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

 

[boncer34]

Plenty had employed Dank in AFL circles before he got to us and you could argue that in itself could help him pass the smell test for a rookie coach.

Then you add the 'senior' support and guidance the club provided in Bomba and add a lack of governance by a club that's still s**t at it to this day - then the lack of evidence they actually took anything banned - and all this adds enough Gray area that the only part that matters for me was did Hird want the players whacked up with banned peds.

There's probably not much point opening up these debates. We all had a pretty good crack when it happened. If people think he shouldn't be coach for Saga reasons I'm not going to argue the point with them either.

Doesn't sound like the club was lead by a great leader tbh.

 

[Pweter]

You'd assume there'd be governance raining down on any program where elite athletes are being injected with a substance, especially new, ground breaking substances. It seems the footy department operated on a large degree of trust rather than dotting every I and crossing every T.

Unfortunately much of that misplaced trust falls squarely on Hird. Other people in the footy department such as Paul Hamilton should've been hauled over the coals way more than they were as I don't think this governance falls squarely at the feet of the head coach but for whatever reasons they weren't. I don't think Hird deliberately broke the rules but by failing to govern such a critical program, he and the club failed.

You can say Hird will have learned his lesson if given another chance but without proving himself since outside of his minimal tenure with GWS I can't see how he can be a serious contender, especially with the hysteria that would surround the appointment, Hird and the club. Any failings on field or off field would be magnified.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Plenty had employed Dank in AFL circles before he got to us and you could argue that in itself could help him pass the smell test for a rookie coach.

Then you add the 'senior' support and guidance the club provided in Bomba and add a lack of governance by a club that's still s**t at it to this day - then the lack of evidence they actually took anything banned - and all this adds enough Gray area that the only part that matters for me was did Hird want the players whacked up with banned peds.

There's probably not much point opening up these debates. We all had a pretty good crack when it happened. If people think he shouldn't be coach for Saga reasons I'm not going to argue the point with them either.

It's remarkable that Bomba doesn't get more of the blame than Hird, given he recommended Robinson and Dank to Hird, had worked with them and was meant to be the senior mentor to help Hird through being a senior coach.

When you then look at what turned out to be Bomba's lifestyle and friends, it's absolutely mind blowing Hird cops most the blame.

 

[boncer34]

It's remarkable that Bomba doesn't get more of the blame than Hird, given he recommended Robinson and Dank to Hird, had worked with them and was meant to be the senior mentor to help Hird through being a senior coach.

When you then look at what turned out to be Bomba's lifestyle and friends, it's absolutely mind blowing Hird cops most the blame.

Comes down to the position.

If we'd won the flag would Bomber get more credit than Hird in your eyes?

 

[CBombers17]

So Dank and Robinson ran a program without his knowledge under his nose?

You must have missed it in my original reply to you where I asked you a question?

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Comes down to the position.

If we'd won the flag would Bomber get more credit than Hird in your eyes?

Given how he'd get the credit for our wins and Hird for our losses at the time, probably.

 

[boncer34]

You must have missed it in my original reply to you where I asked you a question?

I did sorry.

Yes I believe Hird knew about the program.

 

[boncer34]

Given how he'd get the credit for our wins and Hird for our losses at the time, probably.

Fair enough. I never agreed with that philosophy.

 

[CBombers17]

I did sorry.

Yes I believe Hird knew about the program.

Thanks - so do you think Hird wanted players injected with substances they didn't sign off on / consider to be safe and within the rules?

 

[boncer34]

Thanks - so do you think Hird wanted players injected with substances they didn't sign off on / consider to be safe and within the rules?

You first.

So Dank and Robinson ran a program without his knowledge under his nose?

 

[CBombers17]

You first.

Of course he knew about the program - is this being denied somewhere?

Get em big and strong was the directive from Bomba I believe (or something along those lines).

 

[boncer34]

Of course he knew about the program - is this being denied somewhere?

Get em big and strong was the directive from Bomba I believe (or something along those lines).

The directive came from Bomber and not Hird? Interesting.

I think a great leader would've been the one issuing the directive. I also think he would've been across the program, including what was injected. Hird wasn't, he didn't want them to be injected with PEDs but if he'd been a great leader when coach he would've asked more questions.

 

[DERO]

 

[Pweter]

Thanks - so do you think Hird wanted players injected with substances they didn't sign off on / consider to be safe and within the rules?

Therein lies the problem. It should've been impossible for that to happen but it did, regardless of whether he wanted to or not (I don't believe Hird wanted to fwiw)

 

[jmoo wan]

I will give $1000 to anyone who can give a fresh, new take on the saga that we haven't heard before

 

[Doss]

I will give $1000 to anyone who can give a fresh, new take on the saga that we haven't heard before

It was Ken Fraser’s fault.

Will you be paying me by EFT or…?

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

I will give $1000 to anyone who can give a fresh, new take on the saga that we haven't heard before

The Russians hacked into our needles as a diversion for WADA from their own doping schemes.

 

[boncer34]

I will give $1000 to anyone who can give a fresh, new take on the saga that we haven't heard before

It was Alastair Clarksons fault

 

[Doss]

The Russians hacked into our needles as a diversion for WADA from their own doping schemes.

I assume they thought running a successful doping programme would be as easy as capturing Kyiv.

Oh wait.

 

[CBombers17]

The directive came from Bomber and not Hird? Interesting.

I think a great leader would've been the one issuing the directive. I also think he would've been across the program, including what was injected. Hird wasn't, he didn't want them to be injected with PEDs but if he'd been a great leader when coach he would've asked more questions.

I recall that was Bombas feedback about the player size profiles yes. Getting in Dank

You could argue Hird didn't do enough but he was guided by a highly regarded premiership winning coach and also employing someone who the AFLs own team (Suns) had employed- and others.

Then add there were apparently many supplement programs going on all over (shredders went into overdrive accross club land apparently).

I see the saga as a club wide failing largely pinned on Hird. I think the club was also lucky there was less fallout from subsequently placing Bomba in charge of the playing group - knowing he had significant issues. That's an environment where big mistakes are bound to happen IMO.

 

[Pweter]

I assume they thought running a successful doping programme would be as easy as capturing Kyiv.

Oh wait.

Assumption is 100% accurate, otherwise we wouldn't have had the ROC competing at the summer and winter games.

 

[Vander18]

It was Ken Fraser’s fault.

Will you be paying me by EFT or…?

That old chestnut…..

 

[Lore]

On Classified:

• Lloyd: Coach and CEO to be announced by the end of next week
• Caro: 4 CEOs shortlisted, at least one is outside “the footy sphere”. Doesn’t think Greg Swann has been approached.
• Lloyd: Andrew Welsh
  Andrew Welsh

  Age

  41

  Ht

  188cm

  Wt

  88kg

  Pos.

  Mid

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  16.4

  4star

  K

  9.7

  4star

  HB

  6.7

  4star

  M

  4.6

  4star

  T

  2.9

  4star

  CL

  1.6

  4star

  No current season stats available

  D

  9.6

  3star

  K

  7.4

  3star

  HB

  2.2

  2star

  M

  4.0

  4star

  T

  3.6

  5star

  to join the board of directors.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Ah good, an ex player on the board. They’ve all been good value so far.

 

[Lore]

footyfanatic111 ^