Members urged to have their say

[Spikey]

She's actually a Collingwood member trying to bring the Club down!

What? Someone had to say it.

 

[Longy413]

Spot on, the reason I want Horsburgh gone.

Rachael may be OK in time, but she is new to the club & I doubt knows the real passion that supporters have. At least Bev Knight's been a long time supporter & loves her footy.

But Ray Horsburgh has been a long time supporter and loves his footy.


Anyone voting because on the notion of passion is assisting in dragging our club backwards.

Football is a business, a huge one. Anyone pretending it isn't is kidding themselves.

I want the best business people running our club, not the bloke (or woman) who is going to come and have a pot with me at half time.

I don't think Rachel is that, but at least she had the conviction to put herself out there and stick to her guns.

 

[Jesse Custer]

But Ray Horsburgh has been a long time supporter and loves his footy.

Does that mean his good at what he does ?

 

[pazza]

But Ray Horsburgh has been a long time supporter and loves his footy.


Anyone voting because on the notion of passion is assisting in dragging our club backwards.

Football is a business, a huge one. Anyone pretending it isn't is kidding themselves.

I want the best business people running our club, not the bloke (or woman) who is going to come and have a pot with me at half time.

I don't think Rachel is that, but at least she had the conviction to put herself out there and stick to her guns.

The board does seem incredibly unbalanced.

12 members - 2 from the football side...the other 10 from the business side. Where are we under-represented? That's right, the average member who is in the outer. Sometimes, by bringing in passionate supporters who want to see success come both on and off-field, can bring in new ideas to make it happen. But, those people have no chance of being voted onto the board, because they aren't "connected".

Where's our version of Irene Chatfield for instance?

 

[Longy413]

Does that mean his good at what he does ?

No, but according to Mantis, that seems to be enough.

12 members - 2 from the football side...the other 10 from the business side. Where are we under-represented? That's right, the average member who is in the outer.

What were these people before they became board members?

They weren't hired, they were members/supporters.

 

[made from beer]

So have millions of supporters, is it passion or a football side to follow ?

Mantis knows what she is talking about i can assure you.

Who knows whether rachel is passionate or a follower in your terms? i don't know her personally and not sure if many (if any) here do. millions don't have the balls to stand up for the committee and put there skills out there for the good of the club.
mantis only knows what we know in terms of rachels background etc its seems, thats all i was questioning her on. . .

 

[pazza]

No, but according to Mantis, that seems to be enough.

What were these people before they became board members?

They weren't hired, they were members/supporters.

The question is..were they?

Look at the list of names in our coterie groups. Many are repeated 2/3 times over (if not more). The club only forms part of the connection...but, their connections carry a lot of weight. In affect they used their "position" to get the numbers to vote them in.

The average member or supporter doesn't have such connections. Some may be a part of the Dick Reynolds Club or the Essendon Women's Network, but, that is as far as it goes.

Where are the blokes or ladies who went out to Windy Hill as kids and stood on their Dad's shoulders (who were standing on a ready supply of full beer cans that emptied as the day went on)? It would be great for the club that one day, someone like that (like a number of us in here who fit that description pretty well) would be on the board, representing the fans. It's like that I think it is long overdue that the AFL Commission, instead of being filled with the "suits" have fans representatives on it. Give the fans what they want - not what they have to put up with.

 

[stugots]

& what would the average member/supporter want from the club that they dont get now?

i really cant think of anything i need, desperately or otherwise, the EFC to provide for me, other than perhaps a bit more transparency in player issues (which i often wonder if i am entitled too anyway)

as long as i can see the club moving forward on & off the park, as long as there are no regular debacles such as last years embarrassing effort, & as long as i pay up my membership each year & dont find myself in the position of having to go out rattling a tin every other weekend to help keep the club afloat, i guess i am happy

perhaps there could be a maximum term set for board membership to help avoid stagnation, say 8-10 years or so?

& ps youve got my vote Rachael, time for some fresh faces

 

[Longy413]

Where are the blokes or ladies who went out to Windy Hill as kids and stood on their Dad's shoulders (who were standing on a ready supply of full beer cans that emptied as the day went on)?

That is were these guys and girls came from.

They weren't born in coterie groups, they were born Essendon fans.

They combined their business success with their passion.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I agree 100% with Longy.

 

[mantis]

The question is..were they?

Look at the list of names in our coterie groups. Many are repeated 2/3 times over (if not more). The club only forms part of the connection...but, their connections carry a lot of weight. In affect they used their "position" to get the numbers to vote them in.

The average member or supporter doesn't have such connections. Some may be a part of the Dick Reynolds Club or the Essendon Women's Network, but, that is as far as it goes.

Where are the blokes or ladies who went out to Windy Hill as kids and stood on their Dad's shoulders (who were standing on a ready supply of full beer cans that emptied as the day went on)? It would be great for the club that one day, someone like that (like a number of us in here who fit that description pretty well) would be on the board, representing the fans. It's like that I think it is long overdue that the AFL Commission, instead of being filled with the "suits" have fans representatives on it. Give the fans what they want - not what they have to put up with.

Brilliant post Pazza. Unfortuantely this "corporation" attitude, is turning many people off footy. Sure we need some suits, but these days the balance of power lies with them & the supporters are treated as nothing more than cash cows, they don't give a shit what we want.

 

[mantis]

That is were these guys and girls came from.

They weren't born in coterie groups, they were born Essendon fans.

They combined their business success with their passion.

Were they? Seems Rachael wasn't, as she's only been a member for 5 years.

 

[tess]

Sorry to intrude peeps, but at Collingwood only Social Club members have a vote. I'm just wondering if this is the same at Windy Hill?

