Dockers Record Profit Again

[wayToGo_]

Funny, most times I have seen people on these forums arguing for more footy type people on the board so we don't lose touch with the playing groups requirements.

Personally, looking at our Board it appears that we are in the lucky position of having very intelligent former players, guess WC and Hawthorn only had dummies available, when I think of Dipper, Dermie and the former WC boys that must be the reason.

I'm not sure I'd call the three ex-players we have on the Board currently "very" intelligent but they are certainly more business saavy than your usual AFL footballer. I'd just question if they bring anything in that we don't already have at the expense of a spot for someone external that might bring a heap more value. Board members like Steve Harris (marketing/advertising), Dale Alcock (builder), Grant Donaldson (legal), Craig Carter (finance) not only provide knowledge in their respective areas but they are the leaders in their fields in WA.

An AFL club is a business and the Board is responsible for guiding and governing that business. If it is successful financially then surely that supports the "cobblers doing the cobbling" - ie the coaches and players being successful on the field. I think "player requirements" are the responsibility of management, administration and coaches and the Board should have little to do with that other than ensuring we have the best people employed with the best facilities, equipment etc so they can do what they need to do. And if they need special guidance on something like player welfare or retention then instead set up a committee specifically for those purposes - which could then include past and even current players. The committees come up with the solutions and the Board only needs to approve the respective budget to implement.

 

[Kwality]

Funny, most times I have seen people on these forums arguing for more footy type people on the board so we don't lose touch with the playing groups requirements.

Personally, looking at our Board it appears that we are in the lucky position of having very intelligent former players, guess WC and Hawthorn only had dummies available, when I think of Dipper, Dermie and the former WC boys that must be the reason.

The Hawks seem OK off ground, much better than most xtra? WCE xtra?

1 + 1 still equals 2, but some still cant see it xtra - that 2, dummies xtra? ... get your 5hit 2gether !!

 

[scon]

Oh look!
Another quality post.

 

[freoextra]

The Hawks seem OK off ground, much better than most xtra? WCE xtra?

1 + 1 still equals 2, but some still cant see it xtra - that 2, dummies xtra? ... get your 5hit 2gether !!

If you can't see I am just having a laugh in the comments I made, on the Freo forum, then I can't help you!

 

[The Devil's Advocate]

Explain what more could be done. Top 4 finishes,home finals, a GF appearance ,Brownlow medalist and our first top of the ladder finish. Apart from winning the Gf that would have to be tick,tick tick. State of the art training facilities with minimum cash input from the club. Record membership ,record profit. Happy and contented playing group and second to none coaching panel. Really not much to whinge about is there.

Nothing you have listed there (other than the current senior coach and training facilities) can be attributed to the current administration. It's too simplistic to dismiss the point by saying that people are just having a whinge. We are simply offering a view that doesn't proclaim current management immune to criticism just because they are recording profits (which we as members are by and large paying for).

 

[The Devil's Advocate]

I'm not sure I'd call the three ex-players we have on the Board currently "very" intelligent but they are certainly more business saavy than your usual AFL footballer. I'd just question if they bring anything in that we don't already have at the expense of a spot for someone external that might bring a heap more value. Board members like Steve Harris (marketing/advertising), Dale Alcock (builder), Grant Donaldson (legal), Craig Carter (finance) not only provide knowledge in their respective areas but they are the leaders in their fields in WA.

Good point. Does anyone know the last time the "Member Elected Representative" on the Board wasn't an ex-player (and who it was)?

 

[Kwality]

If you can't see I am just having a laugh in the comments I made, on the Freo forum, then I can't help you!

So you acknowledge the substance of your post - praise the Lord !!

FreO fans I know

 

[scon]

Good you don't post sober.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

So you acknowledge the substance of your post - praise the Lord !!

FreO fans I know

You lost? You have made your point.

