Blast From The Past - Mike Sheehan article Merger Day

[Agent Smith]

By 1996 I was three years retired, two years out of Phys Ed teaching at Carey Grammar and well on my way to managing most of the stars of the AFL.

Difficult to get past this line. Why does the name 'Ricky' so often equate to the term 'tosser'? Never known a Ricky who wasn't one.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Interesting article by Ricky Nixon:



INSIDE FOOTBALL

http://www.sen.com.au/news/02-16/just-imagine-the-panic#HYuq8vj5ICBomUyh.97


Just imagine the panic…
Ricky Nixon | 23 Feb 2016, 02:48PM
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image: http://www.sen.com.au/media/6882/haw-dees-merger.jpg



I played at the Hawthorn Football Club in 1992 and 1993. The club was at the end of its greatest era having played in 12 consecutive years of finals.

I was lucky enough to play in their last final before the wheels started to fall off.

By 1996 I was three years retired, two years out of Phys Ed teaching at Carey Grammar and well on my way to managing most of the stars of the AFL.

While I had inklings things weren’t flash at Glenferrie Oval and players I managed there were asking questions, never would I have dreamt that the mighty Hawks were on the brink of folding.

Back then the AFL and the clubs had no real communication or disclosure of financial positions with its two most important assets, its players and its members.

For all its success the Hawks still trained at some of the worst facilities in the AFL, had disenfranchised a lot of members by playing home games at the cold lonely Waverley Park and in those days had no membership department.

I lived in Kew, a stone’s throw from Glenferrie Oval, for 25 years. I taught at Carey just up the road and I could see and hear the support of the next generation of Hawks fans coming through, including my own two sons, but unfortunately for Hawthorn not turning this support into financial members was its greatest failure.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the pending merger of the Hawks with Melbourne due to their dire financial positions was the result of one thing only. Lack of financial members.

In 1996 it was estimated that the Hawks had 11,000 to 12,000 members.

Compare that to 2016 when they will have in excess of 70,000—the equal or better than powerhouse Collingwood.

To put it in plainly, the Hawks’ wealthy eastern suburbs supporters were happy to follow their team and boast about the ’80s and early ’90s but not buy a membership.

The club did not engage with them and did not tell the supporters that without their financial support they were only weeks away from being the Melbourne Hawks.

You can only imagine the panic when 50 players (25 from each club) realised they could be delisted, never to play AFL again, if the merger went through.

I was thrust into damage control for my clients (Hawthorn and Melbourne players) even though at that stage I was very much “learning on the job”.

Getting direction or updates from either club was impossible because personnel at both were not getting briefed extensively by their respective boards. The AFL and AFLPA were getting mixed messages and media were delivering much the same.

Suddenly supporters of both clubs realised that the merger was on and the club their grandparents, parents and siblings followed may be no longer.

As a player agent I had to do what was best for my clients and in the circumstances I could not play favourites to any club or administrator.

I had to challenge the AFL (because the AFLPA in those days was a toothless tiger) about where both clubs stood given some players still had up to two years to run on contracts. Would they be paid out? Would the AFL underwrite the contracts if either club folded? Could they go to another club of their choice?

So many questions with no one to answer them.

Back in those days you still had a phone by the side of bed with a cord and rotary dial.

You got a call on your brick-sized mobile phone in an emergency (boy, have things changed). My phone was ringing all night with coaches and football managers from other clubs trying to cash in on the possible demise of the Hawks and Demons.

It was crazy times but exciting at the same time… although my wife didn’t agree and often demanded I put the phone off the hook for the night. If only the footy world knew of the offers for the likes of Jason Dunstall, Shane Crawford, Johnny Platten etc.

Back then the footy public only saw the drama via the front page of the newspapers on their front lawn each morning.

In my case it was usually what had happened 24 hours earlier in my office and only half of what really happened.

Players would be coming to the office on the hour, concerned parents and wives or girlfriends wanted engagement with the clubs, but of course they had shut up shop.

The hard thing for me was they wanted answers and I didn’t have them so had to focus on delivering assurances that if it all went wrong they would be looked after.

