Club Mgmt. Board of Directors as led by President Dave Barham - Statement from Barham addressing Merrett etc - 12/9

[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

    51

    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

  42

  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

    48

    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

    39

    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

 

[Old Campaigner]

The plot thickens, people on the Blitz are now saying there were mass resignations in the VFLW program due to the toxic culture. I'm starting to think this is less about Rutten and more about the culture.

It's always been about culture

While you'd know a lot more than me, I feel like Essendon's been a bit hard done by here too.

Everyone's having a go at Essendon for being unkind to Rutten, and yet almost all of the Rutten commentary is external from the media. AFAIK, the only comment Essendon has made has been backing him.

Nah those leaks/stories about him being sacked came from somewhere. It might not have been anyone with any kind of official role but there's definitely been coteries talking to people and I think it probably came from them.

* it's a tragic situation we find ourselves in. Going for one last messiah fix before we start our responsible diet of proper external review and due process in the morning.

That we would need someone like Clarkson is the biggest indictment of the people that are actually still holding the levers of power at the club. It's an admission that they haven't been good enough, and instead of looking inwards and having a bit of self-reflection, they've reached for the dice for one last throw.

None of this is new or particularly insightful. We've never done the full national competition thing very well. We were found out after the flag and haven't recovered since. The club has spent 15 years in a shambles of their own making. We should be drawing the lines in the sand. No mass exodus, ******* fantastic but what for? Everyone else was getting on with life and we've been throwing effort backwards for years trying to fix mistakes of the past.

Truck was set up to fail, that's the sad truth. I do fear that we are going to end up with Hird or some cadre of glory days Bombers just because. Head coach is just an employee. Go out and pick the best one. If it's Clarkson, fine. If it isn't, then ******* find one.

Unfortunately the 'messiah strategy' is the only pathway that allows for the incompetent clowns running the show to keep doing what they're doing with zero accountability, while allowing for some possibility for success.

 

[yodellinhank]

You forgot #5: Hiring Sheedy



Just because the others aren't viable doesn't mean the alzhiemer's ward running the show won't try them

That's ageist.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Barham could have come out by now and backed Rutten. even if lip service.
And commit to a review
or comment on the Clarkson rumours.
Or talk to the members.

we've not handled this well.

we don’t handle anything well

 

[The Prosecutor]

Katie Lio now says she didn't say they resigned due to a toxic culture.

She never did, she confirmed they had resigned and said she wasn't able to say why.

 

[Old Campaigner]

The plot thickens, people on the Blitz are now saying there were mass resignations in the VFLW program due to the toxic culture. I'm starting to think this is less about Rutten and more about the culture.

I don't doubt that the culture was shit but it's pretty remarkable that VFLW side did as well as they did with all that going on.

 

[Old Campaigner]

That's ageist.

Old people suck at complex tasks. Why do you think the US is at it's lowest ebb? The average age of Congress is 74 or something. It's full of mush brained boomers.

 

[citizen-erased]

we don’t handle anything well

certainly not a football, that's for sure

 

[DonsRule]

The Sonja Hood clip sounded a lot like they are confident which leaves us i a bit of a pickle. How very Essendon.

 

[yodellinhank]

My ten week old son’s nappies stink less than our performance of recent times.

C'mon Doss, the sky isn't falling.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

I seriously cant Imagine clarko Looking at us going yeah, I wanna be apart of this absolute shit show.

if We can’t land Clarke I reckon we sound out Paul Roos. Did a number with the demons, maybe get him in to oversee Rutten.

tbh dunno why Rutten even would want to stay, given how we are treating him.

 

[Cold Sober]

We're chasing a sacked coach with a well documented hate for Essendon.

 

[eth-dog]

I seriously cant Imagine clarko Looking at us going yeah, I wanna be apart of this absolute s**t show.

if We can’t land Clarke I reckon we sound out Paul Roos. Did a number with the demons, maybe get him in to oversee Rutten.

tbh dunno why Rutten even would want to stay, given how we are treating him.

Doesn't even live in the country anymore

 

[eDPS]

We're chasing a sacked coach with a well documented hate for Essendon.

The supporter base has a lot in common with him then it seems

 

[Lore]

While you'd know a lot more than me, I feel like Essendon's been a bit hard done by here too.

Everyone's having a go at Essendon for being unkind to Rutten, and yet almost all of the Rutten commentary is external from the media. AFAIK, the only comment Essendon has made has been backing him.

They’ve done nothing to stop it.

 

[84859300]

The Sonja Wood clip sounded a lot like they are confident which leaves us i a bit of a pickle. How very Essendon.

"Come back and talk to us if we need a plan B" sounds very confident, doesn't it

 

[Albertross]

Can't see Clarkson coming to us tbh and I don't blame him. Not that I was ever sold on him in the first place.

