Toast Graham Wright

[Dead Eye Didak]

Kelly was Wright's (& Fly's & Leppa's) manager when he was in sports management, so you wouldn't think there was an issue between them...

Apparently the tension between the two only started during this season. I wonder if that tension had something to do with Wrighty telling Ned that he still was unsure of returning to the club, whilst in the meantime the club has reshuffled the footy department roles to accommodate Wrighty's return to the club, which now we know, was a waste of time...

 

[magpies42]

In other words with tension between Wright and Kelly, we haven't handled it well - the one staying is facing an impending legal issue - maybe court case.

Did Kelly throw something at Wright?

PS - could there be another epic off-field Pie drama unfolding?

Jack Galbally vs Tom Sherrin; Ranald MacDonald and the "New Magpies; McGuire's succession (f#ck up) plan - we do it like no-one else

I'm heading for another Cwood inspired pathology test -

It’s looking a bit like history is repeating it self…allegations of racism, friction within the administration, poor trading and a sub par result.

Fingers crossed we pull out some stunning trades. Just hoping Hine isn’t asked to negotiate.

 

[sideswipe]

This is never good if true.

Either way pretty unhappy with this. If Wright was going to leave he should have done so at the end of last season, or we should have let him go and not forced him to take a sabbatical.

In a season where we are going to miss out by the smallest of margins, tell me not having a footy director didn’t hurt!

“Let him go”, “forced” - think those concepts finished up with indentured servitude. Get a hold of yourself.


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[76woodenspooners]

I think they were all the same ones patting the club on the back for giving Wright a sabbatical when it was first announced too. Saying it could be something other clubs could look at doing if they thought their CEO's, etc were showing signs of burnout.

I don’t think it’s appropriate for a CEO to take a sabbatical (maybe in rare cases where they’re also the founder of the organisation, but that doesn’t apply to footy clubs)

 

[76woodenspooners]

Wright has only been at the club for 3 years + a 6 month consultancy during a sabbatical …

… but it has been an extremely tumultuous period.

He’s served under 3 Presidents (the President who recruited him him was out the door within a few months of him starting), 2 CEO’s (Wright serving as acting CEO during the gap in between), and transitioned one senior coach out and ran the process to bring the new one in. The list manager left and then Wright did the job himself on the side - and by all occounts our salary cap is in good shape. The assistant coaching panel and structure was completely overhauled. The women’s program started under Wrighty’s remit and he worked to hand that over to its own structure.

It’s indisputable that he’s left the joint in a far better state than when he started. In only 3 years.

Good luck to him.

 

[jimmy35]

I'm not really understanding the consternation about his sabbatical among some of our fans and the media.

Wright tried to offer his resignation in December last year, citing burnout. Jeff Browne, recognising that Wright is an elite football manager, devised the plan to have Wright take the year off and travel overseas in the hopes it would refresh him.

It was a gamble that didn't pay off. But I like the club attempting something left-field (for a football club) to try and retain good staff.

And frankly, Wright was instrumental in us getting #16 - first with recruiting Fly and then with our list decisions to bring in key cogs. He earnt the right to take leave.

Spot on

 

[jmac70]

Just putting this out there…

If I had to choose between Kelly and Wright, I’d pick Wright.

 

[Anzacday]

Apparently the tension between the two only started during this season

I’ll add to the theories.
Wrighty wants to be a CEO apparently.
He takes a sabbatical in December, we appoint Ned in January.

Edit: Got the years wrong

 

[Go Woods]

It's a shame, thought we had a great one,two punch with Kelly and Wright in their roles running the club/footy ops.

 

[jathanas]

Apparently the tension between the two only started during this season. I wonder if that tension had something to do with Wrighty telling Ned that he still was unsure of returning to the club, whilst in the meantime the club has reshuffled the footy department roles to accommodate Wrighty's return to the club, which now we know, was a waste of time...

We can speculate.

"Tension" can be interpreted 1000 ways.

The only safe bet would be that it wasn't sexual.

 

[jathanas]

Just putting this out there…

If I had to choose between Kelly and Wright, I’d pick Wright.

I agree but only with regards to the specific needs of the club.

We shouldn't be downplaying how successful Kelly has been. Most clubs would have rolled out the red carpet for him.

 

[NMBB]

We can speculate.

"Tension" can be interpreted 1000 ways.

The only safe bet would be that it wasn't sexual.

A Sth Australian known pincher vs a more introverted Tasmanian possum admirer?

