public

Whilst the guy was [censored] he was only yelling and intoa camera with his head next to clarksons. Clarkson was four steps from his hotel door so not like it wasn't about to end. He didn't push him away to create shape and to protect his personal space as he would of used his right hand. He struck him with an open hand to the throat not pushing him to the chest.

Clarkson struck him because he was [censored] off not because he feared for his safety. Provoked yes but when has that justified assaultinv someone

There are only two acceptable headlines here:

"Hawthorn coach attacks youngsters, club in disgrace."

"Demon great accosted by drunken lunatics in night of terror."

Your ifs are irrelevant as neither actually happened.

On one hand you not happy with how the 12 yo girl was treated for her slip up but you promote it as a justifiable response to this slip up from Clarkson.

Go figure.

You're kidding, right? OK, I'll make it really simple.

Clarko should be held to account for what he did.

And the cretin should be held to account for what he did. He wanted media attention, he can't now hide behind anonymity.

Figured it now?

You're kidding, right? OK, I'll make it really simple.

Clarko should be held to account for what he did.

And the cretin should be held to account for what he did. He wanted media attention, he can't now hide behind anonymity.

Figured it now?

This is the problem I'm having with this whole thing... what did he actually do? He DID NOT king hit anyone, he DID NOT even punch anyone... all he did was PUSH someone (albeit vigorously), after politely fending him off initially with a gentle nudge and asking him to go away. It was not just a single offender involved, but 3 or 4 drunken guys who had hounded them over a distance of approximately 40 metres and were behaving in a fairly unpredictable and unnecessarily aggressive manner, all the time getting closer and more in his face. It begs the question, what might they have done if he hadn't responded in the way he did. I think he acted within his rights and showed restraint considering the situation.

Meanwhile, Chris Judd managed to avoid physical contact with an aggressive football fan in Lygon St despite provocation.

Meanwhile, Chris Judd managed to avoid physical contact with an aggressive football fan in Lygon St despite provocation.

http://youtu.be/vsyHOUue614

Judd v abusive Essendon fan. On drugs? Pervading the club culture perhaps?

Clarkson has issued a statement of regret about the incident in which he acknowledges that he has a responsibility as a father a coach and a leader to set an example for the community. While he "lost it" when lashing out at the drunk who was harassing him, he should have had enough presence of mind to avoid what happened.

One of my grandsons plays soccer (yes, I know) and one of his teammates playing his first game yesterday also "lost it" and abused the referee and, at one stage came very close to lashing out at him. It makes the task of explaining to kids that they need to control their behaviour all the more difficult when adults behave badly and in this case both the Clarkson and the drunk let themselves down and the publicity this has been getting won't be lost on the young and impressionable in the community.

Well then kids must be banned from watching the NRL. Player get right up in the faces of the refs all the time.

Clarkson has issued a statement of regret about the incident in which he acknowledges that he has a responsibility as a father a coach and a leader to set an example for the community. While he "lost it" when lashing out at the drunk who was harassing him, he should have had enough presence of mind to avoid what happened.

One of my grandsons plays soccer (yes, I know) and one of his teammates playing his first game yesterday also "lost it" and abused the referee and, at one stage came very close to lashing out at him. It makes the task of explaining to kids that they need to control their behaviour all the more difficult when adults behave badly and in this case both the Clarkson and the drunk let themselves down and the publicity this has been getting won't be lost on the young and impressionable in the community.

Calling all bogans! Hey, guess what? AFL coaches are fair game! You can scream anything you like in their face - hell, you can maybe even spit on them - and they can't do nothing! And if they do anything, their stupid club will even make them apologise to you. So you can just keep nudging them and screaming in their face until they crack!

And if you catch it on your mobile, you can make heaps by selling it to TV, and even get it to lead the evening news. And as long as you're not a member of a footy club, nothing bad happens. Even if they find out who you are, they won't tell anyone.

So it's now open season on AFL coaches.

This has been handled appallingly by all concerned. Except the bogan - in his wildest dreams it couldn't have worked out better for him so far.