Official Club Stuff BREAKING: Luke Sayers steps down effective immediately (Jan 22nd)!

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Why should there be any conditions attached to attending training sessions ?
They are relentless and just don’t get it …

Do you mean 'member's only' or the fact that they aren't all open?

 

[Red Bull]

Do you mean 'member's only' or the fact that they aren't all open?

Members only.
They’ve got it all arse about in trying to bludgeon people into buying memberships.
As youngsters, my father would take my brothers and i to training sessions where we learnt about the club and the players and naturally fell in love with Carlton.
Memberships and the like followed as a life long bond with the club was forged through passion … not necessity …

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Members only.
They’ve got it all arse about in trying to bludgeon people into buying memberships.
As youngsters, my father would take my brothers and i to training sessions where we learnt about the club and the players and naturally fell in love with Carlton.
Memberships and the like followed as a life long bond with the club was forged through passion … not necessity …

Could it be limiting numbers because of Covid? The open session later might be for all though. Maybe a reward for members sticking fat during the last 2 seasons.

 

[The Bighouse]

Members only.
They’ve got it all arse about in trying to bludgeon people into buying memberships.
As youngsters, my father would take my brothers and i to training sessions where we learnt about the club and the players and naturally fell in love with Carlton.
Memberships and the like followed as a life long bond with the club was forged through passion … not necessity …

I thought it may have some COVID inspiration behind it.

 

[NYCFC]

I think COVID definitely has a lot to do with the circumspect nature of promising open training sessions.

It's very hard for anyone to make definite promises when it comes to in-person attendance to anything right now.

 

[Aphrodite]

Dear Aph,

Thank you for your support as a member and welcome to 2022.


Start to 2022

It’s been a busy start to the new year from a football perspective, kicking off with our AFLW season. Our AFLW side have had their challenges, there is absolutely no denying that. An ever-changing fixture and constant uncertainty around player availability due to COVID, all the while juggling full-time working commitments has been immense.

However, I have been impressed by the refusal of any of our players and coaches to use those as an excuse. High performance is a non-negotiable at our football club and while performances this season have fallen well short of what any of us would like, the resolve I have seen in this group to address the season head on, improve and have a strong finish to the season has been terrific.

We look forward to the remainder of the AFLW season and look forward to seeing many of you at our next home game at IKON Park this Saturday evening when we take on the Saints in our Round 7 match at 5:10pm.

Our AFL program is also stepping things up, with our Round 1 home game blockbuster at the MCG against Richmond now just 28 days away. I spent time at the Club last week and to see first-hand just how hard the playing group is working, under the guidance of Michael Voss and his coaching group, would give every Carlton person belief that nothing is being left to chance, everything is going to be earned.

The group is focused on earning respect back for this football club and to make each and every one of our members proud to be Carlton people. We look forward to seeing next Thursday’s practice match against the Saints at 10am at IKON Park – if you can, I would encourage you to come down for a look.


Constitution Update

Off the field, the Club will next Tuesday be holding its AGM virtually and as communicated to members in late January, part of the proceedings will include a Director election, as well as proposing to members to endorse a reformed Club Constitution, to be voted on by Ordinary Members.

This replacement Constitution is a significant development for the Club and one we are proud to be putting forward to the Members for adoption.

The Carlton Football Club Board undertook a targeted review into aspects of the Club Constitution, following a commitment made to members at the Club’s AGM in February 2021. The purpose of this review was to implement changes to progress the growth and values of the Club as a fully inclusive community.

As such we engaged you, the members, in this process and are very appreciative of the feedback that was provided. This feedback particularly related to the ability of 100 Voting members to call a General Meeting, the requirement of eligible directors to have been a Voting Member of the Club for the previous two years and the 12-year limit of Directors to serve on the Board, regardless of their Presidency. As a result of your strong feedback relating to these areas, we will not be proceeding with these items, which were included in the earlier proposed changes relating to the Constitution.

We are however moving forward with all other changes and the changes that have been proposed are some of the most significant ever made in over 150 years of the Club’s history and as previously communicated, the proposed reforms include:

• Adequacy of recognition of Traditional Owners of the grounds upon which the Club plays;
• Adequacy of recognition of AFLW and AFLW players;
• Adequacy of provisions for voting rights; and
• General governance improvements.