 

[Anzacday]

I’ve suggested Daly

I broke my own rule and watched FC, (on replay).
Caro mentioned we’d sounded him out.

 

[Roverjg]

Is Ned becoming an issue within the club?

GW was no fuss - low key. Nothing about Ned (Ed) is low key

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[Roverjg]

I’ll add to the theories.
Wrighty wants to be a CEO apparently.
He takes a sabbatical in December, we appoint Ned in January.

Um. Kelly was appointed in Jan 2023 and GW took a sabbatical in Feb 2024

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[Bianconeri]

I don't get it. What would be the advantage to the club of pretending he was going to come back?

I find that question needs to be asked a lot in relation to how Collingwood deal with the media.

 

[BEEG]

'inarguable' .. i suppose that's accurate given the closed 'blast from the past' JFTB process adopted by the board resulted in no other 'great' candidates being canvassed

According to Nial and Gleeson from the Age, perhaps the inarguable may be somewhat arguable ..

"Tensions between Wright and chief executive Craig Kelly, a 1990 premiership teammate, were among the factors that have led to the decision to leave the club, as the Pies appear certain to seek an outsider to replace Wright, who has already been sounded by the AFL and other clubs about potential positions."

And like i say, if there's a skerrick of substance in the allegations about to play out in court, that 'inarguable no brainer' will quickly become 'arguably a brainless decision' of the highest order

IMO, we didn't need an over-qualified no brainer CEO to turn the club around but we most definitely needed (and still need) a best-in-class, premiership credentialed GM of footy

reckon it's highly dubious we have the former and highly certain, we now don't have the latter

I have heard Kelly has issues with a few at the club and some sponsors.

First hand from one high up member of company who is currently a sponsor.

Browne all class from the same person.

 

[Vicky Park]

Not the first time ive heard that. I don't think they've gotten along for a while now.

For a while? Kelly arrived at Collingwood in January 23, and Wright resigned in December 23 (but left in March 24).

So barely a year of working together - admittedly with a flag achieved in that timeframe.

Maybe they were not on the same wavelength? I really hope there is nothing in this.

And I’d better stop implying a problem on Kelly’s part, because I’ll get into trouble.

 

[Cyclops]

Well done Graeme Wright on a short but successful stint at the Pies and have a happy retirement. Most likely he has a boit of burn out from being in the game for so many decades.

If he has left because of Kelly then sack Kelly. I'm far more fond of Ned than Wrighty from his time as a player but I'm told Cement Head is a big headed knob. I suspect he isn't guilty of racism per se, but quite capable of being an offensive twit.

 

[Vicky Park]

The women’s program started under Wrighty’s remit and he worked to hand that over to its own structure.

No 76, the women’s program (AFLW) was set up near the end of 2016, to enable us to field an AFLW team for the inaugural season in 2017. Years before Wright came to the club.

 

[Anzacday]

Um. Kelly was appointed in Jan 2023 and GW took a sabbatical in Feb 2024

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Well spotted.
Ok, Wrighty tried to stick out as a non CEO and couldn’t

 

[76woodenspooners]

No 76, the women’s program (AFLW) was set up near the end of 2016, to enable us to field an AFLW team for the inaugural season in 2017. Years before Wright came to the club.

True, but IIRC …

… the exec in charge of the men’s program (Allen, Walsh) was also the exec in charge of the women’s program - but during Wright’s tenure that changed so that the AFLW program got its own executive

 

[Scodog10]

I broke my own rule and watched FC, (on replay).
Caro mentioned we’d sounded him out.

At the very least that sounds to me like we’re going to go hard at this. I wonder if Richo will also be on the list. Surely he’s sick of working with Pert!

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

For a while? Kelly arrived at Collingwood in January 23, and Wright resigned in December 23 (but left in March 24).

So barely a year of working together - admittedly with a flag achieved in that timeframe.

Maybe they were not on the same wavelength? I really hope there is nothing in this.

And I’d better stop implying a problem on Kelly’s part, because I’ll get into trouble.

Maybe they disagreed on the Schultz deal too..

 

[Harry O]

For a while? Kelly arrived at Collingwood in January 23, and Wright resigned in December 23 (but left in March 24).

So barely a year of working together - admittedly with a flag achieved in that timeframe.

Maybe they were not on the same wavelength? I really hope there is nothing in this.

And I’d better stop implying a problem on Kelly’s part, because I’ll get into trouble.

Ned and Wrighty have been close mates for 30 odd years. Wouldn’t take much notice of Carl’s guess work