Club Mgmt. Board of Directors as led by President Dave Barham

[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

    50

    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

  41

  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

    47

    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

    38

    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]

It sounds stupid - and probably is - but I’m pretty sure I won’t be voting for him purely because he’s an ex player.

I have no idea what he’ll add - he says his strength is football - well we have that covered.

Putting guys on the board because they played for us and no other reason is just bloody unprofessional, imo.

Go work in the footy dept if that’s what you do. You don’t need to be on the board.

 

[windyhill]

Close Bud of hird….

 

[Kyptastic]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

 

[Phone]

i hope you asked the big question: has he ever tried to kick a player for trying to take a cool mark

 

[GWT6]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club and I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

 

[Donflicted]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

Ill ignore that top part hahaha!

Thanks for the info sounds like the right person to help us move forward

 

[justlookingaround]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

Good listen, was impressed with his candidness and overall have been impressed with strategy and avoiding the traps of sugar hits. Can't imagine anyone would think it a good idea to destabilise the club by not electing him to another term right now.

 

[Old Campaigner]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

I've had many dealings with Solly over the past few years, and you could not wish for a better person to join the board.

He is intelligent and has extremely high integrity. He knows how to run both a business and a club.
One of the best leaders I have met, with no ego. He'll be in it for the right reasons and genuinely cares about the club.

Would love someone like him instead of the absolute clown-show over at Melbourne, who have just replaced one muppet with another.

Thanks for the input Solly

 

[GWT6]

Thanks for the input Solly

Haha - seems like I'm his PR bloke, but he is genuinely that good a person.

 

[Donflicted]

Good listen, was impressed with his candidness and overall have been impressed with strategy and avoiding the traps of sugar hits. Can't imagine anyone would think it a good idea to destabilise the club by not electing him to another term right now.

Very much agree we would be going against what we have all been asking for years which is stability

 

[windyhill]

As a non-Essendon supporter, can I start by saying that I can't stand the club I'm loving the streak of not winning a final

Ahh yes, last finals win and premiership courtesy of Melb.

 

[Happyskeret]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

I have a lot of fond memories of playing at Marnoo where Dave Barham came from and going the pub there. Unfortunately the club there folded around 99.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Lore]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

He was in that role before he became a director too. Not sure what the going rate is for an ambassador, but if we were going to have a problem with him continuing in that role as a 'contractor' rather than an employee just to get around the director eligibility criteria in the constitution, then the time to kick up a fuss was when he was appointed as a director.

 

[Old Campaigner]

He was in that role before he became a director too. Not sure what the going rate is for an ambassador, but if we were going to have a problem with him continuing in that role as a 'contractor' rather than an employee just to get around the director eligibility criteria in the constitution, then the time to kick up a fuss was when he was appointed as a director.

He was still a respected club legend then and not a crusty old dinosaur holding the club back

 

[DERO]

The Age is not really breaking any new ground here. What might be more interesting is how and why he was put on the board.

 

[Rick Ross]

Age reporting Sheeds was paid $150k this year for his ambassador role whilst also serving as a director.
Can't stress how glad I am we've finally seen the back of him and dodoro.

Bombers paid Sheedy six-figure sum for ambassadorial role

Essendon paid AFL Legend and four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy the overwhelming majority of $150,000 in ambassadorial payments in 2024 while he was a club director.

www.theage.com.au

To be fair, whilst he got $150k for being an ambassador, he had to fund his own hay bales for each year’s country round promo shoot.

 

[fairbump_playon]

To be fair, whilst he got $150k for being an ambassador, he had to fund his own hay bales for each year’s country round promo shoot.

He also had to buy his own shiraz which makes you wonder if 150k was enough

 

[nipst@r]

Think the ambassadorial money tp sheedy and pay outs to dodo really show the unfortunate grip that group has had over essendon for the last period.

Really destabilising influences doing what they want. Hird appointment based on legendary playing status was the same.

So my favourite essendon people of all time are Solomon, sheedy and hird.

However, I don't want that era and close ties anywhere near the football club in 2025. That era was amazing but also then contunied tp have influence post 2010s and has held us back 15 years.

So sorry solly, still my favourite ever bomber player but I don't want you anywhere near the board.

*unless I hear him denounce and publicly criticise hird, sheedy and dodo who have had such a major influence on the last 15 years.

I also wouldn't want Lloyd either. Seems harsh as that 2000 close knit group gave me my best footy memories but just not a solution for a modern 2025 football organisation.

Love them all to link up at Port melbourne football club but it's a club not a modern organisation like afl sides need to be.

 

[Rick Ross]

On Don The Stat tonight we were joined by President Dave Barham ahead of the board elections this month. Well worth a listen as he answers questions from Bomber members.

Don the Stat delivers again.

Really encourage people to have a listen to this interview and vote.

I love the approach EFC has taken under Barham - Truck to Scott, Sheedy & Dodoro (eventually) out, more players development funding, moving on older players, setting better standards and exciting players with poor attitude…
It’s these actions that really count.

But dead set, Barham should keep his mouth shut. Maybe share his thoughts in a weekly newsletter that can be proof read. For a guy who brags about his media background every 5min (or is it every 2min?) he is a liability when he speaks.

A few of his dooseys :
1. Here to answer questions - but won’t actually answer anything that isn’t a softball question.
2. Spent half the interview talking about himself
3. Contradicted himself repeatedly

• between supporter engagement (for supporters) and revenue streams
• between running a process (or not) when he hired Thorburn

4. Turns a question about coach from he has passion, to coach being so angry he doesn’t speak for days aftera loss. He bangs on and on and on about how coach won’t talk for DAYS.

• That is a very poor look
• If it’s true, the Scott shouldn’t be coaching…
• I think it was just Barham saying what he thinks people want to hear… old school angry man stuff… which is just loose

Thank F the actions are what counts.

 

[DERO]

Barham could not ad lib a fart. He is not really a charismatic leader but he has made some reasonable appointments under his tenure and they seem to be getting things done. I expect the knives to be out for Scott at the end of the year if we don't show improvement and I half expect James Hird to be the one named to replace him. I'm not even joking.

 

[DERO]

Looks like it is happening...

 

[Vindicater]

Looks like it is happening...

We are the club that keeps giving...

 

[Nicholas61]

Looks like it is happening...

Will it mean Dodo 2025 -2050 is happening

 

[DERO]

Another former player who fails to grasp that our list is the issue and reckons he can do a better job.