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

 

[ghostdog]

It's highly likely Scott will be sabotaged if all these guys are on board, hard not to think that. If Dodoro comes back that will be it for me, for a good while at the very least. Even our VFL team looked far better with the talent Rosa pulled in, he did this in a small timeframe given when he started.

Ugh. If Dodoro returns I might follow GWS... for a while.

 

[DERO]

As a 2024 member, you are eligible to vote in the 2024 Essendon Football Club Board Election. Your eligibility to vote has been determined in accordance with the Constitution of the Essendon Football Club.

Ballot period
Voting will open at 9am AEDT Tuesday, 3 December 2024 and close at 5pm AEDT Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

How to vote
You will be able to cast your vote online. You will only be able to vote once, and your vote will be registered anonymously.

What do I need to vote?
In order to vote online you will require your Voter Access Code and your Essendon Football Club Membership Number. Your Voter Access Code and link to the voting portal will be sent via email at the time the vote opens.

The same email will also include instructions for voting online in the Club Constitution Amendment Ballot (which will be conducted concurrently with the 2024 Board Election ballot), if you wish to do so.

Election Information
Following the conclusion of the nomination process, the Club has received three (5) nominations for the two (2) positions available on the Board. In accordance with the Constitution of the Essendon Football Club, an election is required to determine these positions.

The candidates for election are:

• Dean Solomon
• Melissa Verner Green*
• David Barham*
• Paul Weston
• Luke Maxfield

The order of the candidates as they appear above has been determined by lot by the independent Deputy Returning Officer. The asterisks (*) indicate current Board Members standing for election.

Candidate statements are available to be viewed here.

Who is conducting the ballot process?
CorpVote Pty Ltd is independently conducting this voting process. CorpVote has been appointed by the Club to protect your privacy and ensure a fair voting process. Voting instructions and information will be sent to you by CorpVote, and all votes are submitted via their secure system. This is a secret ballot process.

Election Results
The two candidates with the highest number of votes cast are elected. The result will be declared at the 2024 Essendon Football Club Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 18 December 2024.

 

[Yoda_]

Who is Luke Maxfield?

 

[Old Campaigner]

How good is it when past players stay in their lane, maybe coach a bit of local footy and show up every few years for a flag reunion or coterie function, and not try to upend the board because of factional bullshit and some meat headed 80s perception of how footy should be played

 

[faible]

I don't mind having a past player on the board if they have relevant experience to bring to the board. Being a past player or coach has fairly limited relevance to a board of directors role IMO, you're not there to play or coach, you're there to oversee the organisation and facilitate the football department doing their thing.

Aside from 'good bloke' what does Solomon bring that someone else doesn't? Do we need it? We've already got Welsh as a past player.

It's a no from me.

 

[DapperDon]

Ugh. If Dodoro returns I might follow GWS... for a while.

Honestly, if Dodoro even looks like returning I'm done.

Not Big Footy done, actual Essendon done.

You'll see me around as DapperSaint

 

[Nicholas61]

Ugh. If Dodoro returns I might follow GWS... for a while.

It would be unheard of in the history of any top level sport that a guy with his poor record and length of tenure comes back again - but it wouldn't surprise with all the machinations, him working with Hird at Port and the esteem he seems to be held in by the Sheedy faction.

 

[Nicholas61]

Honestly, if Dodoro even looks like returning I'm done.

I understand - it is to protect one's own sanity. Finally we have a guy (Rosa) with the most important job of managing the list who looks competent and non smug then the club looks like it will implode. When Weston talks about the lack of success it seems partially targeted at Scott and the recent changes, and not at the common denominator of a couple of decades of failure - Dodoro.

 

[dank420_]

How good is it when past players stay in their lane, maybe coach a bit of local footy and show up every few years for a flag reunion or coterie function, and not try to upend the board because of factional bullshit and some meat headed 80s perception of how footy should be played

and get really fat

 

[Old Campaigner]

Honestly, if Dodoro even looks like returning I'm done.

Not Big Footy done, actual Essendon done.

