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

 

[jag001]

Officially there are two blocs on the board of directors:

• New: Barham Muir Hisgrove Green O’Sullivan Sheedy
• Old: Brasher Allen Wellman Madden

That’s the split of votes that gave us a new president. Sheedy was the swing vote that tipped the scaled in Barham’s favour.

The CEO, GM-Footy and Senior Coach were supported by the old power bloc and the new ones want to get rid of all three.

The joker in the pack is Sheedy, who is close with Dodoro and wants Hird as coach. It seems some other old guard players, staff and coteries are in that same group as well, along with journos like Robbo. We don’t know if anyone else on the board is with him.

And plenty of supporters aren't keen for Hird but then again plenty are... if Hird comes back my whole family is getting signed up as members that day. Everyone deserves second chances - we'd all be stuffed if that wasn't the case.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Glad the dominos are falling, but surely Dodoro and Sheeds must be part of this cull.

I feel like in the joy of Campbell's departure lots are forgetting that the coup involved two factions.

Sheedy (and therefore Dodoro) are on Barham's side. Madden and Campbell going does not in any way make it more likely that Sheedy and Dodoro will be going anywhere.. and to me only makes it more likely that Hird returns.

 

[Lore]

And plenty of supporters aren't keen for Hird but then again plenty are... if Hird comes back my whole family is getting signed up as members that day. Everyone deserves second chances - we'd all be stuffed if that wasn't the case.

He got his second chance when he came back after his year off… what we’re looking at now is a third chance. Which I’m okay with in principle, but I want him to go and coach somewhere else first, learn some things from some other people and places, prove his mettle so he can be a real asset to us and not just a Band-Aid for some decade old hurty feelings

 

[bacon buster]

He got his second chance when he came back after his year off… what we’re looking at now is a third chance. Which I’m okay with in principle, but I want him to go and coach somewhere else first, learn some things from some other people and places, prove his mettle so he can be a real asset to us and not just a Band-Aid for some decade old hurty feelings

to be fair, i don't think 2015 really counted as a second chance. it was known, then announced that year that players would be suspended. hardly a fair crack at it

other than that, i agree with you. unless we have an exhaustive selection process and he STILL comes out on top?

 

[dank420_]

And plenty of supporters aren't keen for Hird but then again plenty are... if Hird comes back my whole family is getting signed up as members that day. Everyone deserves second chances - we'd all be stuffed if that wasn't the case.

So YOU took the good kool aid

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

And plenty of supporters aren't keen for Hird but then again plenty are... if Hird comes back my whole family is getting signed up as members that day. Everyone deserves second chances - we'd all be stuffed if that wasn't the case.

*Third chance

 

[Lore]

to be fair, i don't think 2015 really counted as a second chance. it was known, then announced that year that players would be suspended. hardly a fair crack at it

other than that, i agree with you. unless we have an exhaustive selection process and he STILL comes out on top?

If we have an exhaustive process and a bloke who has coached for 6 weeks in the last 7 years comes out on top, then it’s not an exhaustive process

 

[jag001]

He got his second chance when he came back after his year off… what we’re looking at now is a third chance. Which I’m okay with in principle, but I want him to go and coach somewhere else first, learn some things from some other people and places, prove his mettle so he can be a real asset to us and not just a Band-Aid for some decade old hurty feelings

I want him to come back because 2015 can barely be counted given the crazy pressure and issues. I still believe when it comes to pure coaching and leadership he has an incredible ability to manage and build people up. GWS saw it (even with their list imploding) and before the wheels fell off due to the saga he did far more in terms of creating a "brand of football" and "learning" than we've had then entire time of Worsfold and Rutten.

Just because apprenticeships are all the rage, doesn't mean they are the be all and end all.... otherwise Rutten would have worked. he was under Dimma in their early success and then under Worsfold who is a premiership coach. At some point we need to stop trying to depersonalise this game and make everything about "the system". All the greatest memories I have of watching this club are because we defied systems and popular opinions - because we were prepared to be different and go against the flow... I don't want to watch a Red and Black Richmond, or Collingwood. yes I want to see premierships, but even more than that I want to see a club that shows its backs-to-the-wall fighting spirit again.

