Club Mgmt. Board of Directors as led by President Dave Barham

[Lore]

Spoiler: Timeline of events

• 15/8: President, Paul Brasher resigns, replaced by Dave Barham who foreshadows external review
  • Votes for Brasher: Peter Allen, Simon Madden, Sean Wellman
    Sean Wellman

    Age

    49

    Ht

    193cm

    Wt

    90kg

    Pos.

    Def

    Career

    Season

    Last 5

    D

    14.1

    4star

    K

    9.7

    4star

    HB

    4.5

    3star

    M

    4.5

    4star

    T

    1.0

    3star

    No current season stats available

    D

    8.0

    2star

    K

    4.4

    2star

    HB

    3.6

    3star

    M

    2.6

    3star

    T

    0.8

    3star

  • Votes for Barham: Andrew Muir, Dorothy Hisgrove, Melissa Green, Kate O’Sullivan, Kevin Sheedy
• 21/8: Senior Coach, Ben Rutten
  Ben Rutten

  Age

  40

  Ht

  190cm

  Wt

  98kg

  Pos.

  Def

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  13.4

  3star

  K

  6.3

  2star

  HB

  7.0

  4star

  M

  5.3

  5star

  T

  1.3

  3star

  No current season stats available

  D

  10.6

  3star

  K

  6.2

  3star

  HB

  4.4

  4star

  M

  3.6

  4star

  T

  1.0

  3star

  sacked
• 24/8: CEO, Xavier Campbell resigns
• 24/8: Directors to resign
  • Paul Brasher, immediately
  • Simon Madden, immediately
  • Sean Wellman, after new football director is appointed
  • Peter Allen, after AGM & finance portfolio handover in December
• 26/8: Details of coaching selection committee appointment
  • Sub-committee of 6: Josh Mahoney
    Josh Mahoney

    Age

    46

    Ht

    180cm

    Wt

    83kg

    Pos.

    Fwd

    Career

    Season

    Last 5

    D

    11.3

    3star

    K

    6.8

    3star

    HB

    4.5

    3star

    M

    3.5

    4star

    T

    1.6

    4star

    G

    0.9

    4star

    No current season stats available

    D

    9.2

    3star

    K

    5.4

    2star

    HB

    3.8

    3star

    M

    2.2

    3star

    T

    1.6

    4star

    G

    0.4

    3star

    (Chair, GM-Footy), Robert Walls, Jordan Lewis
    Jordan Lewis

    Age

    37

    Ht

    186cm

    Wt

    86kg

    Pos.

    D/M

    Career

    Season

    Last 5

    D

    23.5

    5star

    K

    12.1

    4star

    HB

    11.5

    5star

    M

    5.5

    5star

    T

    2.7

    4star

    MG

    310.5

    4star

    No current season stats available

    D

    15.0

    4star

    K

    6.8

    3star

    HB

    8.2

    5star

    M

    4.8

    5star

    T

    2.8

    5star

    , Simone McKinnis OAM, Andrew Thorburn and Dorothy Hisgrove (board member).
• 26/8: Details of external review process
  • Ernst & Young to coordinate with support from Andrew Thorburn, working closely with Nick Ryan (Acting CEO) & Dorothy Hisgrove (board member)
  • Focusing on four areas: (1) Board effectiveness & composition, (2) a review of leadership, operations and culture including the footy department, (3) the senior coach appointment and (4) the new CEO appointment.
• 26/9: Andrew Welsh appointed to the board of directors, replacing Simon Madden
• 29/9: Brad Scott appointed as Senior Coach
• 30/9: Kevin Sheedy claims decision to appoint Brad Scott was 6-1 against him
• 3/10: Andrew Thorburn appointed as CEO - alternative link
• 3/10: “External review to be handed to the board next week”: Andrew Thorburn, Crichton Medal Address
• 4/10: Andrew Thorburn resigns as CEO
• 11/10: External review preliminary findings
• 24/10: External review preliminary findings II
• 2/11: Dan McPherson appointed as General Manager of Performance & Cam Roberts as Head of Development
• 11/11: Dean Rioli appointed to the board of directors, replacing Paul Brasher
• 14/11: Tim Roberts & David Wills appointed to the board of directors, replacing Sean Wellman and Paul Allen respectively
• 28/11: Dorothy Hisgrove announced as first female vice-president (at the Essendon Women's Best and Fairest night)
• 1/12: Craig Vozzo appointed as CEO
• 13/12: Board director election results: Andrew Welsh and Andrew Muir elected
• 15/5: The club's First Nations Advisory Council established, to be led by Dean Rioli (chair, Indigenous board member), and including: Leanne Brooke (EFC EGM – Community & The Long Walk. Essendon FC), Dorothy Hisgrove (EFC VP and National Manager Partner KPMG), Kane Ellis (CEO of Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service), John Evans (Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Engagement at Swinburne) and Che Cockatoo-Collins (EM, Indigenous Affairs NBN, EFC Past Player)
• 16/5: Board of Directors declare support for the First Nations Voice to Parliament, after consultation with the new First Nations Advisory Council
• 28/8: EGM - Football, Josh Mahoney has accepted a role as GM Football Operations at the AFL
• 10/10: GM - Performance Daniel McPherson, and Head of AFLW/AFL Operations Manager Aysha Ward have been elevated to the club executive as joint leaders of the club's football department, as GM-AFL and GM-AFLW respectively

 

[yodellinhank]

You'd have to assume that it will be even worse I reckon. Lots would have rolled over and hung in this year but will be more unlikely to do so. It is actually pretty grim.

