Official Club Stuff 2023 AGM - held on Friday 9th Feb 2024

[PA88]

Koch appeared oblivious to Vic club boards being member elected. He was bumbly about that entire topic but he kept reiterating that HE appoints the directors and the AFL have never intervened on his choices. Which is a problem. I honestly thought that he was oblivious to the fact that the club once was a member elected board.

Who the hell is that club official guy wearing the new club polo, packing up the chairs, and adamant that the members would elect a board of 10 past players?

 

[Cheesey Mac]

The impression I have of Koch is that he acts as an Administrator on behalf of the AFL to manage the club for the best interests of the AFL rather than the club itself.

What I wonder is at what point do we stop being "Under Administration" and can stand on our own two feet again?

The Crows are obviously moving towards doing this in 2028.
We currently owe neither the AFL nor the SANFL.

What are the conditions for coming out of Administration?
$60+M revenue, a debt of only $3Mish, a strong net asset position.

If you had a salary of 600k per year, owned a home worth 600k, and had a mortgage of only 30k, wouldn't you feel like you were in a pretty solid position financially?

How do we push the Administrators to the side and focus on ruthlessly existing to win premierships again?
Does a focus on winning premierships threaten our financial position?

I continue to have absolutely no faith in the current senior coach being able to lead this club to a premiership, and hence my lack of engagement. I wish I felt differently, but I have no evidence that makes me feel like it is possible. Having a Top 4 list and an outside the 8 Senior Coach appears very unlikely to achieve the results we desire. I hope the new board appointment is tasked with determining what is preventing this club from winning premierships, where is the weak link in the chain, the one that breaks every September. I feel like we used to know how to win them, back when we stood on our own two feet.

In answer to the bolded part - no.

They said a few times that we were spending 99.9% of our soft cap. So the current inability to get it done from a coaching and off-field perspective isn’t based on the financials or lack of spend, it’s based on the fact that they’ve invested in the wrong people and feel that they’re too close to succeeding to change it now (which after 11 years with the same coach feels like folly to me, but I’m only white noise).

 

[PA88]

Because the question didn’t have any depth.

She was more concerned with a lack of local salad bars than it being a financial boat anchor.

I don't care about her reasons. The POW is a dilapidated club asset. I wonder how its debt is going and where it fits in the big scheme of our debt being reduced below 4M.

 

[PA88]

In answer to the bolded part - no.

They said a few times that we were spending 99.9% of our soft cap. So the current inability to get it done from a coaching and off-field perspective isn’t based on the financials or lack of spend, it’s based on the fact that they’ve invested in the wrong people and feel that they’re too close to succeeding to change it now (which after 11 years with the same coach feels like folly to me, but I’m only white noise).

Certainly Richardson gave the impression that they fear the team falling apart if Hinkley is replaced.

 

[Cheesey Mac]

Certainly Richardson gave the impression that they fear the team falling apart if Hinkley is replaced.

Went very hard litigating that point after the thing had ended.

“If you remove the coach you aren’t just removing the coach, you’re resetting the whole program, you’ll lose some players, others won’t come if they don’t know who the coach is. There’s not one thing that can guarantee you a premiership”

He also made reference to the fact that they knew what was happening in the membership base and how divisive Ken’s extension was going to be, and it wasn’t a decision they made lightly. I took the comments to mean that they don’t want to change tack while the club is sitting in the top 4, regardless of exposed form in the finals. So, basically, cross your fingers and hope that Ken manages to win a flag because until the next contract is up I don’t see anyone ousting him or falling on their own swords.

 

[Hodges 153!]

I don't care about her reasons. The POW is a dilapidated club asset. I wonder how its debt is going and where it fits in the big scheme of our debt being reduced below 4M.

100%

His answer amounted to “we aren’t spending the $$$ on the kitchen, so are trying to forget about it and hope you do too.”

 

[PowerLil]

Ken Hinkley this year will become the longest serving coach in history to have never made a grand final. There is simply no one worse if that's the KPI. "Who ya gonna get?" Answer: anyone.

 

[Kenny_Powers]

Certainly Richardson gave the impression that they fear the team falling apart if Hinkley is replaced.

Even if that was the case, and it wouldn't surprise me if there was some truth to it as Ken's fostered this absolute cult thing with the players, where as to the point being together and a family is more important than the fans and success, ultimately if he needs to be booted and some players decide to move on because of the fact, so be it Richo ya coward.

Those players aren't the ones you'd want at a club anyway.

I don't think there has ever been as large a disconnect between the players / coaches and fans as there is at the moment, and Kens responsible for that.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[1954]

I was one of those questioners.

The first question was framed as us being one of the interstate clubs who had an AFL appointed board - Koch answered that the board isn't dictated to us, just ratified, which ignored the premise of the question which was around how we get more member appointed positions on the board. I wasn't going to ask anything, but I wasn't satisfied with the answer given to that guy, so I ended up being riled up enough that I forgot I didn't like public speaking. I can't remember what I said verbatim, but the below is my recollection.

