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

 

[Bunk Moreland]

When the external review comes back in the coming days…

Am I hearing that right?

If so it fits with my assumption all along - there is no review.

 

[Andronicus]

Just the 150 years book thing - maybe someone got it for you as a gift?

Oh yeah. Maybe. I certainly didn't buy it, but maybe its a gift.

Reply Paid envelope with a "Donate to the Flight Plan" pamphlet.

Old school.

More likely than a Dodo Go Fund me page I guess.

 

[Lore]

When the external review comes back in the coming days…

Am I hearing that right?

If so it fits with my assumption all along - there is no review.

No there is a review, they have to put together a sub-committee and that committee then sets terms of reference and hires the external people that then come and do the job. We should get terms of reference/sub-committee info this week.

And if the review finds that Barham should step down then he will.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

No there is a review, they have to put together a sub-committee and that committee then sets terms of reference and hires the external people that then come and do the job. We should get terms of reference/sub-committee info this week.

And if the review finds that Barham should step down then he will.

If the review finds barham's role "unatenable" according to BJ

 

[TheGrizz]

When the external review comes back in the coming days…

Am I hearing that right?

If so it fits with my assumption all along - there is no review.

I suspect it's probably more likely that BJ misspoke, and means getting it organised by the end of the week

 

[Bunk Moreland]

No there is a review, they have to put together a sub-committee and that committee then sets terms of reference and hires the external people that then come and do the job. We should get terms of reference/sub-committee info this week.

And if the review finds that Barham should step down then he will.

I’ll offer 250/1 about that happening

 

[andleanback]

Especially when Draper has his own competing podcast… like what

Well they can’t control a player having his own podcast, appearing on one is different. Even though I disagree, plus Mcgrath and parish and 2 of the most boring people you’ll find, who would actually listen to that pod in the first place

 

[84859300]

So the board replacements so far are RoCo and Pretzels.

Have I missed anyone?

 

[Lore]

So the board replacements so far are RoCo and Pretzels.

Have I missed anyone?

Mark Bolton was RoCo’s suggestion

 

[84859300]

Mark Bolton was RoCo’s suggestion

From what I heard in the podcast RoCo was RoCo's selection

 

[Lore]

Well they can’t control a player having his own podcast, appearing on one is different. Even though I disagree, plus Mcgrath and parish and 2 of the most boring people you’ll find, who would actually listen to that pod in the first place

I do actually listen to it but the benefit of working from home half the week is that you can put that sort of noise on in the background without disturbing anyone else

 

[Lore]

From what I heard in the podcast RoCo was RoCo's selection

RoCo is Scooter/BomberBlitz’s suggestion

 

[Lore]

I’ll offer 250/1 about that happening

Would certainly be transformational change.

More and more people are coming out expressing confidence in Barham which is intriguing. He’s no media performer and I think someone told me he looks a bit like a “mutant from a radioactive wasteland”

but if he manages to pull off a full and proper external review of the club’s governance, that perhaps says “you should have 7 board members, the board should have this split of skills and diversity, the CEO should report to the board like this, coteries should be managed like that, Dodoro is a problem, please make sure all your board members are elected” then all power to him.

 

[windyhill]

Lyon to me came over as lukewarm to the coaching situation which is unfortunate.

 

[Lore]

All the players and football staff are currently on leave until the start of preseason fwiw. So I don’t think they’ll be doing any work with the external reviewers until then, if at all.

 

[Zach Package]

Would certainly be transformational change.

More and more people are coming out expressing confidence in Barham which is intriguing. He’s no media performer and I think someone told me he looks a bit like a “mutant from a radioactive wasteland”

but if he manages to pull off a full and proper external review of the club’s governance, that perhaps says “you should have 7 board members, the board should have this split of skills and diversity, the CEO should report to the board like this, coteries should be managed like that, Dodoro is a problem, please make sure all your board members are elected” then all power to him.

He’s also missing part of his left ear, looks like someone has taken a bite out of him Mike Tyson style.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Would certainly be transformational change.

More and more people are coming out expressing confidence in Barham which is intriguing. He’s no media performer and I think someone told me he looks a bit like a “mutant from a radioactive wasteland”

but if he manages to pull off a full and proper external review of the club’s governance, that perhaps says “you should have 7 board members, the board should have this split of skills and diversity, the CEO should report to the board like this, coteries should be managed like that, Dodoro is a problem, please make sure all your board members are elected” then all power to him.

Anybody in TV will talk him up because they all know him and he still has power.

I still have NFI how they can have this whole review and sack the coach before it.

But anyway

 

[Bipolar Bear]

Lyon to me came over as lukewarm to the coaching situation which is unfortunate.

He's talking through the camera lens of a show that is his current employer, as is Buckley.

 

[Lore]

So Campbell did a press conference at the club yesterday

https://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/1206932/media-conference-xavier-campbell?videoId=1206932&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1661305713001

In particular he talked about Mahoney being part of the search for the next coach, the events of Sunday, responded to a variety of claims around the culture of the club and this and that (as you would expect, he has a different view).

There was also a question about coteries which he responded to with talking about AFL and the Victorian clubs being 150 years old, some of the oldest sporting clubs in the world and there are going to be groups and they all have a role to play.

