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

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    14.1

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    9.7

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    8.0

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  • Votes for Barham: Andrew Muir, Dorothy Hisgrove, Melissa Green, Kate O’Sullivan, Kevin Sheedy
• 21/8: Senior Coach, Ben Rutten
  Ben Rutten

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  13.4

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  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

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    48

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    180cm

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    5.4

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    1.6

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    0.4

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    (Chair, GM-Footy), Robert Walls, Jordan Lewis
    Jordan Lewis

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    39

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    186cm

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    , 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]

Dodoro's success or lack thereof is not even the main reason for moving him on at this point. How many members of the football department has he white anted, clashed with and moved against during his time by this point?

Not to mention him seemingly having a direct line to the board beyond his boss.

He's a malignant cultural tumor that needs removing.

This.

 

[Duckworth]

Review the review?

I was basing it on being a fair and equitable process. This was a non-negotiable for me, as soon as Rutten was sacked that a proper process was followed. If I call for a process, can I renege if I don't like the result? I'm undecided.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

What if he went through a legitimate process, and was deemed the best candidate at the end of it?

It is impossible for him to be a part of a legitimate process when it is already thought that at least one board member and the list manager have actively championed him taking the role while the previous incumbent was in post.

 

[citizen-erased]

I was basing it on being a fair and equitable process. This was a non-negotiable for me, as soon as Rutten was sacked that a proper process was followed. If I call for a process, can I renege if I don't like the result? I'm undecided.

Id be concerned at any review process undertaken by essendon at the moment that puts hird at the top of a potential coaching list.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Yeh fair i was hopeful we could remove most of that group and that Choco Williams could be the man who doesnt allow this to happen

"That Group" are members and they aren't going anywhere. All you can do is remove the conduits through which they get their tentacles into club decision making.

I do think it gets better in time as our side becomes more competitive though. By that stage the administration of the day will have some runs on the board to push back against that kind of outside influence a bit better. It's just that right now in a complete vacuum of football success stories it's very easy for groups of outsiders to make the case that they know better than the people running the show and that's where the factions and politicking becomes a problem.

Also I don't think we're in Choco Williams' good books after the Worsfold stuff.

 

[Duckworth]

What legitimate process would conclude that the most qualified candidate is someone who has coached a handful of games in the last 7 years?

Don't put up well reasoned responses to my hypothetical. Maybe his PowerPoint was really good!

 

[Old Campaigner]

What if he went through a legitimate process, and was deemed the best candidate at the end of it?

Short of the coaches association boycotting the club because of the way Rutten was treated, and no one else applying I struggle to see how Hird could possibly emerge as the best candidate.

 

[Yoda_]

Dodoro's success or lack thereof is not even the main reason for moving him on at this point. How many members of the football department has he white anted, clashed with and moved against during his time by this point?

Not to mention him seemingly having a direct line to the board beyond his boss.

He's a malignant cultural tumor that needs removing.

"Toxic" ?

"Cancerous" ?

"unstable" ?


The list goes on

 

[Old Campaigner]

But yeah if there was a process that was clearly well implemented and fair, and it somehow did end up with Hird being the best candidate then I guess it is what it is. I don't think that would be a great outcome for the club though

 

[Keystone agony]

You can exclude people from the 'process' yeh?

 

[Bjchan13]

Robbo on if Mahoney or Dodoro will survive: "I think Dodoro will stay. He's got supporters on the board... Barham is a big fan and Sheedy is a supporter".

It shouldnt matter what Barham and Sheedy think when it comes to an external review

 

[The Prosecutor]

"Toxic" ?

"Cancerous" ?

"unstable" ?


The list goes on

Your point?

 

[yodellinhank]

Dodoro's success or lack thereof is not even the main reason for moving him on at this point. How many members of the football department has he white anted, clashed with and moved against during his time by this point?

Not to mention him seemingly having a direct line to the board beyond his boss.

He's a malignant cultural tumor that needs removing.

I don't know, how many?

