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

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    51

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    90kg

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    14.1

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    9.7

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    8.0

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    2.6

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    0.8

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

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  42

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  13.4

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  10.6

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  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

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    48

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    180cm

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    11.3

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    6.8

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    0.9

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    9.2

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    5.4

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    3.8

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    2.2

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    1.6

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    0.4

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

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    39

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    186cm

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    86kg

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    23.5

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    , 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

 

[Call Me Cake]

 

[Engimal v3]

seems a great time to rewatch the 01' comeback game.

As soon as I heard Essendon entered the race for Clarko I went straight onto Youtube for 2014 EF highlights to make myself feel better lol

 

[Bombermania]

For all the talk of external reviews, let me just point to this:

Dr. Ziggy Switkowski report

Read the key findings and recommendations from Dr. Ziggy Switskowski's internal report.

www.essendonfc.com.au

There are several areas that don’t seem to have improved at all. Can’t speak to hierarchy, lines of reporting and the medical department as that’s all behind closed doors for the most part, but the role and function of a CEO, the structure of the football department, and the critique of recruitment processes, are not areas that have necessarily improved.

Point being that external reviews are useful in uncovering problems, and “sunlight is the best disinfectant”. But they cannot enforce the recommendations they make, it takes a strongly principled board of directors to actually do that.



On the plus side, the people brasher brought onto the board in Sheedy, Green and Hisgrove have all immediately sided against him, which indicates that loyalty isn’t a defining feature of their directorships. Let’s hope that means they’re acting on good principles instead…

Both Green and Hisgrove are big supporters of the women's program and that's why any issues in that area might have been the straw that broke the camels back.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Out of curiosity, who are the elected members of the board at this point?

 

[carnthedons]

As soon as I heard Essendon entered the race for Clarko I went straight onto Youtube for 2014 EF highlights to make myself feel better lol

Not Kingy’s 7 in the 00 QF?

 

[Zach Package]

Surely not. The bloke tried to kill himself from all the s**t last time, if I’m anyone around him I’m telling him to stay the * away, irrespective of the fact I think he has some potential as a coach, or at least once had.

Gut feel regarding Hird is that he’s got idiots like Sheedy and Robbo advocating for him but they’re not his mouthpieces, he’s not coveting a senior role, the only reason he stepped in as a genuine assistant was to help Spike out.

Having said that it’s just a gut feel, I never thought we’d see him back in footy at all so what the hell do I know.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’d love to know what the difference in opinions are, considering AD doesn’t have much to do with the day to day stuff/performance of the team.

It’s all under Mahoney’s remit. Mahoney is GM of Footy. Dodoro reports to Mahoney. At least he reported to Richardson, so I assume he now reports to Mahoney.

 

[Falcon27]

So the head of footy Mahoney conducted the review?

That's not a review in any way, shape or form. That's just called doing your normal job...in that position you should always be looking at your team under you and looking at areas for improvement.

If he's the issue obviously it's pointless...Brasher is a fool. Reeks of just trying to appease the members and everyone backing each other to keep their jobs.

Isn’t it it the reason Barham cracked the sh!ts 2 weeks ago and called for the spill? And hence the subsequent board meeting on Sunday morning.

 

[Mootsy]

Out of curiosity, who are the elected members of the board at this point?

As it stands right now??
Barney the Dinosaur, Jar-Jar Binks...
not sure the rest..

 

[Cold Sober]

Out of curiosity, who are the elected members of the board at this point?

No doubt there will be women involved

 

[VelvetSledge]

If anyone discusses bringing back Hird I’m gonna lose it

 

[andleanback]

It’s all under Mahoney’s remit. Mahoney is GM of Footy. Dodoro reports to Mahoney. At least he reported to Richardson, so I assume he now reports to Mahoney.

Yeah I know that, I’m saying I wonder what the falling out is over or what has created the animosity. All the recruiting has been very good since Mahoney has been at essendon. So what had either AD or Mahoney not been happy about.