You'll see me around as DapperSaint

I think I’d migrate to the norf board and join them in shitposting in their Essendon thread

 

[jmoo wan]

i think everyone’s jumping at shadows a bit

 

[DapperDon]

i think everyone’s jumping at shadows a bit

Is Dodoro in the shadows?

 

[Old Campaigner]

i think everyone’s jumping at shadows a bit

PTSD from the last 20 years will do that

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I'm old fashined - where I don't want my board involved with anyting football department related.

Just shake hands, secure sponsorships and kiss babies, thanks.

Most boards function best with pretty much a single expert in each key area of the business as it gives the board the expertise to conduct the right oversight as a group with a key board member able to guide oversight on each area. Then with a president to oversee it.

For example at a footy club you would probably want an expert each in football, governance, communication, finance, events, sponsorship and membership.

That's probably close to an ideal board, with a president overseeing it.

Other "general" board members can be superfluous, muddy the waters and stick their nose in where it isn't really required. They see their role as just kinda "running the club" so it can attract people who think they know everything, such as Sheedy.

If I'm president I'm looking sharply at what each board member has expertise in and how that pertains to the club. Then where there's gaps in skill-sets, look to fill them.

I certainly don't need three finance guys or four footy guys (ex coaches and players). Ideally I need one of each to help us provide oversight over the footy department and the finances, which is our job.

That's the ideal - unfortunately though it becomes political, people see the roles as a prize, and ask how it can help and further them rather than the club. They become figureheads for those wanting to wield power and it goes from there. And it’s voted by mostly nuffies.

At the moment we have

Welsh - Footy
Wills - Finance
Hisgrove - She's a HR person?
Muir - he's a retailer?
O'Sullivan - Wagering and entertainment?
Roberts - Property
Verner Green - Media
Howard - Lawyer

I mean they all have transferable skills of course but there's a few I'd be questioning what they're bringing. "I've been a CEO"... yeah great...

I'd be looking to Barham to tell us who he wants on his board and why. These are the people I endorse and the actual experience they bring to help the club.

Solomon's whole history is footy so unless he is replacing Welsh we have zero need for him. He will add precisely nothing.

I really don't know what Weston's background is. He seems to just talk about "premiership experience" or some such bullshit. Again, I have no idea what he's bringing.

From everything both of them say, they sound like they want to be coaches, not board members.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Most boards function best with pretty much a single expert in each key area of the business as it gives the board the expertise to conduct the right oversight as a group with a key board member able to guide oversight on each area. Then with a president to oversee it.

For example at a footy club you would probably want an expert each in football, governance, communication, finance, events, sponsorship and membership.

That's probably close to an ideal board, with a president overseeing it.

Other "general" board members can be superfluous, muddy the waters and stick their nose in where it isn't really required. They see their role as just kinda "running the club" so it can attract people who think they know everything, such as Sheedy.

If I'm president I'm looking sharply at what each board member has expertise in and how that pertains to the club. Then where there's gaps in skill-sets, look to fill them.

I certainly don't need three finance guys or four footy guys (ex coaches and players). Ideally I need one of each to help us provide oversight over the footy department and the finances, which is our job.

That's the ideal - unfortunately though it becomes political, people see the roles as a prize, and ask how it can help and further them rather than the club. They become figureheads for those wanting to wield power and it goes from there. And it’s voted by mostly nuffies.

At the moment we have

Welsh - Footy
Wills - Finance
Hisgrove - She's a HR person?
Muir - he's a retailer?
O'Sullivan - Wagering and entertainment?
Roberts - Property
Verner Green - Media
Howard - Lawyer

I mean they all have transferable skills of course but there's a few I'd be questioning what they're bringing. "I've been a CEO"... yeah great...

I'd be looking to Barham to tell us who he wants on his board and why. These are the people I endorse and the actual experience they bring to help the club.

Solomon's whole history is footy so unless he is replacing Welsh we have zero need for him. He will add precisely nothing.

I really don't know what Weston's background is. He seems to just talk about "premiership experience" or some such bullshit. Again, I have no idea what he's bringing.

From everything both of them say, they sound like they want to be coaches, not board members.

Generalised business acumen is important too, as is an understanding of sound governance practices. You don’t need to be an expert in a particular area to question decision making processes etc by the executive.