 

[salim malik]

Nothing you have listed there (other than the current senior coach and training facilities) can be attributed to the current administration. It's too simplistic to dismiss the point by saying that people are just having a whinge. We are simply offering a view that doesn't proclaim current management immune to criticism just because they are recording profits (which we as members are by and large paying for).

You have not offered anything that the current admin could have done to create a better outcome. I f you can't offer up any suggestions why would anyone take you seriously. Your crack about members being responsible for posting a profit is ridiculous. That is what members are for ,to provide funds . The better the club is run the more members,the more members more profit. Are You pissed of because the club is being run well?

 

[scon]

I think my membership is pricey but not exy and nobody held a gun to my head to go Premium,as Salim suggested I'm happy to give some loot to my club.

 

[Caldera]

Good point. Does anyone know the last time the "Member Elected Representative" on the Board wasn't an ex-player (and who it was)?

That would be Kate Grieve I think, 2008 to 2012.

 

[Lach72]

Kate used to post here...

 

[Kram]

Until I think Pav4aa and Bushie gave her a grilling? Or was that someone else.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Until I think Pav4aa and Bushie gave her a grilling? Or was that someone else.

Wasn't that Docker Dave ? Or whatever his name is. The guy who came up with the ten year membership certificate.

 

[The Devil's Advocate]

You have not offered anything that the current admin could have done to create a better outcome. I f you can't offer up any suggestions why would anyone take you seriously. Your crack about members being responsible for posting a profit is ridiculous. That is what members are for ,to provide funds . The better the club is run the more members,the more members more profit. Are You pissed of because the club is being run well?

You've continued to miss the point time and time again in this thread and so I won't labour the issue any more. If you'd read my first post you'd see I'd identified several areas which needed addressing by current management. Remember also that neither you nor I are close enough to the club's finances to definitively ascertain whether the club is in fact being run well as you claim and where particular improvements can be made because all we have to go on is the Consolidated Reports they release to ASIC each year.

Consider the facts though: in 2015 operating admin expenses blew out by 23% and the club spent less on members & amenities than it has in the last 3 years. Sponsorship & merchandise sales fell in a year when the club won more games than it ever has and had its first Brownlow medallist. I agree with a lot you say on other threads, but your myopic position on the 'Steve's' hurts your credibility on this issue.

Of course members provide funds for footy clubs. Show me where I have argued otherwise. Remember though that footy is by nature a cyclical business. There will come a time in the future when this club will be on the bottom of the ladder and there won't be automatic membership growth the club can bank on. To say that the better a club is run the more members it has is nonsensical. By way of example, Essendon & Carlton each have more than 55,000 members. Would you say those clubs are run well?

 

[DudleyDocker]

Some of us just love the footy and enjoy supporting our club without scrutinizing everything the management does.

Each to his own I guess.

 

[salim malik]

You've continued to miss the point time and time again in this thread and so I won't labour the issue any more. If you'd read my first post you'd see I'd identified several areas which needed addressing by current management. Remember also that neither you nor I are close enough to the club's finances to definitively ascertain whether the club is in fact being run well as you claim and where particular improvements can be made because all we have to go on is the Consolidated Reports they release to ASIC each year.

Consider the facts though: in 2015 operating admin expenses blew out by 23% and the club spent less on members & amenities than it has in the last 3 years. Sponsorship & merchandise sales fell in a year when the club won more games than it ever has and had its first Brownlow medallist. I agree with a lot you say on other threads, but your myopic position on the 'Steve's' hurts your credibility on this issue.

Of course members provide funds for footy clubs. Show me where I have argued otherwise. Remember though that footy is by nature a cyclical business. There will come a time in the future when this club will be on the bottom of the ladder and there won't be automatic membership growth the club can bank on. To say that the better a club is run the more members it has is nonsensical. By way of example, Essendon & Carlton each have more than 55,000 members. Would you say those clubs are run well?

I'm happy with the way the club's run at the minute ,you're not . Lets leave it at that.

