Club Mgmt. Board of Directors as led by President Andrew Wealshy - Ted Richards joins the board

[DapperDon]

yay I started a thread

Welsh Prez

Barham had some stuff ups when he started, but genuinely got us moving in the right direction. This is/was never going to be an easy build and I just hope Welsh is on the same path.

 

[faible]

I just hope Welsh is on the same path.

Fingers crossed. My biggest concern with any board upheaval is that there's still way too many people around who think the Hird / Sheedy / Dodoro era is what we need to go back to.

 

[VelvetSledge]

STAY THE COURSE ANDREW PLEASE

 

[Lore]

Doing it this way probably prevents an actual board spill, which means potentially better able to stay the course

 

[mike14]

Yeah, was this done to appease people and keep the wolves at bay, or is it the start of more sweeping changes?

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

Makes more sense now why Welsh was meeting with Merrett last week

 

[brutus76]

Dear Members,

After nearly three and a half years serving as your President, I have decided to step down from my role and hand over to Vice President Andrew Welsh

Andrew Welsh

Age

42

Ht

188cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

.

My love for the Essendon Football Club is second only to the love I have for my family. In every decision and every action I have taken, my guiding principle has always been what is in the best interests of the Club. This is another. It is time for a new President. It is a voluntary role that requires someone with the time, drive and energy to take us forward.

I have given my all over the past three and a half years and tackled every challenge with everything that I have. I took my responsibility to fight for and defend our Club, our players, coaches and administrators extremely seriously. I’m proud of what we have achieved in transforming the Club and making the hard decisions to set it up for long-term, sustained success. I have no doubt we are now on the right track, and I leave excited about the future.

When I became President in 2022, I invited Andrew Welsh

Andrew Welsh

Age

42

Ht

188cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

to join the board and take on the role of Director of Football Governance. He has developed close working relationships with our coach Brad Scott and CEO Craig Vozzo and been heavily involved in developing our football program.

Last year, Andrew took on a wider leadership role as Vice President. Andrew, the Board and I have been working collaboratively to put a succession plan in place for some time, and I am delighted that Andrew is now able to take on the role, and he will take over responsibility from today. I have been thinking about this decision for a while, and feel the timing is right.

I convened a meeting of the Board this morning where I informed them of this decision. I will now take steps to fully exit the board in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Since becoming President, I have repeatedly said that sustained, long-term success relies on unity, stability and alignment and this transition to Andrew Welsh

Andrew Welsh

Age

42

Ht

188cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

ensures that maintained.

Andrew will be an outstanding President, and it has been a privilege to work with him. He is driven and will bring fresh energy to the role, an energy we need to continue to build and develop the Club and achieve on-field success. As we all loved him as a player, Andrew’s uncompromising but compassionate approach, football knowledge and strategic thinking have been brilliant to watch and are great assets to the Club.

I have served on the Board since the start of 2016. I would like to thank all the members who elected me and placed their trust in me. It has been an enormous honour, and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to contribute to the Club. I have met amazing people, both inside and outside the Club.

I have enormous faith in both Brad Scott and Craig Vozzo. They are the future and will lead us to success. They are talented, committed professionals who have outstanding values, and it has been a pleasure to work with them. They both put the Club first always.

To the people who work at the Club, including the players, coaches, administration team and volunteers, I have loved getting to know you all and have the utmost respect for you.

To the Board, you are an amazing group of dedicated volunteers who only want the best for the Club. Your work ethic is elite, and I value the friendships made.

To all our members, I look forward to rejoining you in the crowd and yelling my support for our team. I won’t miss going to the footy in a suit and will reacquaint myself with a pie and a beer in the outer. Thank you for all the support and I consider myself lucky to be a Bomber supporter amongst all of you.

Finally, to my wife Tash, and my daughters, Mia and Sophie, thank you for all the support and help over the past few years. I could not have done this job without you. As a family, we have enjoyed some great times.

Go Bombers.
David Barham



THANKS DAVE FOR YOUR SERVICE IN WHAT WAS A TROUBLED TIME

 

[Old Campaigner]

yay I started a thread

Welsh Prez

Barham had some stuff ups when he started, but genuinely got us moving in the right direction. This is/was never going to be an easy build and I just hope Welsh is on the same path.

We’ve already got one of the youngest lists in the league, the rebuild is happening regardless of who is in charge.

It’s just a question of whether they let Rosa continue or bring back dododo

 

[thebigboy]

I suspected this was always a strong chance. It feels like the kind of move that could head off a full-blown board challenge.

Hopefully his mix of commercial success and playing history proves the right recipe to bring the club’s factions together and finally move things forward. The club can’t continue to remain as fractured and toxic as it has been over the past decade.

 

[Lore]

Yeah, was this done to appease people and keep the wolves at bay, or is it the start of more sweeping changes?

Welsh was already the anointed successor, I think the timeline was sped up by about 6 months to keep the wolves at bay though.

Will be interesting to see if any other directors fall on their swords and who Welsh appoints in Barham’s seat

 

[andleanback]

Hopefully welsh has the same view as barham and vozzo. He was very close to Dodoro and a lot of people who try to control power behind the scenes which I still think is a big issue.

 

[dank420_]

BIG WOOSHA

 

[Lore]

Hopefully welsh has the same view as barham and vozzo. He was very close to Dodoro and a lot of people who try to control power behind the scenes which I still think is a big issue.

Could be a bridge builder but depends on his political nous

 

[Nifft]

 

[wiltho]

If (as it looks) that this was always a plan, but has been accelerated by the chaos triggered by Zach's "departure"...then well done to the club for acting quickly.

 

[Kyptastic]

Welsh was already the anointed successor, I think the timeline was sped up by about 6 months to keep the wolves at bay though.

Will be interesting to see if any other directors fall on their swords and who Welsh appoints in Barham’s seat

Welsh can now move into Barham’s seat and therefore wouldn’t have to face a vote.

He probably would be voted back in. But probably safer not to take that chance

 

[Beerfish]

Finally some fresh air..

 

[BrunoV]

Well now we all hold our breath.

The universe has to be kinder to us than a choice between Barham and a return to the old faction.

Surely?

 

[Lore]

If (as it looks) that this was always a plan, but has been accelerated by the chaos triggered by Zach's "departure"...then well done to the club for acting quickly.

It was mooted a couple of years ago, Barham’s max term as director is in 2027 so he had to have an exit plan.

I think it was in his interviews he did when he got elected again last time but I can’t find the exact quote, some of the podcast distributors don’t hold on to old recordings it seems.

 

[wiltho]

Could be a bridge builder but depends on his political nous

Zach specifically named Welsh as someone who'd been very supportive in the last fortnight. If Zach wasn't happy with the board, and wasn't aware of the succession plan...it's possible that accelerating this change is also a bid to demonstrate commitment to Zach.

ps I am hard coping

 

[Lore]

Finally some fresh air..

Well now we all hold our breath.

Haha

 

[iDon]

Will Welsh be good?

I really don't know much about him and the board. Sorta kept away from it.

 

[Lore]

Welsh can now move into Barham’s seat and therefore wouldn’t have to face a vote.

He probably would be voted back in. But probably safer not to take that chance

Welsh was already voted as well wasn’t he, at the same time as barham? Or was that a year apart

 

[Lance Uppercut]

good move. Will take the air right out of the challenge. A fresh(ish) face and an ex-player to boot. Good luck with your challenge now, gents

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Will Welsh be good?

I really don't know much about him and the board. Sorta kept away from it.

as long as he maintains the proper re building path it will be.

he would have to be one of the youngest presidents ever though at 42 years old.