Opinion Jeff Kennett News, Media etc.

[JoeHawk]

You tell ‘Em Jeff

Love the quote ”Someone at the AFL needs substance testing!“

Kennett attacks AFL proposal to slash half-time break in half

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has attacked a reported plan to slash the half-time break at AFL games in half as "stupid" and detrimental to players' welfare.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Carl Spackler]

You tell ‘Em Jeff

Love the quote ”Someone at the AFL needs substance testing!“

Kennett attacks AFL proposal to slash half-time break in half

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has attacked a reported plan to slash the half-time break at AFL games in half as "stupid" and detrimental to players' welfare.

www.theage.com.au

Funny. As to player challenges what a gutless, cover-your-ass proposal. Players already challenge. You can see it on TV when they scream, "I TOUCHED THE ******* BALL!!!!"

The AFL is steadily undermining the authority of the umpire with every little rule interpretation tweak they make and then they wonder why people are losing respect for them (and they find it hard to get umpires through the system). Give the umpires more authority, not less. Make the game less technical and scientific, not more. Pretty much do the opposite of every urge and instinct the AFL has. The AFL should hire George Kostanza to front office instead of Hocking. The game would be better for it.

 

[KermitJagger]

You tell ‘Em Jeff

Love the quote ”Someone at the AFL needs substance testing!“

Kennett attacks AFL proposal to slash half-time break in half

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has attacked a reported plan to slash the half-time break at AFL games in half as "stupid" and detrimental to players' welfare.

www.theage.com.au

He is spot on. They want to shorten the length of the game but in recent times they've added in score reviews, and now potential score reviews triggered by the captain which would probably lengthen the time of the game by the same amount they'd cut half time.

Kind of reminiscent about how the AFL wants to reduce stoppages and congestion, but ban rules such as the third man up which clears the stoppage area and implement rules such as the 6-6-6 which inhibits using outnumbers to distribute the ball out of congestion.

 

[Jaeger]

“I think the AFL has always had a fairly jaundiced view of our success and our contribution to the game and I think at times, they do not like our independence,” Kennett said.

“So the times where we are prepared to challenge the AFL on their administration – although we recognise they are the best code in the country – not everything the AFL does is above questioning.

“They are an organisation against which there is no appeal to anything the AFL does.

“Therefore, when we may question what they are doing, they don’t take that lightly.”

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[Pessimistic]

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most of us believe this. Jeff speaks for us exactly

 

[Off The Couch]

Jeff says what we are all saying but he and Eddie are the only ones prepared to call it.

We then of course get the whole “you don’t hear from other presidents” bullshit. That’s because they’ve either bent you over or you are in a position like the eagles are where you are that wealthy that you don’t care whats Happening to other teams

 

[Sixpence]

Never thought I'd get an email from Jeff with the word 'anus' in it!

 

[Goldhawk]

President Jeff Kennett has penned the following letter to members...
Dear members,

What extraordinary times we are living in!

Toilet paper being swiped from shelves, customers fighting in the aisles to secure their purchases!

Yes we have a virus outbreak, but with 126 cases being reported to date out of a population of 25 million, does that justify the extraordinary scenes and actions we are witnessing by some in the community today?

Thank goodness we are not being attacked as a nation! In such circumstances when calm, clear thinking would be required, would our population be putting as their priority what comes out of their anus? I hope not for if that was the case the country would be doomed.

Right now, medical professionals should be the final authority on how Australia continues to confine and respond to the coronavirus.

So how is the virus going to affect our club?

Already you will have received advice from our CEO Justin Reeves of the actions we are already taking to protect our staff, players and administrators and our members and supporters.
Read: Hawthorn implement measures to assist with COVID-19 containment

This morning I convened a meeting with Justin and some of his direct reports including Graham Wright, GM of Football, to review our position and preparedness. The meeting was also designed to see what effect the concern about the virus was having on our financial position.

In going through our revenue, line by line, given the perception that the virus has already created, the situation is looking grim. The very best scenario is that our bottom line might be hit by about 10% of budgeted revenue over this football year.

This is before the AFL informs us of any curtailing of the AFL season, so clearly this is serious.

Justin and his team are going to do more work over the weekend, to do some more precise modelling that might come into play once we hear what decisions the AFL will be forced to make.

What ever decision the AFL make we will be cooperating fully with them as I believe every club will.

That said every club will be doing the same exercise we are doing at Hawthorn.

That said we are looking at all our costs, but that does not include any of our valuable and hardworking staff.

I have always said that football clubs while pursuing premierships must be run as businesses to stay viable. Well now all clubs and the AFL are going to be severely tested. Not that we can’t meet the challenge, but the competition has never experienced what we are currently facing.

Justin or I will try and keep you as fully informed of the impact on Hawthorn as best we can of decisions still to be made.

Yesterday we had a flood of calls from members with questions, we are doing our best to answer all of your queries with the information we have to this point. As you are aware, this is an ever-evolving situation and new information comes to hand hourly. While I appreciate your calls, can I suggest unless urgent members wait for information from communiques such as this.