I said something along the lines of we have two member elected board positions, given we no longer have any debt to the AFL what do we need to do to we need to do to get more member appointed board positions? Made the point that Victorian clubs have full control of their boards and it works for them, so why not us? The answer was Koch turning to Jamie Retsas saying that we need to amend our constitution.

I followed up with noting that we are a community club, coming up from the SANFL to the national competition, we don't have control or agency over the board as members, and the Crows who were a made up club from nowhere will have full control of their board in 2028, and that the fact that their members will have more control of their club than we will of ours doesn't sit well. Koch answered that he wasn't aware.

I knew it had been asked last year, so when Koch said he hadn't heard of it I wasn't going to let it stand with that, suggested that he come prepared next year because the question has come up before. Didn't come across to me like he was interested in a change of governance.

What was interesting afterwards was the discussion with me from some club officials (including one of the guys packing up the chairs) turned into a very John Howard "yeah, a republic, great, but what if it goes badly huh? Best not change anything" vibe. Came across like the club doesn't trust that our members would be smart enough to vote for anyone except for ex-footballers - I made the comment that the Victorian clubs aren't beset with these issues and have a decent skill mix on their boards, why would we be different if we had a full or half member appointed board.

The other notes I took were:
-No debt to the SANFL or AFL, still about $3m in debt but its a bank debt

-Revenue from membership renewals is YTD, according to the slides they put up, only about $100k behind the total prior year revenue.

-The bowling club is being re-done as the next stage of the Alberton Oval precinct, there'll be a range of other services included in it which is meant to allow the Alberton Oval precinct to be used by more of the community, more often

-Ken Hinkley's interview was typically full of him staring at the ceiling searching for words and including a range of mixed and contradictory metaphors, but the funniest line was when he said, referring to Rozee as captain, "Leadership is about getting results" or words to that effect. Lacking in self awareness as always, after 11 years without a GF or flag, his leadership has failed.

No surprise that Kok would have zero interest in `a change of governance' as he would be very aware that without the AFL's support keeping him in the gig he would almost certainly be goneski!

No surprise either that kern would be `searching for words,' or that he bailed out via the back door as soon as he could to get away from the heat.

 

[gbear]

He got a fluffball interview from D Norton.

Then stood off to the side while the group of new players got up next.

As soon as that was done, I watched, as he made his way straight out the back door, as the questions from the floor were about to start.

He truly is a ****ing coward.

 

[gbear]

Certainly Richardson gave the impression that they fear the team falling apart if Hinkley is replaced.

And hence why Richardson needs to be removed too.

 

[Bump Bailey]

Went very hard litigating that point after the thing had ended.

“If you remove the coach you aren’t just removing the coach, you’re resetting the whole program, you’ll lose some players, others won’t come if they don’t know who the coach is. There’s not one thing that can guarantee you a premiership”

He also made reference to the fact that they knew what was happening in the membership base and how divisive Ken’s extension was going to be, and it wasn’t a decision they made lightly. I took the comments to mean that they don’t want to change tack while the club is sitting in the top 4, regardless of exposed form in the finals. So, basically, cross your fingers and hope that Ken manages to win a flag because until the next contract is up I don’t see anyone ousting him or falling on their own swords.

What a load of absolute shit, honestly. Through the cult of Ken, the coach and players gave effectively formed a segregated splinter cell away from the main body of the organisation. One that can’t be disrupted.

So they effectively rule the roost. I get the players are probably the most singularly important asset to a footy club, but it’s not their club to run. Tail wagging the dog is a huge part of Port’s entrenched mediocrity.

 

[PA88]

Went very hard litigating that point after the thing had ended.

“If you remove the coach you aren’t just removing the coach, you’re resetting the whole program, you’ll lose some players, others won’t come if they don’t know who the coach is. There’s not one thing that can guarantee you a premiership”

He also made reference to the fact that they knew what was happening in the membership base and how divisive Ken’s extension was going to be, and it wasn’t a decision they made lightly. I took the comments to mean that they don’t want to change tack while the club is sitting in the top 4, regardless of exposed form in the finals. So, basically, cross your fingers and hope that Ken manages to win a flag because until the next contract is up I don’t see anyone ousting him or falling on their own swords.

They are chasing hoping for success.

 

[Rexie J]

Certainly Richardson gave the impression that they fear the team falling apart if Hinkley is replaced.

Oh FFS!!

 

[Duck Farmer]

Both Davies and Ken specifically blamed last years s**t show on the defence being undermanned/undersized.

You mean the list Hinkley has overseen and completely rebuilt multiple times during his 11 year reign to be "the best list I've ever had in my time at the club" had glaring structural deficiencies and couldn't be expected to stand up in finals?

I refuse to believe such a thing could happen under the watch of the winningest coach Port Adelaide has had over its AFL journey.

 

[Rexie J]

Transcript of the question at the end:

Kochie: "are we all done?... Esava Ratagolea, for anyone who wants to compete on the bench press with him in the new gym, (sensible chuckles), uh one question here:"

(I picked up my phone at this point and I couldn't hear the first part of her question on playback, I think it was about how we're doing well financially, off the field)

#sackhinkley Lady, angrily: "...but from a football point of view, we don't beat the Crows, we don't play finals well, consistently, are you comfortable with our coach saying "finals are scary"? Are you comfortable with our coach saying "I hope they remember we beat them by 52 points last time"? (referring to the Brisbane qualifying final), are you comfortable with that? And do you think it was dumb with that reappointment? Did we not look at anyone else?"

