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, [PLAYERCARD]Sean Wellman[/PLAYERCARD]
  • Votes for Barham: Andrew Muir, Dorothy Hisgrove, Melissa Green, Kate O’Sullivan, Kevin Sheedy
• 21/8: Senior Coach, [PLAYERCARD]Ben Rutten[/PLAYERCARD] 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: [PLAYERCARD]Josh Mahoney[/PLAYERCARD] (Chair, GM-Footy), Robert Walls, [PLAYERCARD]Jordan Lewis[/PLAYERCARD], 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

 

[Lore]

He talks about shaping up or shipping out but really, it’s just empty rhetoric as we’re not placed to do anything meaningful in terms of shipping out.

I’ll say it again, our list is in quite a bad spot.

Laverde and Stringer aren’t tough decisions, they’re just the most obvious, logical moves for a club that is not contending and needs to overhaul its list somewhat.

This is true, but when was the last time Essendon made any of the obvious, logical moves?

We don’t tend to, and haven’t for 20+ years, which creates a lag that you can’t resolve in one off-season as you would then have to acquire replacements so deep in the draft that it isn’t an upgrade.

 

[windyhill]

The stress as a supporter is high.
His position must be torturous!!

Yeah.

 

[Old Campaigner]

He talks about shaping up or shipping out but really, it’s just empty rhetoric as we’re not placed to do anything meaningful in terms of shipping out.

I’ll say it again, our list is in quite a bad spot.

Laverde and Stringer aren’t tough decisions, they’re just the most obvious, logical moves for a club that is not contending and needs to overhaul its list somewhat.

Scott has been there for two years. If there’s guys that aren’t on board and not putting in what’s required then they 100% know it by now. They don’t need a third year to tell them that.

I think they probably need to come to terms with that fact that the list is possibly not very good.

And by that I mean in terms of actual performance, not talent. We might have plenty of talent but if it doesn’t perform for any reason (such as injury) then it’s no use.

We have some guys on very long contracts who would be better used as trade bait.

We gave Ridley a long contract, then spent big money bringing in McKay. I’m fairly sure they thought McKay was a defensive beast because of his size but he’s not - he’s a lot more like Ridley than many believe. An interceptor. If you’ve got a pretty good set of hands, which both do, you can do that job quite well.

But now we have two of them who would both be better off in the same role, on huge money and long contracts. We don’t need them both for so much money.

Reid has talent but can’t get on the park so doesn’t bear consideration, unfortunately.

Redman looks good in a freewheeling role but he’s just a cherry on top player, he’s not taking us anywhere. Big money, long contract.

Parish is a small accumulator who has had Caldwell and Durham go past him. Big money, long contract on a fourth wheel mid.

You have limited salary cap and draft picks and all these guys could be better utilised in trades for a club that is where we are at, which is nowhere. We’re not contending. Are we rebuilding? Nobody seems to know.

I would love to be proven wrong but Cox just seems a totally obvious bust. He has no position or hunger for the contest.

Tsatas, Perkins and Hobbs definitely need midfield minutes to develop but we can’t give them because of the glut of Merrett, Durham, Caldwell, Parish. Even Shiel was getting games ahead of them this year.

We need a coherent list strategy and the balls to make big decisions. Not sure we have either. All the “shape up or ship out!” repetitive shit doesn’t matter when we’re not good enough and can’t develop players.

All they really can do is talk, the issues you've highlighted will take years to unwind. There's a few inroads being made this year with Stringer and Laverde, and probably more next year

 

[Phone]

when did the best and fairest night became the night where presidents do dumb tough talk. the game's gone

 

[BomberManU]

[PLAYERCARD]Dean Solomon[/PLAYERCARD] running for the board.

‘It’s time for me to give back’: Bombers flag hero to run for club board

Dean Solomon played in the Bombers’ 2000 premiership team before a career in coaching took him around the country. Now he wants Essendon members to elect him to the board so he can give back to the club.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Dean Solomon running for the board.

‘It’s time for me to give back’: Bombers flag hero to run for club board

Dean Solomon played in the Bombers’ 2000 premiership team before a career in coaching took him around the country. Now he wants Essendon members to elect him to the board so he can give back to the club.

www.theage.com.au

Somebody please do a welfare check on eth-dog

 

[eth-dog]

Somebody please do a welfare check on eth-dog

Eh, he ain't coaching so don't mind.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It sounds stupid - and probably is - but I’m pretty sure I won’t be voting for him purely because he’s an ex player.

I have no idea what he’ll add - he says his strength is football - well we have that covered.

Putting guys on the board because they played for us and no other reason is just bloody unprofessional, imo.

Go work in the footy dept if that’s what you do. You don’t need to be on the board.

 

[windyhill]

Close Bud of hird….

 

[Kyptastic]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

 

[Phone]

i hope you asked the big question: has he ever tried to kick a player for trying to take a cool mark

 

[GWT6]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club and I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

 

[Donflicted]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

Ill ignore that top part hahaha!

Thanks for the info sounds like the right person to help us move forward

 

[justlookingaround]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

Good listen, was impressed with his candidness and overall have been impressed with strategy and avoiding the traps of sugar hits. Can't imagine anyone would think it a good idea to destabilise the club by not electing him to another term right now.

 

[Old Campaigner]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

Thanks for the input Solly

 

[GWT6]

Thanks for the input Solly

Haha - seems like I'm his PR bloke, but he is genuinely that good a person.

 

[Donflicted]

Good listen, was impressed with his candidness and overall have been impressed with strategy and avoiding the traps of sugar hits. Can't imagine anyone would think it a good idea to destabilise the club by not electing him to another term right now.

Very much agree we would be going against what we have all been asking for years which is stability

 

[windyhill]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

Ahh yes, last finals win and premiership courtesy of Melb.

 

[Happyskeret]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

I have a lot of fond memories of playing at Marnoo where Dave Barham came from and going the pub there. Unfortunately the club there folded around 99.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Lore]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

He was in that role before he became a director too. Not sure what the going rate is for an ambassador, but if we were going to have a problem with him continuing in that role as a 'contractor' rather than an employee just to get around the director eligibility criteria in the constitution, then the time to kick up a fuss was when he was appointed as a director.

 

[Old Campaigner]

He was in that role before he became a director too. Not sure what the going rate is for an ambassador, but if we were going to have a problem with him continuing in that role as a 'contractor' rather than an employee just to get around the director eligibility criteria in the constitution, then the time to kick up a fuss was when he was appointed as a director.

He was still a respected club legend then and not a crusty old dinosaur holding the club back

 

[DERO]

The Age is not really breaking any new ground here. What might be more interesting is how and why he was put on the board.

 

[Rick Ross]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

To be fair, whilst he got $150k for being an ambassador, he had to fund his own hay bales for each year’s country round promo shoot.

 

[fairbump_playon]

To be fair, whilst he got $150k for being an ambassador, he had to fund his own hay bales for each year’s country round promo shoot.

He also had to buy his own shiraz which makes you wonder if 150k was enough