Secondly, and this might seem strange. One of our most important revenue lines is through our memberships. Right now, we have the same number of members as this time last year, and I thank all of you who have already done so. But could I ask that those who are in a position to do so, support the club at this time and buy your membership.. In managing what is facing us, the club is going to rely very much on our membership and the income it generates.

Sadly, the reduction in our income is, in the main, beyond our control. That is why the support of our members is right now so important.

Finally, I suspect Justin or I will be writing to you again when and if the AFL make a decision.

For now, please see what is confronting us as a challenge for all of us; The community, workplaces, families and the Hawthorn Football Club. But as they say, united we stand and united we will get through this period.

As Justin said yesterday, it is understandable that some people are experiencing feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and concern. For mental health and wellbeing information, visit Beyond Blue.

Thank you all for your continuing support of our wonderful Club.

Stay well

President
Jeff Kennett

 

[Gralin]

He's not keeping up with reality on what the CMOs are saying.

 

[Sixpence]

His comments around financial impact are interesting. We're a pretty financially strong club so I don't expect we'll suffer too greatly if the season does get cancelled but I do wonder how it'll affect other clubs like North, Saints, Dogs etc. Could it ruin them to the point of folding? Can the AFL still prop them up with their own financial hits?

 

[Hawk Dork]

His comments around financial impact are interesting. We're a pretty financially strong club so I don't expect we'll suffer too greatly if the season does get cancelled but I do wonder how it'll affect other clubs like North, Saints, Dogs etc. Could it ruin them to the point of folding? Can the AFL still prop them up with their own financial hits?

People are going to be afraid to go to the pokies too

 

[Goldhawk]

People are going to be afraid to go to the pokies too

Tassie Cryptik will be happy

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

It takes a fair amount of front for Jeff to put his hand out at the moment.

People will lose their jobs because of this virus and reading his letter, I doubt very much if we will see any membership discounting due to the likely reduction in games that can be attended.

It's poor form in my opinion.

 

[Flag08]

Footy will be postponed for 4 weeks.

 

[Flag08]

On the plus side, a 17-round season where everyone plays each other once would be fantastic, Gunner will be right to go in a month and Jimpey isn’t missing the first month.

 

[Argy]

On the plus side, a 17-round season where everyone plays each other once would be fantastic, Gunner will be right to go in a month and Jimpey isn’t missing the first month.

Not such a bad idea. But I suspect if they impose restrictions on games or attending games it will last a few months, not just weeks. I don't think I could stand it if this pre-season drags on for much longer.

 

[Sixpence]

On the plus side, a 17-round season where everyone plays each other once would be fantastic, Gunner will be right to go in a month and Jimpey isn’t missing the first month.

Won't happen, they're not going to re-schedule the entire fixture. We'd get 17 games where some teams play a team twice and others not at all.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Won't happen, they're not going to re-schedule the entire fixture. We'd get 17 games where some teams play a team twice and others not at all.

Amazing. The times we live in. History in the making. Let’s hope it isn’t as bad as feared (but let’s be realistic and prepare for the worst).

 

[wahawk]

It takes a fair amount of front for Jeff to put his hand out at the moment.

People will lose their jobs because of this virus and reading his letter, I doubt very much if we will see any membership discounting due to the likely reduction in games that can be attended.

It's poor form in my opinion.

If you read his letter he actually says

“But could I ask that those who are in a position to do so, support the club at this time and buy your membership.”

Key words are.....those who are in a position to do so

I don’t see any issue with asking the question especially when he understands not everyone is in a position to do so

I absolutely dislike Essendone Football Club but I’d still have the same opinion if they asked the same question

 

[Luv_our_club]

It takes a fair amount of front for Jeff to put his hand out at the moment.

People will lose their jobs because of this virus and reading his letter, I doubt very much if we will see any membership discounting due to the likely reduction in games that can be attended.

It's poor form in my opinion.

Exactly. The HFC should be writing to members saying "your families are our number 1 priority".

He doesn't understand footy culture. People who can afford to keep paying their membership will donate it to the club. He doesn't need to suck eggs.

 

[Pessimistic]

Letter was a bit too financially dominated given what we are facing.

is the club in worse shape than we are being told? Dingley?

 

[Pessimistic]

Won't happen, they're not going to re-schedule the entire fixture. We'd get 17 games where some teams play a team twice and others not at all.

‘the last thing they will do is deny the broadcasters. No other sport has done that either.

Stadiums largely employ casuals. It’s they who will lose out not the stadium

aflw is free with kids attractions etc laid on. They will make savin

 

[Gralin]

Letter was a bit too financially dominated given what we are facing.

is the club in worse shape than we are being told? Dingley?

Certainly not the situation you want when trying to build it

 

[Off The Couch]

Well they’ve waited this long - another year won’t hurt

I saw a statement out of Scotland

“Health must be our first priority and while the economy will take a hit, it will recover”

 

[wahawk]

Letter was a bit too financially dominated given what we are facing.

is the club in worse shape than we are being told? Dingley?

Alarmist