(louder than expected applause)

Kochie: "yes we did, we're not comfortable with it... (awkward silence)

(The Lady keeps interjecting and I can't hear what she's asking, she initially had a microphone, then didn't)

Kochie: "uhhh... we're very happy to have all views, we took a whole football club decision to reappoint Ken and Ken has the confidence of the players"

(more interjecting that I can't hear)

Kochie: "So so we took a recommendation and a view was done by our football committee, which included Dom Cassisi, erm..."

(more interjecting that I can't hear)

Kochie: "I understand your frustration, don't think that we're not equally as frustrated. Years ago, when we were and I said at the time, we were a mediocre club, and we were stuck in that 9th/10th, remember those few years, and we've made significant change in our playing group, with bringing in players like Butters, Rozee and Duursma, and we were heavily criticised for trading a number of our star players, who we didn't think fit the culture going forward. We're now stuck, I would...ummm...through the last four years, top 4, so we're not stuck at mediocre, we're stuck at good and not great, and it means we have to do something different to get great. So we think we have it. We think we've done it, through our list managing, through a generational change in our leadership group on the field..."

(more interjecting that I can't hear)

(some other fella at the back pipes up "can you give her a microphone please!")

(more interjecting that I can't hear)

Richo takes over: "There's a whole lot of things you have to do to in order to give yourself a chance to win a premiership. There's not one thing you can do that's going to guarantee that you're going to win a premiership. All of those things if you look at our football program, (something else I can't quite hear), if you look at our list management, if you look at our playing list, if you look at the talent that we have and the collective coaching, there's a whole lot of things you have to do to give yourself a chance and if you don't do those things, then you have got no chance, we've got a football program that has great people, we're doing a lot of things right...but, absolutely, there are things that we have to improve and we have to get better at. And, as Chris and Kenny went through, last year, we had a couple of clear deficiencies, we can't do anything about last year, what we can do now is focus on what we can do in 2024, and all I would say is: if you're not excited about what you're seeing in 2024 with our playing group and our football program, well I'm sorry but, you're not looking hard enough, because we've got really exciting football program"

(someone else interjecting "be excited? 11 years we've 'been exited'!")

Another lady is given a microphone, and has a comment more so than a question, and...that was it

Being lectured by Richardson on how to win a premiership. WTF!

There are no words........

 

[Duck Farmer]

Richo: “If you remove the coach you aren’t just removing the coach, you’re resetting the whole program”

You mean the program that is riddled with underperforming barnacles and hasn't managed to get to a grand final in 17 years?

Oh no, what will we do!

 

[Duck Farmer]

Kochie: "I understand your frustration, don't think that we're not equally as frustrated. Years ago, when we were and I said at the time, we were a mediocre club, and we were stuck in that 9th/10th, remember those few years, and we've made significant change in our playing group, with bringing in players like Butters, Rozee and Duursma

lol - didn't he get the memo on Duursma?

 

[Schulzenfest]

Ken Hinkley this year will become the longest serving coach in history to have never made a grand final. There is simply no one worse if that's the KPI. "Who ya gonna get?" Answer: anyone.

This year? He became that a season and a half ago.

 

[Rexie J]

Many thanks to those BF posters who attended the AGM and have given such detailed info.

Greatly appreciated.

Fortunately I have greater faith in those posters than the current administration.

Rhetorical question but do Richardson, Koch, Hinkley ever listen to themselves. Richardson especially.

 

[Gryllis]

If you remove the coach you aren’t just removing the coach, you’re resetting the whole program, you’ll lose some players, others won’t come if they don’t know who the coach is.

True, and that's exactly what should have happened years ago, Richo.

Have a look at Collingwood. A reset with a new coach. They lost some senior players - the ones they wanted to lose - and also gained some players. Then won a premiership.

 

[Interstater]

Look, I would accept moving Ken into a player development role beside a new senior coach, but he simply is not a competent tactical coach.

Imagine making Choco senior coach for the next 5 years with Ken as player development coach.
I would go down to the club today and pay for 5 years worth of memberships and go to every game.

Another 2 years of same old, judge me on the good bits bullshit, yeh nah, let me know when its over.
Wont get fooled again.

 

[PowerLil]

This year? He became that a season and a half ago.

That was at one club. This year he breaks the record held by Rodney Eade I believe.

 

[powermacs]

I don't care about her reasons. The POW is a dilapidated club asset. I wonder how its debt is going and where it fits in the big scheme of our debt being reduced below 4M.

If it was in debt or loosing money it wouldn’t be open.
If the lights are on and the pensioner pianos are still playing it’s making money.
So many great places to eat at the port now, the POW would be the last place I’d want to go.

 

[ibd77]

So many great places to eat at the port now, the POW would be the last place I’d want to go.

Not wrong there. Went the British for dinner. Not many people there but the food was top notch and not expensive either.