 

[Old Campaigner]

It shouldnt matter what Barham and Sheedy think when it comes to an external review

It will though.

Sheedy will thump the table and go on a Grandpa Simpson-style rant about how it should be done, before standing up and letting out a loud involuntary old man fart.

 

[Yoda_]

Your point?

Dodoro needs to go

 

[Lore]

Boom

Inside Essendon: The four issues that split the Bombers

Whereas the Labor Party was once riven on turning back the boats and the Coalition more lately divided on climate and energy policy, Essendon’s board was split six votes to four on four specific questions.

www.theage.com.au

Essendon’s board was split six votes to four on four specific questions.

These were, in approximate order: 1) the need for an external or internal review of an under-performing football operation; 2) the choice of president between media executive David Barham and ex-Westfield boss Peter Allen; 3) the manner in which the club, via Barham, pursued Alastair Clarkson; and 4) whether the 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

should be sacked.

Ideally, Sheedy, who risks becoming a lightning rod and hurting his magnificent legacy if he remains, should be given a stark choice between his six-figure gig as a paid club ambassador and the board position, although technically only the members can remove him from the board.
…
One would imagine that Sheedy would prefer the paid ambassador role – in which he excels – rather than the dull business of board meetings, albeit Essendon’s have been racier than most clubs.

Sheedy also has voiced support for a contentious and prodigal return of Hird as senior coach, already a potential fault line between Essendon people; Sheedy and his politically aligned recruiting boss Adrian Dodoro are in the Hird redux camp, while ex-greats Jobe Watson and Matthew Lloyd have taken a contrary view and if social media is any guide, the membership too, will split on Hird.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Depends who else were talking about and who else is available.

Actually I misread your post.

It's pretty disingenuous to suggest that there was no mitigating circumstances in 2015.

So why should he get a pass on that?

 

[The Prosecutor]

TIL that Sheedy is still employed by Essendon is his six-figure 'ambassador' role, while also on the board.

Inside Essendon: The four issues that split the Bombers

Whereas the Labor Party was once riven on turning back the boats and the Coalition more lately divided on climate and energy policy, Essendon’s board was split six votes to four on four specific questions.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Lore]

TIL that Sheedy is still employed by Essendon is his six-figure 'ambassador' role, while also on the board.

Inside Essendon: The four issues that split the Bombers

Whereas the Labor Party was once riven on turning back the boats and the Coalition more lately divided on climate and energy policy, Essendon’s board was split six votes to four on four specific questions.

www.theage.com.au

Yeah he works for the club via his own business as a contractor hence circumventing the constitutional requirement that they not be employed at the club.

I’m not sure if the CEO role comes under the same proviso though as there’s clear scope for an executive director in the constitution at the same time as a prohibition on being employed by the club

 

[Call Me Cake]

Can't wait to see this

 

[The Prosecutor]

Yeah he works for the club via his own business as a contractor hence circumventing the constitutional requirement that they not be employed at the club.

I’m not sure if the CEO role comes under the same proviso though as there’s clear scope for an executive director in the constitution at the same time as a prohibition on being employed by the club

That's legitimately a disgrace and should not continue for a minute longer.

He should step down from the board and keep collecting his retirement money.

 

[Lore]

That's legitimately a disgrace and should not continue for a minute longer.

He should step down from the board and keep collecting his retirement money.

They bent over backwards to put him on the board because the alternative was that he might be used against them to lead a new ticket and spill the board. But yes I agree.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It’s ridiculous he’s in any role. Six figures in whatever the **** job he has is just a sign of a joint that has too much money. All he’s done is supposedly come up with “the country game” which is a non event.

As for being on the board, ffs he was sacked 15 years ago for a reason. He shouldn’t be making any decisions.

 

[brutus76]

Still waiting for "Carrie" to use her powers on the DODO.... your work is not finished yet girlfriend

 

[Eleven 38]

I don't like the idea of an exec director,

The board just needs to sack who needs to be sacked, hire the right CEO and right coach and stay the **** out of shit for a while.