FOR THE first time in seven years, Jeff Kennett two weeks ago found himself sitting among club presidents and chief executive officers on an AFL season-launch day.    

So much had happened to the game, to him, to his club since 2011, the last of a six-year, premiership-winning Kennett reign as Hawthorn president.    

And yet it was like old times for him and those around him.    

Kennett found himself copping sprays from seemingly every direction, his critical views of some clubs clearly annoying his club peers.    

Port Adelaide's David Koch went him about views on China expansion, so too Gold Coast's Tony Cochrane, an at-times brash man personally wired very similarly to Kennett when it comes to not caring much for other's thoughts.    

Kochie joins chorus of Kennett criticism

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan wasn't happy about his criticism of international projects, Peter Gordon of the Bulldogs admonished him for a perceived failure to understand the AFL financial distribution model, and the Saints' Peter Summers made it known that public commentary about his club's debt levels wasn't ideal.    

It was all delivered forcefully yet respectfully. When it was Kennett's turn to talk, there was a prolonged, theatrical silence from the Hawks boss.    

"It's great to be back," he said, deadpan.

Kennett started his first stint as Hawthorn president in 2006. Picture: AFL Photos

Kennett has been back in the AFL system since early last October, his take-two as Hawthorn president beginning days after Richmond had won its drought-breaking premiership, and a little more than a month after the Hawks had finished 12th, missing the finals for the first time since 2009.    

While unhappy with such a low ladder position, it was off-field matters which compelled Kennett to re-enter the Hawthorn system.    

Though he denied it at the time, and still does, Kennett was approached and asked to return by several Hawthorn connected people throughout 2017.    

He had a very clear line of sight on the many off-field problems at the club.    

The appointment, and subsequent failure to have impact in the role, of Tracy Gaudry as chief executive was central to Kennett's concerns.    

He, along with many Hawks powerbrokers, initially did not like the board's seven-month delay in finding a replacement for Stuart Fox, and liked even less that the job went to someone with a CV which they felt was lacking in the key requirements for the post.    

Richard Garvey, who had taken over as Hawks president from Andrew Newbold (who had replaced Kennett and now sits on the AFL commission), took responsibility for the Gaudry employment.    

As part of a bigger picture which had Kennett in focus, Garvey resigned and Gaudry was exited on the Sunday after the Grand Final.    

When it was put to Kennett throughout 2017 that Hawks-connected people were linking him to a second run as club president, Kennett denied it.    

It was put to him again on the Monday after last year's Grand Final. Again, he denied it. When it was put to him on the Wednesday of that week that things must have happened very quickly for him to have accepted the role just 48 hours after saying he wasn't going to, Kennett said: "Yes, it did. Yesterday, in fact. But you should not be surprised, we move fast at Hawthorn."    

The relationship between Kennett and Alastair Clarkson, who has coached Hawthorn to four premierships since starting in 2005, has always intrigued outsiders.    

They are two bulls and they naturally clash, even when in different paddocks; especially in 2010 when Kennett threatened to demote Clarkson to the VFL, and again in 2013 when Kennett rang a radio station after a Hawks loss and said it was time the club changed coach.    

Kennett's relationship with coach Alastair Clarkson has long been a source of intrigue. Picture: AFL Photos

In 2018, there is, though, a great amount of mutual respect. Clarkson, having seen the Hawks struggle with direction off-field in the time since Newbold departed, would rather have Kennett back than not, even with all the turmoil, the unwanted headlines and the plain unknown that goes with it.    

Clarkson is contracted to the end of 2019, and while football analysts will argue the Hawks' list is not in a premiership phase for that period, Kennett will be expecting nothing less.    

It's just what Kennett does – annoy the AFL, anger other club presidents and demand premierships from the Hawks.    

He's back, and nothing has changed.    

Twitter: @barrettdamian