Asked whether he would hold interest in the Port Adelaide job, Clarkson said: “Nah nah, that’s disrespectful to Kenny, he’s still got 12 months on his job. I texted him tonight to let him know I’m coming across.”

That statement says it all for me, seeing as how Truck also still has 12 Months to go on his contract, Clarkson would come across as a massive flog to say one thing, yet burn another coach who is in the same position.

Besides, with the shitshow we've put on this week as a club, why would any experienced coach want to set foot in this cesspit of infighting and instability.

So who does that leave? Truck??? He would be advised to forego any $ for next year and run as fast as he can in the opposite direction. A rookie coach? They would be gone within 2 years. Hird??? I'm a massive Hird fan, but even I think that's a stupid idea

No matter the coach, we are going nowhere whilst we have so many off field issues that need fixing before our coach. Total clean out required

So how many more years is this going to set us back? What a ****ing nightmare!!!

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Doesn't even live in the country anymore

im sure a fat pay cheque would lure him back

whats he doing now?

I thought he was in byron

 

[Fear Boner]

I seriously cant Imagine clarko Looking at us going yeah, I wanna be apart of this absolute s**t show.

if We can’t land Clarke I reckon we sound out Paul Roos. Did a number with the demons, maybe get him in to oversee Rutten.

tbh dunno why Rutten even would want to stay, given how we are treating him.

North are literally no better off.... have you conveniently forgotten north sacked a coach 38 games into his career and their fans have been trying to overthrow the board

 

[HirdsTheWord]

North are literally no better off.... have you conveniently forgotten north sacked a coach 38 games into his career and their fans have been trying to overthrow the board

Sounds very familar

 

[Engimal v3]

Can't see Clarkson coming to us tbh and I don't blame him. Not that I was ever sold on him in the first place.

Asked whether he would hold interest in the Port Adelaide job, Clarkson said: “Nah nah, that’s disrespectful to Kenny, he’s still got 12 months on his job. I texted him tonight to let him know I’m coming across.”

That statement says it all for me, seeing as how Truck also still has 12 Months to go on his contract, Clarkson would come across as a massive flog to say one thing, yet burn another coach who is in the same position.

Besides, with the shitshow we've put on this week as a club, why would any experienced coach want to set foot in this cesspit of infighting and instability.

So who does that leave? Truck??? He would be advised to forego any $ for next year and run as fast as he can in the opposite direction. A rookie coach? They would be gone within 2 years. Hird??? I'm a massive Hird fan, but even I think that's a stupid idea

No matter the coach, we are going nowhere whilst we have so many off field issues that need fixing before our coach. Total clean out required

So how many more years is this going to set us back? What a ******* nightmare!!!

Probably didn't help that Bombers were so hot and cold. If they were just straight up shit like North atm, Rutten probably would have got the axe earlier and you'd have been right in the race for Clarko.

Not that you're not in the race now, I just think you've just started with a month's handicap.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

surely Heppellfreak isn't going to come on here once Clarkson has signed for North and say “things changed in the last 24 hours” is he?

 

[Fear Boner]

Can't see Clarkson coming to us tbh and I don't blame him. Not that I was ever sold on him in the first place.

Asked whether he would hold interest in the Port Adelaide job, Clarkson said: “Nah nah, that’s disrespectful to Kenny, he’s still got 12 months on his job. I texted him tonight to let him know I’m coming across.”

That statement says it all for me, seeing as how Truck also still has 12 Months to go on his contract, Clarkson would come across as a massive flog to say one thing, yet burn another coach who is in the same position.

Besides, with the shitshow we've put on this week as a club, why would any experienced coach want to set foot in this cesspit of infighting and instability.

So who does that leave? Truck??? He would be advised to forego any $ for next year and run as fast as he can in the opposite direction. A rookie coach? They would be gone within 2 years. Hird??? I'm a massive Hird fan, but even I think that's a stupid idea

No matter the coach, we are going nowhere whilst we have so many off field issues that need fixing before our coach. Total clean out required

So how many more years is this going to set us back? What a ******* nightmare!!!

Clarko and Hinkley may have a personal relationship that he felt like giving him the heads up .. Maybe just let it play out instead of playing 4D chess with yourself

 

[Bombermania]

North sounded just as confident about landing Dusty.

 

[tesla1962]

The Sonja Wood clip sounded a lot like they are confident which leaves us i a bit of a pickle. How very Essendon.

Maybe? Her body language was confident but the 'we presented well to him, he presented well to us' is the kind of thing you say exiting a job interview for mine.

 

[Fear Boner]

Sounds very familar

Extremely familar ... which is why I think its non-factor in his decision