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

 

[Howard Moon]

I thought we were ‘embattled’

Embattled seems a distant memory , like about mid last week

 

[Howard Moon]

It is deeply concerning.

In freefall

 

[Beerfish]

Privately seething

 

[brutus76]

thread title needs changing to BOARD MEETINGS and BLOODSHED/KILLING FIELDS thread

 

[Howard Moon]

Privately seething

I read that in Damien Barrett's squirrelly voice

 

[Howard Moon]

thread title needs changing to BOARD MEETINGS and BLOODSHED/KILLING FIELDS thread

Ahhh I love the Smell of board members in the morning.

... wait

 

[Zach Package]

thread title needs changing to BOARD MEETINGS and BLOODSHED/KILLING FIELDS thread

I’ve always wanted a ‘Killings Fields’ option for thread tags

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

In the shit.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

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 like shambles, it shows the comical side of what has happened…

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Did we remove the good board members or the bad ones?

 

[Fear Boner]

Sit tight , be confident.

 

[Howard Moon]

I like shambles, it shows the comical side of what has happened…

I like bung, shows a certain sense that something is askew or on the nose but in a raised eye brow kind of way

 

[Beerfish]

Did we remove the good board members or the bad ones?

Yes

 

[jmoo wan]

Did we remove the good board members or the bad ones?

I don't think we will truly understand this until the new coach is appointed...

 

[Hamez]

Is there anything in this article? (Paywall)

“I’d thought about this (resigning) at points recently, and last week was challenging for all the reasons that are obvious,” Campbell told the Herald Sun on Wednesday.

“You become emotional. Ultimately we might disagree about certain decisions, but we align on the decisions of the club.

“I just feel like it’s a good time for Dave, as a new president, to have really, strong, aligned support.

“And also someone that’s got the energy to help him realise the vision, and I don’t have that now.

“It’s been a difficult nine years and I think the time is right to hand it over to someone else.”

A difficult nine years is an understatement.

Regarding the saga:

“It’s obviously bitter-sweet in that it was a really challenging time and players were going through things they shouldn’t have had to go through,” Campbell said.

“But you became so close with those players, and I actually sent a text message to a big group of those players that I was closest to because I’ll always feel connected to them.

“I was proud we were able to keep everyone connected to the football club.

“I was proud the club didn’t fracture during that three or four-year period when it quite easily could’ve, and many other clubs probably would’ve.

“God knows where we’d be if we’d fractured as a football club back then.

“It was the bond of the players that was far and away the strongest aspect of that period.”

“There were some pretty dark days. We were staring at significant cost exposure,” Campbell said.

“It has never happened before, and I hope it never happens again where a material group of players are suing the club for negligence.

“That’s essentially what happened, and that was an ongoing process and a very delicate process.

“It could’ve been a hell of a lot worse, and then you had the challenge of a season that had essentially been completely pushed off course.

“That’s when the members stepped up. They were so proud of their football club, so connected to their football club.

“They might’ve been frustrated by aspects of it, absolutely, and that was totally understandable.”

“In 2019 when we devised that plan it was very well-intentioned and we had a very different list profile,” Campbell said.

“Obviously 2020 was a very difficult year (due to Covid) and it’s probably lucky Ben wasn’t in charge then, because what a year to be a first-year coach.

“It was lucky he did have the support of John.”

Campbell teared up when, flanked by his wife and two children, he told staff at 9am on Wednesday he was leaving.

But he promised long-suffering and disillusioned supporters that the future was bright.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity now, but I guarantee you this club has a great future in the short term,” Campbell said.

“I’ve been in this industry for a long time and things move very quickly.

“We’re four or five weeks away from having good, positive news again, a new coach, we’ve got a really talented young playing group, we’ve got good (salary) cap flexibility, we’ve got great facilities, we’ve got financial strength and independence.

“The foundations are exceptionally strong, so I feel very comfortable that although the last week has been challenging I feel comfortable that the club is in a really strong position to grow.

“I genuinely mean that.”

 

[frodos gardener]

I feel like it’s more of a flustercuck.

 

[Vander18]

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

Tough crowd

 

[tha Freak]

I’m enjoying the seeds of change. Change was needed. I’m optimistic!

 

[Mikevk123]

Had to happen. Can understand where Campbell was coming from though on the saga and why we didn’t rebuild.

 

[isthisit13]

What turmoil? We're cutting out the cancer that has ****ed the place for so long. ****en good start is what i would call it.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Today was a good day.

 

[DallasCrane316]

Media once again not reading the room. Most, if not all, Essendon supporters are happy with these changes.

And the review hasn’t even started yet

 

[BrunoV]

In Mark Neeld's last 11 games as senior coach, he went 1-10, losing by more than 100 points once.

In James Hird's last 11 games as senior coach, he went 1-10, losing by more than 100 points twice.

Seems like Neeld is being shortchanged in discussions about a triumphant return to coaching at Essendon, don't you all think?

Just because you think you're on point and some here will fall for it:

The season fell apart because after the Tribunal found the players not guilty in March 2015, and ASADA decided against an appeal WADA appealed in April and the arse fell out of the season.

There were pretty clear mitigating factors in 2015.

 

[Old Campaigner]

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.

Troubled or Beleagured I guess. At least we're probably a fair way from 'Former' AFL Club. Unless we've skipped that and gone straight to 'Disgraced'.

 

[Here_we_come]

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

Lol, this made me laugh. But that could be a good thing, they would be forced to perhaps go through a process