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

 

[Call Me Cake]

They've chased Clarkson without sacking Ben is the obvious one.

Which they have every right to do. Would you look for a job before quitting the one you're in?

Are you gonna make the claim that North weren't thinking about Clarko while Noble was still coach? A guy they didn't even give until the end of season?

If we're gonna go with morale, how about vilifying your coach for not being competitive with a team everyone expected to finish with the spoon after literally 17 months - who, by the way - came along after North drove Shaw to a mental breakdown. Now that's an example of a lack of empathy, courtesy, support and loyalty if there ever truly was one.

 

[Happyskeret]

I guess once you change the president you change the landscape! I totally understand Heppell’s response. Brasher by reports had Rutten’s back but now the chess pieces are all scattered.

 

[Lore]

Which they have every right to do. Would you look for a job before quitting the one you're in?

Are you gonna make the claim that North weren't thinking about Clarko while Noble was still coach? A guy they didn't even give until the end of season?

If we're gonna go with morale, how about vilifying your coach for not being competitive with a team everyone expected to finish with the spoon after literally 17 months - who, by the way - came along after North drove Shaw to a mental breakdown. Now that's an example of a lack of empathy, courtesy, support and loyalty if there ever truly was one.

Do you really think at this point that there is any possible chance that Rutten coaches next year?

 

[Arctic fox]

Yeah he would, do you not remember roughy

Sure do and he was still playing 2019 season so was playing last game anyway. Kicked 6.

 

[Bjchan13]

Which they have every right to do. Would you look for a job before quitting the one you're in?

Are you gonna make the claim that North weren't thinking about Clarko while Noble was still coach? A guy they didn't even give until the end of season?

If we're gonna go with morale, how about vilifying your coach for not being competitive with a team everyone expected to finish with the spoon after literally 17 months - who, by the way - came along after North drove Shaw to a mental breakdown. Now that's an example of a lack of empathy, courtesy, support and loyalty if there ever truly was one.

Depends on a variety of circumstances. What point are you trying to make by asking this question?

 

[Beerfish]

Depends on a variety of circumstances. What point are you trying to make by asking this question?

I think he's trying to say it's the same thing and totally acceptable but I wondered this myself.

 

[Don Won]

I feel sorry for Truck, but being beaten by 81 points on Sunday, particularly after a substandard showing the week before puts you clearly in the crosshairs.

I don’t think anyone has to come out in support of his job because it is deservedly on the line. He would have known that when he went to bed on Sunday.

He still might save his job, but he along with a number of other people are under review.

 

[Bjchan13]

I think he's trying to say it's the same thing and totally acceptable but I wondered this myself.

Followed by a rant about Norf, seems legit

 

[Doss]

The club has done nothing to Rutten. It's been all media.

By not explicitly saying anything about him (even a token statement) when the coaching position is the obvious elephant in the room, they’ve effectively hung him out to dry.

To pretend otherwise is obtuse.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Do you really think at this point that there is any possible chance that Rutten coaches next year?

If we don't get Clarko, then I can see him coaching to mid-2023, which gives us time to run the review and hold interviews in the case that the performance is as bad as the signs expect it to be. What the media has done, however, is make it a tad more awkward through calling things early and running with it - which makes it harder, yes, but that's on them, not us.

If we are to sack Rutten - we at least gave him until the end of the year, we could have pulled the plug like North a long time ago. But no one cares about that.

Depends on a variety of circumstances. What point are you trying to make by asking this question?

Most people with their head screwed on would assess what the job market looks like and get a few options lined up before resigning from their role. This is so that if you do quit the job you're not happy with, you have things to fall back on and transition quickly rather than being left in the dust. This is further spurred on by the fact that we gave Rutten until the end of the year, and in providing him that courtesy, it has made the need to have options lined up more important due to the little time left as a result.

 

[justlookingaround]

The media obviously was fed the story about Rutten being sacked and Gia coaching on the weekend by someone on the board.
That much is certain. They didn't create it out of thin air. It broke before the board meeting occured, and Brasher stepping down was also in the report, which was true.

The part that is speculation is why Rutten hasn't been sacked yet - they obviously had the numbers to roll Brasher and his supporters - now it seems they perhaps don't have the numbers to pursue Clarkson - which comes amid reports Sheedy, who was the swing vote to roll Brasher, is not interested in Clarko...

 

[Old Campaigner]

Sorry for invading your board btw

Just realised I've been posting in this thread a bit. Hopefully I'm not overstepping my mark lol

Nah shitpost away.

 

[citizen-erased]

Do you really think at this point that there is any possible chance that Rutten coaches next year?

I think the only way that happens is;

Clarkson goes to North
We feel we need time to put a panel together for a proper review
And the review finds Rutten is the right coach, but there are things within the club that need fixing to enable his success.
Truck moves on from what's happened this week
Dodoro & Sheedy are removed from the club

 

[Bjchan13]

If we don't get Clarko, then I can see him coaching to mid-2023, which gives us time to run the review and hold interviews in the case that the performance is as bad as the signs expect it to be. What the media has done, however, is make it a tad more awkward through calling things early and running with it - which makes it harder, yes, but that's on them, not us.

If we are to sack Rutten - we at least gave him until the end of the year, we could have pulled the plug like North a long time ago. But no one cares about that.



Most people with their head screwed on would assess what the job market looks like and get a few options lined up before resigning from their role. This is so that if you do quit the job you're not happy with, you have things to fall back on and transition quickly rather than being left in the dust. This is further spurred on by the fact that we gave Rutten until the end of the year, and in providing him that courtesy, it has made the need to have options lined up more important due to the little time left as a result.

