I may have to go back to Caro’s articles as i dont recall specific details at that time of board meetings? She sacked him once prematurely which i have no doubt Little was likely too at one time but i dont recall board infirmation in details. Will look back and see
I am very confident there has been no leaks from the board since election in late 2014. Period
I think you’re correct that their were leaks in that time … and I agree totally with the nightmare that was the 2014 Crichton. I was there and it was awful.
What I think you’ll find though is that all the leaks stopped after the elections in late 2014 when Paul and Katie came on board.
It was, in fact, the night I decided to run for the board. Seeing the newspaper outside my hotel room was the moment I knew there was a disconnect between where my club was heading and what I wanted it to be.
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The Crichton you’re talking about was 2014, which was before Katie and Paul were on the board
Which is why I put the qualifier up front in the post.
There were leaks of Board deliberations in 2015.
proof? the actual articles?
We were fielding a noncompetitive team that was absolutely smashed by injuries. The 100 point losses were completely predictable and should have been treated as irrelevant to Hird’s tenure. There was relentless pressure being applied to the club and players by the AFL through it’s media whorehounds to get their desired end result.
But none of this equates to it being just, reasonable or necessary to sack the coach. We understand why the club caved in to the AFL’s power, but we were also victims of our own poor management throughout an incredibly complex period.
Regardless of this, we again failed Hird in the post sacking period. Don’t we have support structures to help players through the post-footy period? What about for coaches that have been assaulted in the media and by the public for 4 years? What we thought we could just sack him, bow down to our AFL masters,and pretend everything is OK? There are a few things that are far more important than winning games of footy; living true to our values should have been one of them.
Eventually the mist would have cleared regardless of whether Hird or Worsfold or someone else was the coach. We only have to look at the ARL and Cronulla to see a better way of managing a similar situation.
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Sorry thats just not true re injuries resulting in the 100 point losses. Have a chat to club counsellours at the time on some key player meetings at end of 2015. Actually read timeline of Hockings article on AFL website recently which was the first time this had been brought up. See below
“The continuous barrage of questions and the fear of getting something wrong or saying something you’re not supposed to led to an anxious walk to into the club each day.
During the year, the continual stress of rocking up to cameras and inquiries about things we were all still grappling with wasn’t ideal for my mental health.
n late 2015, we had a team meeting and some general conversations started where a few teammates opened up about their troubles and I remember one player saying he got help outside of footy.
That was the turning point for me. Hearing a colleague — who is a teammate and a friend — say that really broke down that superman persona that AFL players have and I thought if they’re getting help, maybe it will help me. Seeing it work for them was the catalyst for me deciding to get some help.“ Hocking
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It occurs to me, that the better your social media communication skills, the greater your chance of election to the board, particularly when only a very small percentage of members vote.
A rather important single skill to have, I’d say.
Anybody who disagrees with what he just wrote is a fool.
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Well AN, I am no fool, and I do not agree or disagree with what CJohns posted.
That is the issue; we have no idea of the truth, and hence in a vacuum, we believe what suits our own agendas. It was an emotional event, but it not believable the way it was presented. Now over two years on, perhaps the truth should be formalised to clear up any conspiracy theories.
I think the average supporter would just prefer we move on rather than dredge up the past.
It was a horrible time for the club but we are entering what should be a successful period of our history on many levels.
Time to enjoy it.
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All the above in your post is why I said there was relentless pressure being applied to the club (by AFL and media). We also saw in in 2013 how the media pressure eventually led to emotional burn out within the playing group. So together with the injury toll in 2015, the on-field performance was absolutely understandable and nothing to do with the coaching group not doing their jobs.
My only point is that there are always alternatives. This (thread) is about Board decisions. Consider -
- Jackson Taylor chose to take legal action against the AFL; EFC did not.
- Bruce Francis chose to examine & publish detailed analysis regarding ‘problems’ with AFL, ASADA, CAS, media actions; the club kept quiet.
- Morgan chose to hit the media and explain the reasons why the CAS decision was unjust; the club provided a one line statement (agreeing).
- Cronulla kept their coach; we sacked ours (or the Board withdrew their support with the same effect).
- When the captain, coach and players were getting hammered in the media and at matches - our Board were quiet rather than countering the hysteria with facts.
- Our Board are now looking forward totally focused on the next premiership; whereas it is J34 who are fighting to right past wrongs.
I am not saying what the correct decision was/is in any of these situations. But I hope that the candidates have all reflected on these issues as they may be required to make critical decisions in real time during other kinds of crises in future.
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As I understand it, the announcement of the appeal to CAS and the process had a devastating effect on the playing group, compounded by the ongoing destabilisation of Hird from some within the club.
I have no doubt the club and the coteries, together with the AFLPA , provided substantial support to the players.
More recently, it has been made clear that Hird is welcome back to the club and that it has been his choice to stay away, but it would not have helped when earlier messages were being sent through the media that he was welcome back, but not just yet, while Evans presence at the club was being promoted through the media.
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It was a Board member.
Football clubs aren’t ASX listed companies. He actually has more experience in the industry than any of the other incumbents.
Exactly the attitude that resulted in the Saga. EXACTLY
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What attitude is that? To recognise that a football club is not an ASX listed company and therefore the make up of the Board does not have to reflect this? We aren’t a pension fund. We’re a football club, a community institution.
Hird got the lemon because we were getting flogged week in week out and the playing group needed some pressure off them before they went insane. It’s not hard to figure out. The correct call was made 100%
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