The Punt Rd redevelopment, ongoing profits, increasing membership, Craigieburn facility, board stability, football department stability - all positive indicators (and the legacy) of a board and a President doing a very good job.
These are all key performance indicators of boards at other clubs that were implemented 10-15 years ago. You don't win by continually trying to catch up.
They aren't key performance indicators at all - they are a list of the more significant achievements of this current board - some of which were critical to our survival as a club and some of which have set us up to be far more competitive in our marketplace than we have for 30 years.
What does March stand for as a leader if he cannot have any influence as a board member?
Why even have board members if they can't challenge, influence or make a stand?
Do you think Jeff Kennett or Eddie McGuire (like or hate them) would stand by as board members and shrug their shoulders if they were in his shoes during that period?
I would counter, that going from newbie board member to President in 3 years says to me March was influential and did make a stand. You probably hit the nail on the head when you mention the names Kennett and McGuire. Both of these Presidents strike me as being very autocratic, as was Casey. The only difference in the 3 was that Casey had no clue on running a football club - the other 2 do. So for March to take over from Casey within his first 3 years on the board suggests very strongly to me that he was influential and prepared to stand up and take charge in our bleakest hour. And since he took over we have improved our position as a club every single year, starting with the most important things first - our actual survival as a viable entity - followed by the actual reason we exist - to win football games. It was never all going to happen overnight and as with most things Richmond, too many expect too much from too few too quickly. And before any of the "but we've been crap for 30 years and it's time for action now" brigade arc up - we are only 5 years down the track from our latest life-threatening disaster so anything beyond that it quite irrelevant to the reality of 'now'. 'Now' means we have been working for 5 years to shore up and stabilise the club, rebuild the team, and succeed on the field - an impossibility for any club, board or president coming from the position we were in. But we have achieved some of these goals and taken strong steps towards some others so by any account I say March has done a good job as President.
........ to me he is a link to the past that still requires cleaning out.
To say that there is no one else is up to the Presidents gig is pathetic - what kind of ego does this pr1ck have!
He is a bandit like Casey and our success will be despite his presence.
5 of the 8 current board members were appointed during Casey's reign (2 of them pre-March) - should they all go? And if we apply the same rules of guilt to them all as you do March then who has actually been responsible for turning our club around?
When did he say no-one else was up to it? I think he said if someone suitable put their hand up he would look at stepping aside - a very different situation in my eyes. My perception of "someone suitable" would be someone with business acumen, passion for the club, available time, enthusiasm, personality and focus among other traits. I would consider it reasonable that March (or anyone else for that matter) might think similarly, so if a person matching those criteria put their hand up then it might/would be time to look for change. The fact there is no push from within the board suggests none of the incumbents are interested so that makes March's statement entirely valid and not driven by ego at all.