I think i get what you're saying but Essendon is not an employee, unhappy in their job and assessing the market before they quit. Essendon is an employer and Truck is the employee.

 

[BratPack]

I think the only way that happens is;

Clarkson goes to North
We feel we need time to put a panel together for a proper review
And the review finds Rutten is the right coach, but there are things within the club that need fixing to enable his success.
Truck moves on from what's happened this week
Dodoro & Sheedy are removed from the club

So in other words. Not a snowflakes chance in Hell.

 

[Call Me Cake]

I think i get what you're saying but Essendon is not an employee, unhappy in their job and assessing the market before they quit. Essendon is an employer and Truck is the employee.

I was clearly using a figure of speech.

Nevertheless, if we had sacked Rutten mid-year, we could have afforded being without him while looking for a possible replacement. The fact that we didn't pull a North/Noble and gave him the rest of the year to show signs of consistency and reasons for sticking with him beyond 2022 was what has forced our hand to hold out and get a feel for what's available for a quicker transition in the less time left. It is due to our courtesy to Rutten that we're in this position, not the other way around.

Also to quote Hardwick recently,

thewest

"What I do empathise with is the human element. It's a tough situation but that's the caper we're in."

"Our players are probably speaking to other clubs and we're speaking to other players, it's just part and parcel of the industry," Hardwick said.

We've done the smart thing. The hooplah is the media's doing, not ours.

 

[CBombers17]

Is there any good reason to keep Rutten hanging around if he isn't the future?

 

[Bjchan13]

I was clearly using a figure of speech.

Nevertheless, if we had sacked Rutten mid-year, we could have afforded being without him while looking for a possible replacement. The fact that we didn't pull a North/Noble and gave him the rest of the year to show signs of consistency and reasons for sticking with him beyond 2022 was what has forced our hand to hold out and get a feel for what's available for a quicker transition in the less time left. It is due to our courtesy to Rutten that we're in this position, not the other way around.

Also to quote Hardwick recently,

thewest



We've done the smart thing. The hooplah is the media's doing, not ours.

We'll have to disagree on these.

 

[DapperDon]

I was clearly using a figure of speech.

Nevertheless, if we had sacked Rutten mid-year, we could have afforded being without him while looking for a possible replacement. The fact that we didn't pull a North/Noble and gave him the rest of the year to show signs of consistency and reasons for sticking with him beyond 2022 was what has forced our hand to hold out and get a feel for what's available for a quicker transition in the less time left. It is due to our courtesy to Rutten that we're in this position, not the other way around.

Also to quote Hardwick recently,

thewest



We've done the smart thing. The hooplah is the media's doing, not ours.

Yeah you're right, the club did nothing wrong Hirdy is a scapegoat, all the clubs are doing it.........!!!WOAH!!!

Sorry, just had a flashback to bullshit Essendon supporter arguments

 

[Schnitzengruben]

From Blitz;

Dot points from this Browne update

• Clarkson due to arrive back late today.
• Most likely will wait until both games are over to make announcement (Sunday night/Monday).
• He has a good source and isn’t expecting confirmation from Essendon on the contract offer, but his source is saying the offer is $1.1-$1.2m with extra added if soft cap increases (making it $1.4m in total). Also offered the employment of Todd Viney.
• Will need to pay out Rutten $600k.
• Essendon willing to go over their soft cap and pay the luxury tax as a result.
• Coaches association will look into the treatment of Rutten. Apparently a number of senior coaches have raised concerns. Coaches association will make this a focus - regarding mental health, demands etc.
• Rutten and Barham are on the same page. Barham visited Rutten at his home. Explained their perspective, performance requirements etc.

 

[justlookingaround]

Anyone else kinda expecting for no news to come out of Essendon over the next few days?
Like, Clarko signs with North tomorrow, and Essendon just quietly shitfights in the backroom while the media goes mental speculating on what's gonna happen at the Bombers... then the whole offseason is just our PR in damage control?

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Anyone else kinda expecting for no news to come out of Essendon over the next few days?
Like, Clarko signs with North tomorrow, and Essendon just quietly shitfights in the backroom while the media goes mental speculating on what's gonna happen at the Bombers... then the whole offseason is just our PR in damage control?

 

[Happyskeret]

I know one thing if the board was split there is someone keeping Ben up to date on where things are at. I hate the spin I’ve heard over the years with this club to the point you don’t want to hear anymore of it.
The thing is the silence kills me more. I have a feeling Truck knows his fate one way or another. The way I read the Gia thing is that Truck chose to coach this weekend and if that is the case I have nothing but respect for him.

 

[Dave]

I think Wilson did make a good point (broken clock and such) where she said that I is quite likely that part of Barhams pitch will be the promise that the problem people in the board, administration and the footy department will be gone if he comes.

I dont know how on earth that fits into an external review, but yeah - Clarkson ain't coming without assurances as to key pillars in the organisation being people he can work with.

Concrete Jackets??

 

[Call Me Cake]

I just find it funny how we keep Woosha on the seat while orchestrating a replacement with the last year of his contract still to run yet the moment the same sort of scenario seems a possibility with Rutten all hell breaks loose, "the humanity!", etc; etc;

And what's extra funny is Rutten was the direct beneficiary of that, but you didn't hear a peep come from him or his supporters then.

Double standards.