PS Did you see the piece on nine news about the new training facilities. Fantastic aren't they. Kudos to the current management for their foresight and vision.

 

[Bender571]

You've continued to miss the point time and time again in this thread and so I won't labour the issue any more. If you'd read my first post you'd see I'd identified several areas which needed addressing by current management. Remember also that neither you nor I are close enough to the club's finances to definitively ascertain whether the club is in fact being run well as you claim and where particular improvements can be made because all we have to go on is the Consolidated Reports they release to ASIC each year.

Consider the facts though: in 2015 operating admin expenses blew out by 23% and the club spent less on members & amenities than it has in the last 3 years. Sponsorship & merchandise sales fell in a year when the club won more games than it ever has and had its first Brownlow medallist. I agree with a lot you say on other threads, but your myopic position on the 'Steve's' hurts your credibility on this issue.

Of course members provide funds for footy clubs. Show me where I have argued otherwise. Remember though that footy is by nature a cyclical business. There will come a time in the future when this club will be on the bottom of the ladder and there won't be automatic membership growth the club can bank on. To say that the better a club is run the more members it has is nonsensical. By way of example, Essendon & Carlton each have more than 55,000 members. Would you say those clubs are run well?

Comparisons to 2014 don't really say much unless you can establish what kind of year 2014 was, if 2014 was a good year then it could be hard to generate much growth. Using the Merchandise sales as an example, sales were just over $3mil, is that good or bad? Looking at a club comparison $3mil puts Freo in 3rd position overall behind the premiership hawks, delusional Bombers fans and almost a million in front of the 4th placed WC. So 2014 looks like a very good year and whilst a 5% fall this year isn't ideal 2015 looks like it will also be a very good year in comparison to the rest of the AFL.

Sponsorship increased btw

 

[Purple Suit]

Consider the facts though: in 2015 operating admin expenses blew out by 23% and the club spent less on members & amenities than it has in the last 3 years. Sponsorship & merchandise sales fell in a year when the club won more games than it ever has and had its first Brownlow medallist. I agree with a lot you say on other threads, but your myopic position on the 'Steve's' hurts your credibility on this issue.

Operating Admin expenses blew out by 23% in a year that profits rose by 254%. Bet they got a grilling on that one.

 

[Rob]

Comparisons to 2014 don't really say much unless you can establish what kind of year 2014 was, if 2014 was a good year then it could be hard to generate much growth. Using the Merchandise sales as an example, sales were just over $3mil, is that good or bad? Looking at a club comparison $3mil puts Freo in 3rd position overall behind the premiership hawks, delusional Bombers fans and almost a million in front of the 4th placed WC. So 2014 looks like a very good year and whilst a 5% fall this year isn't ideal 2015 looks like it will also be a very good year in comparison to the rest of the AFL.

Bear in mind merchandise revenue is only sales made by the club. It doesn't count sales made though sports shops, AFL stores, etc. Given we have 2 shops and West Coast only has 1 it would hardly be a surprise that we would make more gross revenue than they do.

 

[manpurple]

Operating Admin expenses blew out by 23% in a year that profits rose by 254%. Bet they got a grilling on that one.

It depends. On a P&L basis I would assume not. But other KPI's might indicate that there is a reason for a question or two. Managing is about the whole picture and I would say that the FFC cost / profit equation is quite opaque from my perspective. Wouldn't venture a comment either way without a bunch more information.

 

[manpurple]

Bear in mind merchandise revenue is only sales made by the club. It doesn't count sales made though sports shops, AFL stores, etc. Given we have 2 shops and West Coast only has 1 it would hardly be a surprise that we would make more gross revenue than they do.

Good point but I understand where others are coming from. In terms of merchandising there are so many opportunities that are not exploited. I have often thought that I would need to get a couple of fashion friends to actually make some good Dockers stuff. I always want to buy something but when I pop into the store I just end up being so disappointed with both the design and the quality that I just don't.