The targeted review involved engagement of independent advice and consultation with stakeholders to identify recommended changes that include addressing the adequacy of the Constitution in reflecting the establishment of the AFL Women’s competition and the Club’s commitment to its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

This is an important element in the continuing evolution of the Club.

As an Ordinary Member who is eligible to vote, we encourage you to read the accompanying information here and vote on the adoption of the proposed changes to the Constitution either via the appointment of a proxy to direct a vote as per the link in the Notice, or attend the virtual AGM and vote during the proceedings.

Director Election: How to vote

Computershare Investor Services Pty Limited (Computershare) has been appointed to conduct the voting process as an independent body. As an eligible member with voting rights, you are able to vote online or by post. Members are encouraged to vote online to assist the Club with its cost saving and environmental initiatives.

Online
Eligible members who wish to vote online, please click here and follow the instructions. Each Voting Member may only vote once, the first vote received from you will be counted. In order to log in, you will require your Member ID and postcode.

As always, we thank you for your ongoing support of the Blues.



Luke Sayers
President

Member ID: 2908822

 

[blueman2012]

Thanks Luke Sayers - been trying to login to the AGM from Vancouver for past 20 minutes. My login details did not work. I called the "if you're having trouble..." number which took me to Computershare. And they are telling me they do not have the CFC AGM on their list. Great service CFC. I hope I am the only one having this problem and that hundreds of others are not having similar issues participating.

edited for clarity RPCB

 

[RPCB]

Aph? Luke? Aph is a dude?

 

[Aphrodite]

Aph? Luke? Aph is a dude?

 

[RPCB]

I knew I wasn’t wrong for the last 5 years.

One of those really silly responses that will go in down Carlton BF folklore. Took me a while to realise the “Thanks Luke” was intended for our President. Now you know I can’t post on here for the next several months.

 

[Aphrodite]

​

​ Dear Aph, I hope you are doing well and are having a great start to the year. It has been fantastic to be able to meet so many of you back at the footy again in 2022 and I look forward to continuing doing so at as many games as we can throughout the AFL season, including this Sunday against Port Adelaide at the 'G. My reason for writing to you today though is to share some great news in relation to our AFLW team. It is with great pleasure that I can let you know that we have re-signed our AFLW Senior Coach Daniel Harford Daniel Harford Age 49 Ht 177cm Wt 81kg Pos. M/F Career Season Last 5 D 17.8 4star K 10.3 4star HB 7.5 5star M 3.6 4star T 1.8 4star No current season stats available D 15.8 4star K 8.2 4star HB 7.6 5star M 2.8 3star T 1.4 4star for a further two years. Daniel is a much-loved figure at the Club, and his ability to build strong connections and nurture relationships with players and staff on and off the field is a cornerstone of his coaching. His strong leadership displayed across his four seasons at the helm has been crucial to the program being able to adapt to any challenge thrown his way. Since taking charge at the end of 2018, he has taken our club to two finals campaigns, including a maiden Grand Final appearance in 2019, the same year he was named AFLCA AFLW Coach of the Year, and is now playing a key hand in ushering in a new wave of Navy Blue talent which sees us with the youngest list in the AFLW. It is imperative that the women’s program has continued stability and this will be achieved with a Senior Coach who drives a close connection within the group. Daniel believes in the values of the Club and he drives those values throughout our AFLW program, we know he is the right person to lead this team in our pursuit of success. We started to show some strong results in the back end of last season, winning three of our last four games, and we’ll be looking to build on that heading into a new season. Our playing list has certainly changed during his four years here and his ability to adapt along with that as a coach has been first class. Our list is the youngest in the competition and Daniel has shown that development is a big focus and will continue to be over the next few years. While we’re aware of the realities that come with AFLW expansion, importantly our focus remains on continuing to grow our program and strive for excellence both on and off the field. A connected program is a strong program and by signing Daniel until 2024 we can ensure a positive team environment that aligns with what the Club believes in. By the time pre-season begins, we will have a coaching panel and playing group 100 per cent committed and invested in the Carlton Football Club – you could not ask for any better platform to build our new season off than that. As well as locking in Daniel for a further two years, we have enjoyed a good start to the AFL season, however, we still have areas to improve on and will remain focused on continuous improvement as the season progresses. As we’ve seen early in the season, the competition comes with certain challenges, however the way our playing group has responded so far is testament to the new program put in place by Michael Voss and the willingness to show resilience and adapt to changing scenarios around them. The lead in to Round 2 was a perfect example of this. Faced with significant COVID challenges, the philosophy was simple – get on with it – and to their absolute credit, that was exactly what our players and staff did. A key focus for the Club this year is building a strong connection and earning respect. We will continue to grow as the season unfolds and I am looking forward to seeing that progression throughout the year. We will be challenged throughout the year, just as we were against Gold Coast, but it’s how we learn from it and continuously adapt and improve our game that counts. For now, we remain focused on returning to the MCG on Sunday and performing well against Port Adelaide and it would be great to see you there. Go Blues, Luke Sayers President Member ID: 2908822​ ​

