Casey puts finances at Tiger forefront
9:12:31 PM Wed 22 December, 2004
Paul Gough
Sportal
Richmond president Clinton Casey, fresh from his huge election win, has vowed to restore the Tigers' finances next year even if the club continues to struggle on the field.
Casey was speaking at the Tigers' annual general meeting on Wednesday night where the club declared a loss of $2,194,974 for the 2004 season - a year in which the club finished on the bottom of the ladder for the first time since 1989.
But despite that massive financial loss, Casey and the rest of board easily saw off the challenge of the Charles Macek ticket at last week's election in which a record number of more than 13,000 Richmond members voted.
And Richmond football director Greg Miller - whose involvement in the election campaign was the key factor in swinging the vote Casey's way - gave his strongest indication yet he would remain on the board.
Despite his crushing election win, Casey was still heavily grilled by members at a packed Richmond AGM at Melbourne's Hyatt Hotel.
And he vowed the club's financial position would improve next year even if the team didn't.
"I just want to assure you that even if we have another poor year we will have a turnaround next year and that will come from the $1.5 million in expenses we have already cut," he said.
"I can assure you the bottom line will improve."
Casey said $800,000 of the savings had come through the reduction in football administration expenses and reduction in player payments while another $500,000 had come through the reduction of extra giveaways associated with membership packages last season.
And Casey told the meeting there were already signs the Tigers revenue would also increase in 2005 although the club was only budgeting for a small increase - in line with CPI.
This was in stark contrast to 2004 when the club budgeted for a revenue increase of $2.2 million but it only rose by $100,000, due to the team's poor performance, which led to the massive shortfall.
With the excitement generated by new coach Terry Wallace and the Tigers' 11 new players, who were all introduced to the crowd on Wednesday night - membership is already up 15 percent and reserved seat sales up 6.25 percent on this time last year.
Earlier Miller, who polled more than 1000 votes ahead of his nearest rival from either ticket during the election, thanked the Richmond members for their support and vowed to remain on the board despite speculation that with the election now over he would again concentrate solely on his duties as football director.
"I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve on the board, I take it as an honor and I will give it my best shot," he said.
Casey said the recruitment of key people such as Miller, Wallace and chief executive Steven Wright to the club as well, as the experience Casey himself has gained over the past five years, meant the club was now far better placed than when he took over in 2000.
"Back then we had a rookie president, a rookie coach, a rookie CEO and a rookie football manager," he said.
"But the club is now in a sound position with its leadership in the four key positions."
Casey also announced that three time premiership player Merv Keane had been appointed to the Tigers' football sub-committee while life memberships were awarded to 2004 Jack Dyer Medalist Joel Bowden and former board member Ian Dixon.
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