 

[Kong]

Were they? Seems Rachael wasn't, as she's only been a member for 5 years.

i've never been a member in my 20 years, so are you telling me i haven't supported the bombers? (for the record, next year will be my first year).

 

[Longy413]

Unfortuantely this "corporation" attitude, is turning many people off footy.

Crowds and membership figures are up, might be turning some people away, but this corporation attitude is paying for a better product, demanding a better product, and in return more and more people are going to the footy.

but these days the balance of power lies with them

That's because they have the skills to run a multi-million dollar business.
Without those skills, there is nothing at all to give back to the supporters.

they don't give a shit what we want.

Don't they?

It's these people that have built a business that have given our supporters the opportunity to retain our links to Windy Hill, the Hall of Fame etc.

What do we want?
A successful footy club?
We've got one.

Giving back to the supporters has done nothing for Melbourne and the Bulldogs.

Were they? Seems Rachael wasn't, as she's only been a member for 5 years.

I'd hate to talk for her, but I'm tipping she didn't run for the board for the fun of it.

You could have done that.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Football is a business, a huge one. Anyone pretending it isn't is kidding themselves.

I want the best business people running our club, not the bloke (or woman) who is going to come and have a pot with me at half time.

That's absolutely spot on Longy, couldn't agree more with regards to those comments.

 

[stander]

That's absolutely spot on Longy, couldn't agree more with regards to those comments.

Don't get too carried away- EFC at $35m t/over per year is only a small to medium enterprise, which is why they have T.Auld slotted in as the next MD; he's not exactly the best in the business, but a committed servant..

 

[stander]

Crowds and membership figures are up, might be turning some people away, but this corporation attitude is paying for a better product, demanding a better product, and in return more and more people are going to the footy.You could have done that.

If the better product you are talking about is out on the ground, have another look Longy413.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Don't get too carried away- EFC at $35m t/over per year is only a small to medium enterprise..

I got the feeling he was talking about football as a whole in the first paragraph I quoted. Times that amount mentioned by sixteen and that's a pretty big sum.

 

[mantis]

If the better product you are talking about is out on the ground, have another look Longy413.

SNAP, OH wow, we have heaps of money, just a shame it isn't helping our on field performance, maybe that's the problem, they are focusing too much on off field success.

Edited to add, look at the Pies, a huge success business wise, but when was their last success on the field?

 

[Longy413]

SNAP, OH wow, we have heaps of money, just a shame it isn't helping our on field performance, maybe that's the problem, they are focusing too much on off field success.

How successful would we be with part time coaches?
How successful would we be if we were paying 92% of the salary cap?

Off field success gives you a chance.

Edited to add, look at the Pies, a huge success business wise, but when was their last success on the field?

Only one team can win the flag in any given year and Collingwood have played off in Grand Finals, Prelim Finals, Semi Finals in recent years. They've had a lot of on field success.

Just because you don't win a flag, doesn't mean you aren't successful.
On the other hand, Richmond, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs have spent a lot of time down the bottom.

Carlton have proven a well run business, improves on field results. It improves the quality of coaches, of fitness staff, of equipment, facilities.

The last three flags were all won by massive franchises.

What would the common supporter have to add to a board?

"I want us to win a flag"

Well no shit, the board is no different.

 

[M29]

Iced actually.

Ah very good.

If only I had been a 20 year member like yourself, however, I don’t believe there is any relevance on how long you may have been financial.

Neither do. I am aware of other clubs that have board members that have never been members of their respective clubs. I just found it interesting.

I have supported the club all my life, probably like you, and I am prepared to put myself forward for election and do what I can as a director, and you?

Me? These days, I'm prepared to go to games sober.

I can't really bring anything to the club at the board room level. Though I am proficient with Word, Excel, and Powerpoint presentations.

Good luck with your campaign.

 

[mantis]

How successful would we be with part time coaches?
How successful would we be if we were paying 92% of the salary cap?

Off field success gives you a chance.



Only one team can win the flag in any given year and Collingwood have played off in Grand Finals, Prelim Finals, Semi Finals in recent years. They've had a lot of on field success.

Just because you don't win a flag, doesn't mean you aren't successful.
On the other hand, Richmond, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs have spent a lot of time down the bottom.

Carlton have proven a well run business, improves on field results. It improves the quality of coaches, of fitness staff, of equipment, facilities.

The last three flags were all won by massive franchises.

What would the common supporter have to add to a board?

"I want us to win a flag"

Well no shit, the board is no different.

The only success is winning a Premiership, being also rans means zilch.

If you can be successful without winning a flag, then maybe we should be following the Dees, Bulldogs & Saints,.

 

[GoDons]

SNAP, OH wow, we have heaps of money, just a shame it isn't helping our on field performance, maybe that's the problem, they are focusing too much on off field success.

Edited to add, look at the Pies, a huge success business wise, but when was their last success on the field?

Off field success gives you the best opportunity for success.

At the end of the day, there's nothing the board can do for our on field success but attract the best coaches, the best scouts, pay the players as much as possible and provide the best facilities. How do they do that? By means of off field success. It's this that's probably kept the Pies up in recent years. They don't have the cattle, but they've got the facilities and the coaches to get them up.

Premierships aren't something you can plan for off the field. You need luck. You need the risk on a young indigenous forward with attitude problems at pick 5 to come off, you need a guy you picked at 79 in the draft to be the player of his generation, you need a father/son draftee to graduate to the best midfielder in the game. There's nothing the board can do about that.

Our off field success has given us some excellent opportunities for on field success going forward. We attracted Alan Richardson from Collingwood, an unbelievable get. We snared Paul Hamilton for our football department. We trialled two kids from Ireland, one of which will be on our rookie list next year. We've added a number of people to our fitness department.

Off field success is massive, it's not just about 22 guys turning up for a game of footy on the weekend.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Spot on GD. I couldn't agree more.