 

[Aphrodite]

Sayers: “We hear you, we see you, we thank you”

President Luke Sayers reflected on the season that was at the 2022 John Nicholls Medal.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[Aphrodite]

Today's email ...

Dear Aph (real name redacted )

As we approach the end of 2022, I firstly wanted to reach out and say thank you.

Time does fly, and it has been over a year now since I have had the privilege of becoming your President.

I cannot express how appreciative I am of the ongoing support you continue to provide to our entire football club.

That Carlton energy is felt everywhere you go, people wanting to talk about the Blues, where we are at as a club, where we are going – that passion is infectious and motivating for us all who are striving to give this football club every chance to succeed.

For us Carlton members and supporters, we certainly shared a lot together in 2022. Some moments were exciting, others thrilling, some disappointing, but above all, we reflect on the last 12 months as one that has laid the foundations for enormous growth as we look to 2023 and beyond.

Thank you to each and every one of you who braved the cold and rain earlier today, coming along to our Open Training at IKON Park.

It was fantastic to see more than 500 Bluebaggers interacting with the players, getting photos and autographs. That special connection we share as one football club gives us enormous momentum as we head into next year.

Open Trainings are obviously a great way for us to be together at our spiritual home, so I am pleased to let you know we will be having two additional open sessions next month on Wednesday 18 January and Wednesday 25 January.

Please put these dates in the diary as we would love to see you there, because we want you with us every step of the way in 2023.

While our AFL program is back and preparations for next season are in full swing, we are also using this period of time to undergo a process of review throughout our AFLW program.

This process has been initiated at the direction of the Board, in order to create a clear picture on how we can effectively shape the program moving forward, to put us in the best possible position to strive for on and off-field success.

Our AFLW program has experienced a big 2022, playing an unprecedented two seasons in the one year.

Clearly though, those seasons didn’t produce the on-field results we were hoping for and as a Board, we have a responsibility to be proactive to ensure we explore all avenues for improvement.

We will closely analyse where we are at as an AFLW program and ensure we are set up to not only improve the overall performance of the team but establish ourselves for the long-term as the competition evolves.

This review has just commenced and will continue into the New Year. We will be in a position to provide further updates once the process is completed in its entirety.

I would also like to once again take this opportunity to sincerely thank all our loyal members, our commercial and corporate partners, and everyone who has made a positive contribution to our great club in season 2022.

In conclusion, on behalf of the Board and everyone at IKON Park, my very best wishes to you and your families for a safe and happy festive season and a most prosperous New Year.

May you and your loved ones enjoy a great holiday break and take time to rest and spend time with those who you value most.

Thank you once again for all your support and see you in 2023.

Kind regards,



Luke Sayers
President
Member ID: 2908822

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Harf goneski!