 

[Ati Tude]

As it stands right now??
Barney the Dinosaur, Jar-Jar Binks...
not sure the rest..

Homer (from Springfield, not the Greek dude), Posh Spice and Daffy Duck

 

[Seb78]

So who's our next coach? Choco Williams? Blake Caracella

Blake Caracella

Age

48

Ht

186cm

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85kg

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Mid

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Last 5

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16.5

4star

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10.1

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6.4

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M

4.7

4star

T

1.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.6

3star

? Don Pyke?

 

[citizen-erased]

Yeah I know that, I’m saying I wonder what the falling out is over or what has created the animosity. All the recruiting has been very good since Mahoney has been at essendon. So what had either AD or Mahoney not been happy about.

Reckon Dodoro has his nose out of joint with Mahoney largely becoming the focal point of media for our off-season activity.

Back in June there was something about our looking at FA's & not trading high picks.
My gut feel is Dodoro and Rutten probably clashing on the depth and lack of options to date. If i was Rutten i'd be ****ed off my spine was basically drafted just as the incumbents were cooked and should have been retiring.

You are right on recent recruiting.
I think the combo of Mahoney, Rutten and RFK would have done a disciplined turnover of the list.
A feint hope lingers that they may continue, but it's not looking likely.

 

[citizen-erased]

So who's our next coach? Choco Williams? Blake Caracella? Don Pyke?

i'd be staggered if it's not Clarkson.

 

[andleanback]

i'd be staggered if it's not Clarkson.

I’d be staggered if it is. Can’t see him walking into this current shit storm that’s been the last 72 hours.

 

[Chucks]

i'd be staggered if it's not Clarkson.

Genuinely curious, based on what? Everything we’ve done this week screams an unstable club, plus he’s had a month of due diligence on north compared to a few days on us, not to mention Hoods interview tonight where she seems very confident

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I still reckon Clarkson is fave to sign with us. Already been said that he and Barham are known to each other. Barham had to have reached out to him beforehand before the coup. That was the whole point of the coup.

 

[brutus76]

Campbell can **** off
Madden, Wellman, Sheeds, Brasher go from the board making a 7 person board
Dodo can take his jacket and fly away
Mahoney should stay IMO
Viney and RFK IMO would do a great job with the list
Tudor and Truck to be the coaching casualties

 

[Ati Tude]

I still reckon Clarkson is fave to sign with us. Already been said that he and Barham are known to each other. Barham had to have reached out to him beforehand before the coup. That was the whole point of the coup.

I agree with this. Our list is better (there is a real possibility that JHF wants to leave Norf next week which will have broader implications) and there is that big club thing, Anzac Day, Dreamtime etc. But, maybe the Board stuff puts him off. But, then he had to deal with Kennett so he might think our board will be kids play by comparison. Plus he will be aware the media have overblown everything. There hasnt been a board coup. They made a decision. It may not have been unanimous, and that's fine, but it sure ain't a coup.

 

[yodellinhank]

No doubt there will be women involved

You'd think so, they do make up a large portion of the population.

 

[citizen-erased]

I’d be staggered if it is. Can’t see him walking into this current s**t storm that’s been the last 72 hours.

he's not naive. he'd have to know a few eggs need breaking in order for him to get the role.

Brasher the first domino.
I imagine a review gets announced in the next few days and we're lining up who leads it. Clarkson may be part of it. He'd have been top of list 3 months ago. What's to stop him doing it, then coming in to take the reins as coach

I doubt he just turns North down on Friday. It will be an announcement with us. Suspect Rutten is announced tomorrow & Gia or Cara takes the seat on the weekend.

 

[Lore]

I still reckon Clarkson is fave to sign with us. Already been said that he and Barham are known to each other. Barham had to have reached out to him beforehand before the coup. That was the whole point of the coup.

Wasn’t the whole point of the coup.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Wasn’t the whole point of the coup.

Probably not but a big part