I believe having at least one but ideally a few independent directors is important as well, maybe someone who isn’t a lifelong fan who doesn’t have any emotional attachment and can see through the bullshit from the likes of Sheedy.

I share your concern that Solomon and Weston, they seem like they want to be too hands on. Solomon looks like his post footy career has mostly just been coaching with little notable success, while Weston has apparently spent the last 7 years as a self employed regional sales director and before that a BDM at some publisher… neither inspires a huge amount of confidence

 

[Lore]

https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/Essendon/Hero/EFC%20Board%20Skills.pdf

These are the areas of expertise for the EFC board and how many directors they want for each.

The nomination form also requires them to nominate what expertise they have… but I’ve no idea how they enforce that and prevent duplication…

 

[Old Campaigner]

That’s probably why they have the rule about being able to appoint directors- so they can get some finance expertise on the board if the nuffs elect a bunch of CTE affected ex players with no useful knowledge

 

[Milanista28]

Weston and Soloman get in, Welsh becomes Pres, we finish 14th with a record like 7-16...

Is Scott coaching in 2026?

People start talking about James Hird...

We've been a circus for a while, and we're on the precipice of something truly special, even for us.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Weston and Soloman get in, Welsh becomes Pres, we finish 14th with a record like 7-16...

Is Scott coaching in 2026?

People start talking about James Hird...

We've been a circus for a while, and we're on the precipice of something truly special, even for us.

I looked at blitz after ages as was curious how the vibe was there. Hopefully the vote is more in line with the vibe here than on blitz/the comment section for the original article from Robbo, as they seem way more on board with Westons "Make Essendon Great Again" pitch than we are.

 

[The Donners]

I don't mind having a past player on the board if they have relevant experience to bring to the board. Being a past player or coach has fairly limited relevance to a board of directors role IMO, you're not there to play or coach, you're there to oversee the organisation and facilitate the football department doing their thing.

Aside from 'good bloke' what does Solomon bring that someone else doesn't? Do we need it? We've already got Welsh as a past player.

It's a no from me.

I think 1 person on the board fits the quota of past players - unless their certain skill they bring to the board is beyond football.

 

[Donflicted]

I am going to say this

If you do not vote for David Barham you are one of the Problems.

David Barham nor Brad Scott Nor Vozzo are responsible for the past 20 years of issues.

Brad Scott got a botched list that was built like a child collecting Pokemon cards

If David Barham isnt backed in i am done with the Dons

 

[84859300]

Honestly, if Dodoro even looks like returning I'm done.

Not Big Footy done, actual Essendon done.

You'll see me around as DapperSaint

Not DapperDevil?

I mean, it writes itself...

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I looked at blitz after ages as was curious how the vibe was there. Hopefully the vote is more in line with the vibe here than on blitz/the comment section for the original article from Robbo, as they seem way more on board with Westons "Make Essendon Great Again" pitch than we are.

Nuffies on bomber blitz, well I never

 

[Nicholas61]

Weston and Soloman get in, Welsh becomes Pres, we finish 14th with a record like 7-16...

Is Scott coaching in 2026?

People start talking about James Hird...

We've been a circus for a while, and we're on the precipice of something truly special, even for us.

The other scenario if we look like we are making progress especially under an old enemy like Scott - does sabotage take place? With Sheeds' ego and probably Hird too, I doubt they are happy unless they are the ones who in one way or another take us to the land of milk and honey. Also Sheeds' announced exit (15th Aug) then Dodoro taking personal leave (16th Aug) when the current heirarchy had enough of the latter I don't think there is coincidence here.

 

[ant555]

Weston and Soloman get in, Welsh becomes Pres, we finish 14th with a record like 7-16...

Is Scott coaching in 2026?

People start talking about James Hird...

We've been a circus for a while, and we're on the precipice of something truly special, even for us.

This is exactly the angle. Robbo and Sheedy and the Hird for coach fan club including some coterie members are pushing Western up as a candidate in the hope the between Western and Solly they can remove Barham form the board and be in a position to sack Scott if we do not play finals next year.