 

[RPCB]

Dear RPCB, As we embark on a new year for the football club, I wanted to provide you with an important update relating to our AFLW program. The Club has today finalised the key outcomes of the independent review into the program and we are now in a position to share these findings with you. As a club, we have a responsibility to our members to ensure we are constantly identifying pathways and drivers to high performance that lead to on and off-field success. We each have a role to play in being accountable for delivering this, and it starts from the Board down. That is why we commissioned this review, led by Errol Amerasekera, Director of Bluestone Edge Consulting, to ultimately improve performance across our entire AFLW program. As mentioned in December, our AFLW program experienced a big 2022, playing an unprecedented two seasons in the one year. Clearly though, those seasons didn't produce the on-field results we were hoping for and as a Board, we have a responsibility to be proactive to ensure we explore all avenues for improvement. As such, the Board instigated an independent review of the Club’s AFLW program, with the main intent to identify barriers to on-field success, ensure we are set up to not only improve the overall performance of the team but establish ourselves for the long-term as the competition evolves, and to develop and implement recommendations to help create the foundations for future success. Having met with our Board of Directors and receiving a full briefing of the report, it was evident through the findings that in order for us as a club to achieve our objective of this review, changes within the AFLW football program were required, including the Senior Coach position. Review findings The review has found that there are some key barriers to success, relating to systems, culture, coaching structures and insufficient leadership to support and drive professionalism and elite behaviours. One of the key findings of the review related to the undisputed need for the Senior Coach position to be full-time. Based on this requirement, as well as a number of key findings in relation to the performance of the program, the Club is now able to confirm that the decision has been made to part ways with AFLW Senior Coach Daniel Harford, who is unable to service the role in a full-time capacity. On behalf of the Board and entire football club, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Daniel for his commitment over the past five seasons and for the contribution he has made to our football club, including an inaugural Grand Final appearance in 2019. We are proud of many areas of growth and achievements we have gained with our AFLW program, from being an inaugural team in the competition, to seeing the game develop through expansion, and cementing IKON Park as the home of AFLW through our genuine investment and commitment to the program. However, as a club and as a competition, we must keep evolving and lifting the standards of our program, in line with the elite, high-performance environment we are establishing across every level of the football club, to help us achieve sustained success. Key review findings In general, the review found that there are foundations in place for a successful AFLW program, noting program resources and facilities were identified as state-of-the-art. The review identified specific opportunities for functional and cultural integration of the AFL and AFLW programs. In summary, the review also found: Whilst staff were found to be of strong character, of integrity and passionate about football, there is a requirement for stronger leadership across key positions within the program, with a key requirement of this being for the Senior Coach position to be full-time. At times confusion with the game plan and lack of alignment and consistency with its implementation. Opportunity exists in the current AFLW environment for players to improve professional standards and elite behaviours, to build and maintain an effective, high-performance culture. A strong need to foster an environment that supports the ability to provide and receive constructive feedback with a developmental focus. A clear vision for the AFLW program is required, containing a definitive direction and goal for the program across the immediate, short and long term. Our Board and CEO Brian Cook will now work with the key leaders of our football department and management to deliver the key areas of improvement outlined above. It is the responsibility of everyone in our football department, players, coaches and staff, led by the Board, to make these necessary improvements to ensure the Carlton Football Club remains focused on achieving our ultimate, long-term goal – winning premierships. That is the challenge that lies ahead for us. The expectation and accountability within our AFLW program has risen, make no mistake about that. We are not going to wait to become better, we need to get better, and get better now. We will continue to work through the recommendations provided, with our priority being the recruitment of a new, full-time AFLW Senior Coach. Further details relating to this process will be communicated in due course. Kind regards, Luke Sayers President Member ID: 2908822

 

[Garters]

Can't argue with that. Probably should have happened a season or 2 ago.

 

[Aphrodite]

I know I know it’s Tom Browne …

 

[agro]

Not sure how an orderly transition and constitutionally mandated change of the board is a story Tom - you’re a muck racking dill.

 

[Magical_EddieBetts]

So Luke Sayers is out?? Wtf

 

[Aphrodite]

So Luke Sayers is out?? Wtf

End of next season apparently.

He’s been on the Board for 12 years.

Something something Constitution.

 

[Magical_EddieBetts]

End of next season apparently.

He’s been on the Board 12 years.

Something something Constitution.

I believe next season is Cook’s final year too? So 2025 we will have new president and CEO?

 

[Aphrodite]

Aaaaaand again …

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

I believe next season is Cook’s final year too? So 2025 we will have new president and CEO?

Not too sure about Cook as he is an employee (not a Board Member)

 

[NewDarkNavyBlues]

Not really a story lol