 

[Howard Moon]

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Well this could all end spectacularly. We could have Hird, Sheedy, Dodoro and Barham running the show and be restored back to former glory with bulk flags or we could literally bury this club.

 

[jag001]

*Third chance

I disagree... thats not a fair indicator of a year in anyone's books. Same as I don't judge Bomber as a coach on the year he had to take over. It was a no-win scenario given the off-field machinations.

 

[Lore]

I want him to come back because 2015 can barely be counted given the crazy pressure and issues. I still believe when it comes to pure coaching and leadership he has an incredible ability to manage and build people up. GWS saw it (even with their list imploding) and before the wheels fell off due to the saga he did far more in terms of creating a "brand of football" and "learning" than we've had then entire time of Worsfold and Rutten.

Just because apprenticeships are all the rage, doesn't mean they are the be all and end all.... otherwise Rutten would have worked. he was under Dimma in their early success and then under Worsfold who is a premiership coach. At some point we need to stop trying to depersonalise this game and make everything about "the system". All the greatest memories I have of watching this club are because we defied systems and popular opinions - because we were prepared to be different and go against the flow... I don't want to watch a Red and Black Richmond, or Collingwood. yes I want to see premierships, but even more than that I want to see a club that shows its backs-to-the-wall fighting spirit again.

What gives you the impression that there wouldn’t be crazy pressure and issues in 2022/23? Or that he would handle such issues better now than he did then?

 

[jag001]

Well this could all end spectacularly. We could have Hird, Sheedy, Dodoro and Barham running the show and be restored back to former glory with bulk flags or we could literally bury this club.

Yeah or we could end up with none of them and continue on rudderless and with no spirit or determination... at some point we need to stand for something and its getting hard to remind my kids of what my team used to play like.

 

[Beerfish]

All the greatest memories I have of watching this club are because we defied systems and popular opinions - because we were prepared to be different and go against the flow

Funny. They're some of my worst memories i have of this club..

 

[jag001]

What gives you the impression that there wouldn’t be crazy pressure and issues in 2022? Or that he would handle such issues better now than he did then?

Age and perspective. And as I've said we need to ensure a very good senior support around him. He didn't have Sheedy on his side of the line last time around either.

 

[eth-dog]

If we bring Hird back we're absolutely braindead as a club.

Seriously. We parted ways with him 2 years too late. It would be a **** up of monumental proportions

 

[bacon buster]

What gives you the impression that there wouldn’t be crazy pressure and issues in 2022/23? Or that he would handle such issues better now than he did then?

for one, i don't think he'd have 16 players on the list with an impending 12 month suspension from the game

 

[Lore]

Age and perspective. And as I've said we need to ensure a very good senior support around him. He didn't have Sheedy on his side of the line last time around either.

Wisdom is acquired through experience, not just continuing to exist.

 

[jag001]

Funny. They're some of my worst memories i have of this club..

Obviously I'm talking while Sheedy was coach, not the year and fall-out of "whatever it takes".

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Yeah or we could end up with none of them and continue on rudderless and with no spirit or determination... at some point we need to stand for something and its getting hard to remind my kids of what my team used to play like.

That last sentence is telling. When will we stop looking in the past and start focusing on the future? Half our problem as a club is that we expect to be successful because of who we are without putting the work in.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Age and perspective. And as I've said we need to ensure a very good senior support around him. He didn't have Sheedy on his side of the line last time around either.

If he had Sheedy last time, things probably would've been even worse.

 

[jag001]

Wisdom is acquired through experience, not just continuing to exist.

Wisdom is acquired through many ways, probably the least of which is sitting as a 2ic in a coaches box.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Wisdom is acquired through many ways, probably the least of which is sitting as a 2ic in a coaches box.

12 weeks over 7 years. I'm sold.

 

[Lore]

Wisdom is acquired through many ways, probably the least of which is sitting as a 2ic in a coaches box.

I don’t think selling coffee beans at the local market is particularly useful in learning to not only cope with but flourish in a high pressure and very public role in the AFL fishbowl.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Seriously though, what if I replaced the name on Hird's coaching CV with Mark Neeld. I guarantee he would be a pariah and would be laugh out of town even more than Knights would be if raised as a prospect for the role again.