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

 

[Doss]

Mick reckons we’re a premiership fancy this year, might as well get him out of retirement. Certainly experienced enough

Under Mick I honestly struggle to see where we’d lose a game.

 

[CBombers17]

Does anyone actually know what's happening?

The only theory I can come up with is they are all clearing out because it's about to be revealed how shit they are by the external review.

That and they will probably try and pin their resignation on disagreeing with the boards decision to appoint Hird.

I do realise I'm most likely nowhere near it.

 

[ant555]

Does anyone actually know what's happening?

The only theory I can come up with is they are all clearing out because it's about to be revealed how s**t they are by the external review.

That and they will probably try and pin their resignation on disagreement boards decision to appoint Hird.

I do realise I'm most likely nowhere near it.

So when do you announce your spot on the coach search panel.

 

[brutus76]

I think people would prefer to walk out under their own accord than be thrown out the window

 

[Zach Package]

I don’t think setting that bar is fair. Hird was in a dark - very, very dark - place at the start of 2017 and I reckon the healthiest thing for him as a person to do was rebuild his life and pace any steps back into football at a slow walk. So I’m not going to hold it against Hird that he wasn’t an assistant from 2018-21.

The fact remains though, six months of being a part-time assistant after being out of the game for six and a half years is bugger all preparation for any step up in responsibility.

I, perhaps selfishly, don’t want this for him.

The last time he was in footy the industry ostensibly drove him to the point where he attempted to take his own life.

Going from essentially helping out a mate for half a season to what would be the hottest seat in footy, again, this time by choice when he couldn’t have stayed out of it is just flat out not a good idea for anyone at this point.

I think he would be well suited to the vacant Wellman role if any.

 

[Maxabillions]

Wat

Is the CFO non-binary or does Browne just not know if they are a man or a woman?

 

[doug85]

Is the CFO non-binary or does Browne just not know if they are a man or a woman?

Can’t assume gender

 

[CBombers17]

So when do you announce your spot on the coach search panel.

Be the easiest money available in Recruitment right now IMO

 

[Lore]

Is the CFO non-binary or does Browne just not know if they are a man or a woman?

I don’t know why this keeps coming up. Even Shakespeare used “they” for the third person pronoun, it’s not like it’s new. And you know what else? Shakespeare used “thou” for second person singular, and “you” was more than one person! So I guess you’re plural now.

If you want to argue about that crap there’s an entire society religion and politics board where such people argue about such things.

 

[Maxabillions]

I don’t know why this keeps coming up. Even Shakespeare used “they” for the third person pronoun, it’s not like it’s new. And you know what else? Shakespeare used “thou” for second person singular, and “you” was more than one person! So I guess you’re plural now.

If you want to argue about that crap there’s an entire society religion and politics board where such people argue about such things.

I have no problems whatsoever with non-binary pronouns. Was just making a joke about Tom Browne being stupid. Usually gets an easy laugh.

 

[CBombers17]

I don’t know why this keeps coming up. Even Shakespeare used “they” for the third person pronoun, it’s not like it’s new. And you know what else? Shakespeare used “thou” for second person singular, and “you” was more than one person! So I guess you’re plural now.

If you want to argue about that crap there’s an entire society religion and politics board where such people argue about such things.

Thou will not be visiting the society religion and politics board

 

[Goat Hird]

Starting to feel like a mob movie, hopefully dodoro is next.

 

[JayJ20]

Had a long day at work today. What have I misse…

 

[CBombers17]

Starting to feel like a mob movie, hopefully dodoro is next.

Read the last few pages listening to the bridge from Layla.

 

[Mercurial89]

Apologies if already posted:

Is there anything in this article? (Paywall)

 

[Bjchan13]

Does anyone actually know what's happening?

The only theory I can come up with is they are all clearing out because it's about to be revealed how s**t they are by the external review.

That and they will probably try and pin their resignation on disagreeing with the boards decision to appoint Hird.

I do realise I'm most likely nowhere near it.

The people that have left were against an external review. Pretty sure Campbell didnt even want the internal review. So they are either worried about what an external review would uncover, or possibly dont trust the review process is being held in good faith (if Dodoro and Sheedy survive i think we'll know the answer to this)

Also as you mentioned, the optics of standing down now can be seen as a disagreement over last weeks treatment of Rutten, or Hird being appointed coach, if he does end up as coach. So you protect your self interests on the way out.

If Hird is appointed coach though (madness), it is absolutely fair enough to want no part of that and walk now before the review is done.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Could Barham be using Sheedy knowing he needed his vote but also has the support of the other board members on the back of being anti internal review and pro external review rather than the team Hird vs team Rutten agenda.

Barham's silence on Hird keeps Sheedy in check while implementing transformational change, who cares if Sheedy and his jolly men keeping pushing the Hird propoganda in the media

Pro External Review
Barham
Hisgrove
Green
O'Sullivan
Muir

Pro Hird Anti Rutten
Sheedy

In this scenario Sheedy wouldn't hold the type of power that can actually get Hird appointed.

 

[Lore]

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Could Barham be using Sheedy knowing he needed his vote but also has the support of the other board members on the back of being anti internal review and pro external review rather than the team Hird vs team Rutten agenda.

Barham's silence on Hird keeps Sheedy in check while implementing transformational change, who cares if Sheedy and his jolly men keeping pushing the Hird propoganda in the media

Pro External Review
Barham
Hisgrove
Green
O'Sullivan
Muir

Pro Hird Anti Rutten
Sheedy

In this scenario Sheedy wouldn't hold the type of power that can actually get Hird appointed.

This is what I suspect/am hoping for.

 

[Bjchan13]

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Could Barham be using Sheedy knowing he needed his vote but also has the support of the other board members on the back of being anti internal review and pro external review rather than the team Hird vs team Rutten agenda.

Barham's silence on Hird keeps Sheedy in check while implementing transformational change, who cares if Sheedy and his jolly men keeping pushing the Hird propoganda in the media

Pro External Review
Barham
Hisgrove
Green
O'Sullivan
Muir

Pro Hird Anti Rutten
Sheedy

In this scenario Sheedy wouldn't hold the type of power that can actually get Hird appointed.

Absolutely has crossed my mind and if the external review claims the dodo scalp and we go through a proper coach procss then i think we'll know the answer

 

[Howard Moon]

Just wondering, are we In Turmoil? In Tumult? In Shambles? Under fire? Or just Beleaguered?

I think it's wise to define our precise state before moving forward.

 

[Lore]

Just wondering, are we In Turmoil? In Tumult? In Shambles? Under fire? Or just Beleaguered?

I think it's wise to define our precise state before moving forward.

“Discontent” is the word the journos are using

Another word might be clusterduck

 

[Doss]

“Discontent” is the word the journos are using

Another word might be clusterduck

Flustercuck.

 

[Zach Package]

Just wondering, are we In Turmoil? In Tumult? In Shambles? Under fire? Or just Beleaguered?

I think it's wise to define our precise state before moving forward.

I thought we were ‘embattled’

 

[Old Campaigner]

It would be extremely Essendon to lose so many board members there’s no longer a quorum to formally get the coach appointment process under way

 

[ghostdog]

Just wondering, are we In Turmoil? In Tumult? In Shambles? Under fire? Or just Beleaguered?

I think it's wise to define our precise state before moving forward.

It is deeply concerning.