While the lack of memberships was the primary reason both clubs lacked cash, the Hawks board was a bit stiff in that it had planned for a few years to open the Waverley Gardens poker machine venue but like in most cases it was taking time—which the Hawks didn’t have.

The frustration was boiling over. Internal arguments aplenty. Here was the possibility of $1 million a year in extra revenue nearly within their grasp but sitting in council hands, and we all know how quickly council and government departments work, don’t we.

After much debate and negotiations behind closed doors amazingly the two clubs met in the last home and away game of 1996 with the Hawks needing to win to make the finals.

It was like a Hollywood movie. You could not have planned a more emotional game nor finish. Jason Dunstall was on fire and kicked 10 goals. David Neitz kicked six for the Demons. It was two points the difference at three-quarter time and when the final siren blew after and electrifying last five minutes the Hawks were victorious by one point.

I sat in the crowd wondering if that was the last time my former club would play as the mighty Hawthorn.

Was that the last time many of my former teammates would wear the brown and gold?

What would happen to premiership history? Who would my son follow now and would the Hawks jumper he was wearing be replaced by a jumper that had not real connection?

When it came to the crunch history will show the Melbourne members voted to merge. The Hawthorn members decided to plough on in hope.

The Waverley Gardens Venue evolved.

Within the next decade Dunstall would join the board and appoint Alastair Clarkson as coach (who amazingly played for Melbourne that night way back in 1996) and after they drafted Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Buddy Franklin, Jordan Lewis and Jarryd Roughead the rest is history.

And I have to avoid talking football to my sons in September

The most terrifyingly interesting thing about this article is that Ricky Nixon was a teacher. Granted no-one knew then what they know now about the piece of sleaze - but it is shocking to think he was around teenagers day in day out for a period of time.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Difficult to get past this line. Why does the name 'Ricky' so often equate to the term 'tosser'? Never known a Ricky who wasn't one.

Ricky Gervais and Ricky Ponting are surely spared that wrath? Sure, Punter's form dropped and he wasn't the greatest captain we have ever had - but I wouldn't put him in the tosser category.

 

[kazzooka]

Ricky Gervais and Ricky Ponting are surely spared that wrath? Sure, Punter's form dropped and he wasn't the greatest captain we have ever had - but I wouldn't put him in the tosser category.

Ricky Martin?

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Ricky Martin?

True - don't much like his music but he doesn't seem like a bad bloke.

 

[Pessimistic]

Official result. And there was a fair bit of shenanigins going on

t the end of the night, the vote was passed by Melbourne 4,679 votes to 4,229, and defeated by Hawthorn 5,241 votes to 2,841.

Less than 3000 at the time, probably inflated, but 20 years ago. No one born after 1980 would have voted

Thered be less than 700 no voters in the current membership. One percent.

 

[medusala]

Ricky Gervais and Ricky Ponting are surely spared that wrath? Sure, Punter's form dropped and he wasn't the greatest captain we have ever had - but I wouldn't put him in the tosser category.

Gervais not a tosser??

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Gervais not a tosser??

Eh, it was the early 80s and he's strongly channeling Bowie in the way he sings. I can't hate this. As new wave synth pop goes - this isn't that bad.

 

[medusala]

As new wave synth pop goes - this isn't that bad.

Its no Tainted Love.

Official result. And there was a fair bit of shenanigins going on

t the end of the night, the vote was passed by Melbourne 4,679 votes to 4,229, and defeated by Hawthorn 5,241 votes to 2,841.

Didn't the AFL allow club sponsors to buy large numbers of memberships and then vote in favour? You could start a thread on AFL dirty tricks and it would run for a vast number of pages. Just on Hawthorn and Fitzroy alone.

 

[Pessimistic]

My wife worked for a melbourne sponsor and was given a pro voting proxy to sign

There might have been more like that for hawthorn but lloyd williams, who was linked the previous year to the "crown melbourne hawks" when asked in 1996, said he had gone cold on the idea saying it was a "pr disaster"

Hard hitting journo mike shehan must have missed that little gem

 

[JoeHawk]

I have to post this each time the merger topic is raised. I don't know why, it seems the message will never get through. The entire notion that the Hawks could survive alone was an Ian Dicker initiative who funded the project and cleverly utilised Don Scott and Dermott Brereton as front men.

