The players and families at the centre of the Hawthorn cultural safety review have released an open letter saying they were "betrayed" by the club and control of their lives was taken away from them.
The letter from former Hawks star Cyril Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ahsam-Rioli, ex-players Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis and Jermaine's wife Montanah, as well as former Indigenous advisor Leon Egan, was published late on Friday. It details the impact felt by the families who prompted the review.
"We are some of the Indigenous families who endured racism at the Hawthorn Football Club," the letter claims.
"We were separated from our families.
"We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures."
The group have lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission against the AFL club, alleging they "endured racism" at the club.
A lawyer representing the players and their families confirmed the complaint had been made to the Australian Human Rights Commission.
This week the group reached a deal with the AFL to end its investigation into historical allegations of mistreatment of First Nations players.s
"We reached an agreement with the AFL not out of fear, but strength, because the AFL finally apologised to all First Nations players for racism in football," the group wrote in their letter.
"We were never scared of being named," they said, "We were worried about impacts on others."
"We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives. It should never happen again."