I told all y'all last year that this was going to happen. The 2019 numbers were fluffed in a pretty big way. A decline for 2020 was inevitable without a really decent 2019 season.

 

[jmoo wan]

The phrase is to change tack, not tact. I hope that was just the reporter misquoting.

Also yeah I don’t know what I’m doing lurking here either. I’ll leave you all alone now

i was just quoting Dodo- maybe he was being street and shortening tactic, or maybe he’s just a dumb football guy.

 

[owen87]

Also yeah I don’t know what I’m doing lurking here either. I’ll leave you all alone now

Some might say... you were having a Proper Gander.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

He’s not back to coach but to help out. How could that be any worse than Balme going back to Richmond? Some of the reaction has been unnecessarily alarmist.

He will provide mentoring to coaches if called upon. So seem to assume if coaches don’t ask they won’t receive any. Nice to offer and not sure how that’s a bad thing. Surely he’d have some thing to offer in regards to dealing with people.

 

[owen87]

He’s not back to coach but to help out. How could that be any worse than Balme going back to Richmond? Some of the reaction has been unnecessarily alarmist.

He will provide mentoring to coaches if called upon. So seem to assume if coaches don’t ask they won’t receive any. Nice to offer and not sure how that’s a bad thing. Surely he’d have some thing to offer in regards to dealing with people.

Sheedy doesn't seem like the type to quietly operate in the background.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Sheedy doesn't seem like the type to quietly operate in the background.

Didn’t interfere at the Giants did he?

 

[owen87]

Didn’t interfere at the Giants did he?

Different time and club, he's an EFC coaching legend, not a GWS one.

 

[Dave]

Different time and club, he's an EFC coaching legend, not a GWS one.

Or maybe at 72 years of age having spent the rest of his life playing or coaching he just wants to give something back to the club he loves.

 

[Beerfish]

No marketing strategy is going to be able to counter sustained shitful on field performances. The only way out of this is to start winning games on a regular basis. Crazy I know.

 

[ghostdog]

From that age article/Sheedy interview.... sounds like more than a casual mentorship? Even if it is he's not downplaying it before actually talking to Rutten - probably more appropriate....

***

"Until I go there and go through the football department I cannot say too much – I have not been in the footy department since 2007.

"[It is hard to offer an opinion on Rutten] until I go and have a look and sit down with Sean Wellman and meet the coach and the coaches, whoever they appoint. I am going in cold.

"I don't know him [Rutten], I have met him twice but you don't know someone after meeting them twice.

That's the part of the article where it felt to me like Sheedy and Brasher have their wires crossed. Brasher saying Sheeds wouldn't be involved and then this from Sheedy, sounds like Sheeds needs clarity about his role.

 

[boncer34]

He’s not back to coach but to help out. How could that be any worse than Balme going back to Richmond? Some of the reaction has been unnecessarily alarmist.

He will provide mentoring to coaches if called upon. So seem to assume if coaches don’t ask they won’t receive any. Nice to offer and not sure how that’s a bad thing. Surely he’d have some thing to offer in regards to dealing with people.

How is an ex-coach who has had no on field success in the past 20 years and no experience in his role worse than a ex-player joining a club in a role he has experience and recent success in?

 

[lenny2013]

I absolutely love Sheeds but we need to move away from the boys club.

 

[DERO]

No marketing strategy is going to be able to counter sustained shitful on field performances. The only way out of this is to start winning games on a regular basis. Crazy I know.

Who could have foreseen that people in Darwin would get to more of our games than people in Melbourne at the start of the year?
No doubt the lack of success will have a big impact but would anyone honestly buy a membership next year if they can’t go to the football because of Rona?
The lack of success, Rona and financial difficulties arising from a weakened economy could combine to create the perfect storm.
I hate to say it but it is looking very, very grim.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

How is an ex-coach who has had no on field success in the past 20 years and no experience in his role worse than a ex-player joining a club in a role he has experience and recent success in?

He’s on the Board not coaching panel

 

[joey_jo_jo]

posted this question to RoCo in the Footyology podcast thread but thought I may as well repost here:

RoCo I dont have a twitter account but like to lurk sometimes so thought Id ask you here about one of your recent posts.

