The AFL is investigating vision of Geelong great Tom Hawkins looking at a mobile phone during the lightning delay in the Cats’ Easter Monday win over Hawthorn.
The incident occurred during the three-quarter-time break as play was paused for over half an hour due to lightning in the area around the MCG.
Players are not permitted to use their own phones during games for integrity purposes, with the devices locked up.
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Foxfooty.com.au understands Hawkins was looking at the weather radar on the device of a Geelong official authorised to have his phone in the rooms during the game.
The league will examine what exactly Hawkins was looking at and why he was given the phone, with Nine’s Tom Morris suggesting the vision “looks very innocent”.
At worst the Cats would likely be fined, much like how Collingwood was sanctioned $20,000 when Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe accessed their own phones during a 2021 game.
The pair were injured and out for the match and telling their family and friends their status but should not have been on their phones, which were supposed to be locked away, during a game.
That incident is not the same as the Hawkins one, given the 350-gamer was not using his own phone.
“There are two sets of rules” | 01:04
Hawkins told Fox Footy post-game he and fellow spearhead Jeremy Cameron enjoyed a coffee during the break.
“I said to ‘Jezza’ there’s one way to warm up here and he looked at me and he knew exactly what I was talking about,” Hawkins said.
“So we popped into the little tea and coffee room for a Moccona and just chewed the fat for a bit.
“It was interesting watching different players walk around the rooms looking for things to do.”
Source Agencies
