I have once again been moved to nominate for the EFC Board.
We need to continue with rejuvenating our GREAT CLUB with the injection of new people. EFC needs individuals to challenge ideas/views when required to reach the best outcome, not the expected one. It’s obvious in the recent past there has been some unhealthy relationships at board level. We need new board members who aren’t affiliated with other board members.
Once again, I believe I have the skill set to add value to our board & I would love the opportunity to serve our club, commencing within our membership team.
There has been a clear disconnect amongst our rank & file supporters & our club. This is evident with clubs like Richmond who have surpassed us significantly in memberships, yet have not played in a GF since 1982. Excluding the past 3 years, they also appeared in less finals than Fitzroy who haven’t been in the AFL for near on 20 years. Collingwood have enjoyed similar success to us over the same period, however they too have overtaken us significantly in the membership stakes.
Deliverables:-
The board needs to be more accessible to rank & file members.
We need to organise functions that all supporters/members can afford to take their families to (not everything needs to be at The Crown @ $250 p/head).
Invite members to visit our facilities free of charge.
Regular forums where members can be updated. I’ve been communicating with the club to do this for the past 3 seasons. It was pleasing to see one held this year.
More accountability at board level (financial, football department, etc).
Develop strategies to have more supporters/members attend games. With 60K members & many more not signed, Etihad should be sold out every home game.
Campaign for more home MCG games.
My extreme passion for our club has fuelled my desire to run again to restore our position as No.1 within the AFL. Notably, I’m the only nominee from last year with the drive to do so.
I welcome your questions & look forward to your support.
Hi Nick
Here are the questions I am putting to all the candidates
Welcome to Blitz
I am interested in
where in non-football terms you think the club should be heading in the next few years?
what do you think the club needs to do to improve its operations not just football in the future?
your thoughts on communication strategies that have been employed in the past three years and if and how they could have been improved and improved into the future?
What are your thoughts on making the board more accountable to the members in terms of reasons for decision making, and how can this be achieved?
What are your thoughts on having a comprehensive review of the actions of the board in relation to the SAGA over the past three-four years?
I’ve worked for a number of large Australian manufacturing companies in varying sales & marketing roles. In recent times, I’ve been involved with mergers & acquisitions, namely conducting the relevant due diligence required.
We need to continue growing & engaging with local communities. As a club we also need to establish our own Essendon Football Academy, designed to nurture young talent in a football & also in a corporate sense. The intent would be to have large corporations sponsor this academy & in turn offer cadets work opportunities. This will bring varying professional organisations closer to our club. Greater communication is required through member forums & board members need to become more accessible to their members. Board members should man the phones. This can be rotated amongst the 10 member board. A lot of the communication over the past 3 years has been reactive & not proactive. This is why regular forums should be introduced (possibly 1 p/quarter). These forum dates should be communicated well in advance.
Finally, I believe each board members position should be for 2 years & not 3. After 2 terms, they relinquish their position. This will increase accountability & work ethic.
Hi Nick
Here are the questions I am putting to all the candidates
Welcome to Blitz
I am interested in
where in non-football terms you think the club should be heading in the next few years?
what do you think the club needs to do to improve its operations not just football in the future?
your thoughts on communication strategies that have been employed in the past three years and if and how they could have been improved and improved into the future?
What are your thoughts on making the board more accountable to the members in terms of reasons for decision making, and how can this be achieved?
What are your thoughts on having a comprehensive review of the actions of the board in relation to the SAGA over the past three-four years?
What are your thoughts on having a comprehensive review of the actions of the board in relation to the SAGA over the past three-four years?
Scorpio,
We have endured a long, exhausting rollercoaster of emotions period. If I was to put the emotiveness to one side, I’d say it’s time we move on. One way of moving on, is ensuring there is no one on the board that was part of that period.
In your intro you mentioned it was obvious that there were some unhealthy relationships at board level…
Could you expand on that please?
Hi Darli,
Unhealthy in the form of too many like minded people, that didn’t challenge one another. There was a period there where it seemed to be one big boys club with no one stepping out of line or offering a diverse/challenging opinion. This eventually steamrolls into a series of bad decisions, bad appointments, a dysfunctional football department & eventually impacting players ability to perform their trade without distractions.
In your intro you mentioned it was obvious that there were some unhealthy relationships at board level…
Could you expand on that please?
Hi Darli,
Unhealthy in the form of too many like minded people, that didn’t challenge one another. There was a period there where it seemed to be one big boys club with no one stepping out of line or offering a diverse/challenging opinion. This eventually steamrolls into a series of bad decisions, bad appointments, a dysfunctional football department & eventually impacting players ability to perform their trade without distractions.
Are you referring to the current board? Or is this statement in reference to the board that was in charge leading up to the ‘saga’?
In your intro you mentioned it was obvious that there were some unhealthy relationships at board level…
Could you expand on that please?
Hi Darli,
Unhealthy in the form of too many like minded people, that didn’t challenge one another. There was a period there where it seemed to be one big boys club with no one stepping out of line or offering a diverse/challenging opinion. This eventually steamrolls into a series of bad decisions, bad appointments, a dysfunctional football department & eventually impacting players ability to perform their trade without distractions.
Are you referring to the current board? Or is this statement in reference to the board that was in charge leading up to the ‘saga’?
Members of the current board have been around before & during the saga. I’m also referring to board members that were recruited by those who were around during the “saga.”
We do need to move forward by continuing to revitalise/rejuvenating the board with new people & fresh ideas.
I like fresh ideas… One of the things that concerns me though, and has with all candidates thus far, is that why they have been all too happy to disparage the current board none have really said what they would have done differently.
So with that in mind Nick, talk us through how you would have handled things
I like fresh ideas... One of the things that concerns me though, and has with all candidates thus far, is that why they have been all too happy to disparage the current board none have really said what they would have done differently.
So with that in mind Nick, talk us through how you would have handled things
Most of the current board has been nothing short of garbage. They just need removing
What are your thoughts on having a comprehensive review of the actions of the board in relation to the SAGA over the past three-four years?
Scorpio,
We have endured a long, exhausting rollercoaster of emotions period. If I was to put the emotiveness to one side, I’d say it’s time we move on. One way of moving on, is ensuring there is no one on the board that was part of that period.
Hi Nick, even the Government releases all paperwork after 30 years. Surely if there was ever a case for a boards decisions to be given an open airing to the members it’s our saga situation.
Would you be in favour of a release of all documentation pertaining to Hirdys time at some point? And if you are in favour, given this is just a footy club, & there are no National security issues at stake, how long do you think it should be? 5 years? 10?
I like fresh ideas... One of the things that concerns me though, and has with all candidates thus far, is that why they have been all too happy to disparage the current board none have really said what they would have done differently.
So with that in mind Nick, talk us through how you would have handled things
Most of the current board has been nothing short of garbage. They just need removing
Same could be said about some posters here on Blitz.
you say you have the skillset that will allow you to add value to the board but dont specify what those skills are and how theyll add value…
you state how the club should be, and what should change at the club, but offer no insight into how you have the capacity to influence such change
could you offer some details on what you have achieved in your professional life, your skillset and how they will add value to the board and effect change
I like fresh ideas... One of the things that concerns me though, and has with all candidates thus far, is that why they have been all too happy to disparage the current board none have really said what they would have done differently.
So with that in mind Nick, talk us through how you would have handled things
Darli,
As individuals, they are all good EFC servants. The point I was making is after a while alliances are formed & boards lose the edge that was once there in challenging one another.
What I would do - rotate board members after 2 x 2 year terms, which enables each board member to be more accountable & ideas remain fresh & less chance of cliques forming.