Why do you think the announcement of Sheedy as a new board member is a good thing? Its not consistent with what you have been saying the last few months. It smack of the classic essendon short term thinking/quick fix/messiah complex attitude that has engulfed this club for the last 20 years.

And his comments last night being supportive of Dodoro and the state of the list also seem diametrically opposed to what you have been saying.

Personally I think as good as sheeds was he has some responsibility for the downward trajectory of the club too. stayed on way too long, and went for quick fix trades instead of regenerating the list. It set us back years.

I also dont like that he is meant to be a "mentor" to rutten and is talking about us "needing to stop copying richmond and have our own identity". It feels alot like the club is jumping at shadows again instead of backing a new coach, this feels alot like history repeating with the way we treated knights /worsfold, not saying either of them were the right or wrong choice nor do I think Rutten is or isnt but we dont even give them a chance to put their plans into motion. SLightest noise from past players/influential supporters and we toss it all in the bin for next shiny new object. If the hawks/tigers/cats leaders acted the way ours do Clarkson/Bomber/Hardwick would all have been out the door within a year or two of their coaching careers.

 

[boncer34]

He’s on the Board not coaching panel

Yeah I believe I covered that when I said he is joining a role he has no experience in.

So I'll ask again.

How is an ex-coach who has had no on field success in the past 20 years and no experience in his role worse than a ex-player joining a club in a role he has experience and recent success in?

 

[Lore]

Who could have foreseen that people in Darwin would get to more of our games than people in Melbourne at the start of the year?
No doubt the lack of success will have a big impact but would anyone honestly buy a membership next year if they can’t go to the football because of Rona?
The lack of success, Rona and financial difficulties arising from a weakened economy could combine to create the perfect storm.
I hate to say it but it is looking very, very grim.

Which therefore explains a degree of sucking up to coteries and hoping like hell the pokies reopen.

I think they said expecting debt in the region of ~$13m, which is how bad it got during the saga.

 

[DERO]

Which therefore explains a degree of sucking up to coteries and hoping like hell the pokies reopen.

I think they said expecting debt in the region of ~$13m, which is how bad it got during the saga.

The real pain might come next year.

 

[Lore]

The real pain might come next year.

Yeah. I think this years numbers reflect the reality of our long term member base who could afford to pledge or donate their 2020 membership fees, next year will show how many of them have since fallen off a cliff financially.

Personally I will most likely continue my membership as is so long as we’re allowed to go to the footy. I need to be there for my own mental health, whether we win or not.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Yeah I believe I covered that when I said he is joining a role he has no experience in.

So I'll ask again.

How is an ex-coach who has had no on field success in the past 20 years and no experience in his role worse than a ex-player joining a club in a role he has experience and recent success in?

What has no coaching success in the past 20 years got to do with it? He’s not helping with tactics. He’s offering to be a mentor if required, that’s just one aspect of him being a board member. As for no experience, I assume you mean as a board member? So are you saying an ex player from another club with board experience would be better? If so that’s debatable. Who knows what kind of experience another ex player may have had...not all the same across all boards.

 

[Lore]

I think the best sort of advice Sheedy would be able to offer would be around man management and messaging, which tbh sound like areas that need to be edited anyway. Black and white is good but you need to motivate people and inspire them too.

I think Shiel, Smith and Stewart played under Sheedy at the start so there’s a different link there too.

 

[Arctic fox]

Looking from the player's perspective, I think they can get more pep in their step knowing he's there watching from above (not that above).
Mentoring with a BELIEF attitude hopefully will give the club and players confidence into a winning way which I think is sadly missing atm.

 

[boncer34]

What has no coaching success in the past 20 years got to do with it? He’s not helping with tactics. He’s offering to be a mentor if required, that’s just one aspect of him being a board member. As for no experience, I assume you mean as a board member? So are you saying an ex player from another club with board experience would be better? If so that’s debatable. Who knows what kind of experience another ex player may have had...not all the same across all boards.

I'll answer your question when you answer mine.

How is Balme going back into a role he has relevant recent successful experience with worse than Sheedy going into a role with no relevant relevant successful experience?

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I'll answer your question when you answer mine.

How is Balme going back into a role he has relevant recent successful experience with worse than Sheedy going into a role with no relevant relevant successful experience?

I’d say not much difference. They’re not asking Sheedy to do stuff that’s not part of his expertise. He is an expert on managing people, handling players, could give advice on coaching/reporting structures dealing with coterie, sponsors etc. What do you think Wellman does on the Board?

 

[boncer34]

I’d say not much difference. They’re not asking Sheedy to do stuff that’s not part of his expertise. He is an expert on managing people, handling players, could give advice on coaching/reporting structures dealing with coterie, sponsors etc. What do you think Wellman does on the Board?

yeah ok.

From what I've read he interacts and has a say in the football department.