Was also asked about Madden stepping down and that being a fundamental difference of opinion that caused that, but ultimately we all want what’s best for the club and to see it successful.

The most interesting thing though is when someone asked him whether making finals last year gave fans a different idea about how long a rebuild might take after the events of 2020 which resulted in a different list profile.

And he agreed… it almost sounded like making finals last year had contributed to all of this now, gave fans higher expectations than they maybe should’ve had in the circumstances (I read this as meaning coteries, board members, the general public - people who only watch games and the 6pm news and aren’t immersed in all the other stuff).

He expects us to be active during the trade period which is interesting. I wonder if there were some in principle agreements before the shit hit the fan…

 

[joey_jo_jo]

So Campbell did a press conference at the club yesterday

https://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/1206932/media-conference-xavier-campbell?videoId=1206932&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1661305713001

In particular he talked about Mahoney being part of the search for the next coach, the events of Sunday, responded to a variety of claims around the culture of the club and this and that (as you would expect, he has a different view).

There was also a question about coteries which he responded to with talking about AFL and the Victorian clubs being 150 years old, some of the oldest sporting clubs in the world and there are going to be groups and they all have a role to play.

Was also asked about Madden stepping down and that being a fundamental difference of opinion that caused that, but ultimately we all want what’s best for the club and to see it successful.

The most interesting thing though is when someone asked him whether making finals last year gave fans a different idea about how long a rebuild might take after the events of 2020 which resulted in a different list profile.

And he agreed… it almost sounded like making finals last year had contributed to all of this now, gave fans higher expectations than they maybe should’ve had in the circumstances (I read this as meaning coteries, board members, the general public - people who only watch games and the 6pm news and aren’t immersed in all the other stuff).

He expects us to be active during the trade period which is interesting. I wonder if there were some in principle agreements before the s**t hit the fan…

Thats a bit of a cop by him out to say the fans had too high an expectations. It goes back to the no connection between the board/CEO and football department. The football department understand the timelines required but the Brasher and the marketing team couldnt help but pump us up at the start of the year.
I knew Rutten was going to struggle to last the season as soon as Brasher spoke about his plans for when we would contend during the preseason.

 

[Doss]

Are they going to do a re-print to encapsulate the last week and a half?

150% off normal retail price.

You read right. EFC to pay us half its normal going retail rate to buy and read the damned thing.

 

[citizen-erased]

So Campbell did a press conference at the club yesterday

https://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/1206932/media-conference-xavier-campbell?videoId=1206932&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1661305713001

In particular he talked about Mahoney being part of the search for the next coach, the events of Sunday, responded to a variety of claims around the culture of the club and this and that (as you would expect, he has a different view).

There was also a question about coteries which he responded to with talking about AFL and the Victorian clubs being 150 years old, some of the oldest sporting clubs in the world and there are going to be groups and they all have a role to play.

Was also asked about Madden stepping down and that being a fundamental difference of opinion that caused that, but ultimately we all want what’s best for the club and to see it successful.

The most interesting thing though is when someone asked him whether making finals last year gave fans a different idea about how long a rebuild might take after the events of 2020 which resulted in a different list profile.

And he agreed… it almost sounded like making finals last year had contributed to all of this now, gave fans higher expectations than they maybe should’ve had in the circumstances (I read this as meaning coteries, board members, the general public - people who only watch games and the 6pm news and aren’t immersed in all the other stuff).

He expects us to be active during the trade period which is interesting. I wonder if there were some in principle agreements before the s**t hit the fan…

expectations were tempered pre-season.

I had half expected 2021 Stringer wouldn't be 2022 Stringer (contract being extended and all), and as a result we'd probably slip down to a 10-12th position. At which point, 15th is better as it gets you a sharper pick.
But the nature of the losses, added to the finish to the year and now this is not really what most of us would have anticipated.

Curious how the next 3 months play out
review
coaching
trades
draft

 

[Lore]

expectations were tempered pre-season.

I had half expected 2021 Stringer wouldn't be 2022 Stringer (contract being extended and all), and as a result we'd probably slip down to a 10-12th position. At which point, 15th is better as it gets you a sharper pick.
But the nature of the losses, added to the finish to the year and now this is not really what most of us would have anticipated.

Curious how the next 3 months play out
review
coaching
trades
draft

Yep that’s pretty much me too.

I guess there’s be people out there who saw us play finals last year and Malthouse saying premiership this year and would’ve had much higher expectations though

 

[bombreys]

expectations were tempered pre-season.

I had half expected 2021 Stringer wouldn't be 2022 Stringer (contract being extended and all), and as a result we'd probably slip down to a 10-12th position. At which point, 15th is better as it gets you a sharper pick.
But the nature of the losses, added to the finish to the year and now this is not really what most of us would have anticipated.

Curious how the next 3 months play out
review
coaching
trades
draft

I think trades and FA will be very different to what we thought it was going to be 6 weeks ago.

I think we’ll barely get involved, if at all - and will hit the draft hard.

 

[citizen-erased]

I think trades and FA will be very different to what we thought it was going to be 6 weeks ago.

I think we’ll barely get involved, if at all - and will hit the draft hard.

i cant imagine 4 goes anywhere, and the only way F1 moves is to split it and give us more picks.But really we need to be cautious with that one.

Maybe there's some exits that help facilitate.