Ian is always a little disappointed that he is never given the credit he deserves.

Certainly not forgotten by me and the vast majority of Hawks fans. In fact there should be another bronze statue, alongside the great John Kennedy, of Dicker because his role in our survival was immense. Perhaps have him flipping the bird at the AFL for their role in the merger. But seriously, whenever I think back to those dark days I always remember Dicker, Scott and Dermie equally and their diehard effort to save us.

 

[Bikefreak]

Ricky Nixon.....still not ever missing an opportunity to pump his own tyres up. Some things wont ever change.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[Great 2008]

I was only young at the time and thought on-field success = off-field success. The merger talks were a big shock and I signed up straight away. All it took was the club to engage with the fans and away the Hawks went.

I remember the member get member campaigns. I recall signing up about 20 or so Hawks fans from the Cricket club and Soccer clubs I was at in no time flat. Still got some signed Dunstall thank you pics at home.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Certainly not forgotten by me and the vast majority of Hawks fans. In fact there should be another bronze statue, alongside the great John Kennedy, of Dicker because his role in our survival was immense. Perhaps have him flipping the bird at the AFL for their role in the merger. But seriously, whenever I think back to those dark days I always remember Dicker, Scott and Dermie equally and their diehard effort to save us.

Dicker standing on a Ross Oakley themed doormat. That statue should feature somewhere at the Dingley HQ. I would happily kick in for that.

 

[BlueWaterHawk]

I was only young at the time and thought on-field success = off-field success. The merger talks were a big shock and I signed up straight away. All it took was the club to engage with the fans and away the Hawks went.

I remember the member get member campaigns. I recall signing up about 20 or so Hawks fans from the Cricket club and Soccer clubs I was at in no time flat. Still got some signed Dunstall thank you pics at home.

Same, signed up mates at school as a 15 yo. Proud to think so much of our revival was from young fans and old alike. Not big business looking for a gain.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Davo23]

Same, signed up mates at school as a 15 yo. Proud to think so much of our revival was from young fans and old alike. Not big business looking for a gain.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Diamond Joe Gutnick doesn't understand this post.

 

[Todman]

Diamond Joe Gutnick doesn't understand this post.

Speaking of Joe.....

http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/...-loses-AUD$56-million-in-legal-battle-report/

Rabbi Joseph “Diamond Joe” Gutnick and his company Legend International Holdings owe US$40.4 million plus interest to an Indian fertilizer company after an Australian court upheld a Singapore arbitration ruling against Gutnick and Legend, The Age reported.

The Singapore arbitrators found Gutnick “induced, by fraudulent misrepresentation, certain purchases of shares in Legend International Holdings,” and thereby deceived Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) and its subsidiary Kisan International Trading.

The dispute is linked to Mr Gutnick’s desire to create a fertilizer group to rival Incitec Pivot seven years ago. In 2008, Mr Gutnick and his business partners announced a $103 million deal to supply Queensland phosphate to IFFCO for its Paradeep plant. Under the deal, IFFCO was to invest the $103 million over two years through shares and options in Legend International. However, the partnership turned sour and IFFCO and Kisan filed action against Mr Gutnick and Legend International for the return of the money they had handed over for the shares and the options.

 

[garyayresmullet]

Ricky Martin?

 

[garyayresmullet]

Certainly not forgotten by me and the vast majority of Hawks fans. In fact there should be another bronze statue, alongside the great John Kennedy, of Dicker because his role in our survival was immense. Perhaps have him flipping the bird at the AFL for their role in the merger. But seriously, whenever I think back to those dark days I always remember Dicker, Scott and Dermie equally and their diehard effort to save us.

I remember meeting the great Ian Dicker at the Hawks family day the morning after the 2008 grand final win.

I said it was an honour to meet him, shook his hand and thanked him for saving my club.

He was a very humble man, despite his huge contribution to our club.