Richmond board challenge, online petition closed down after excess number of signatures obtainedTom Morris and Tiarne Swerksy
Foxsports
4 August 2016AN ONLINE petition created to drive change at Richmond board level has been closed down, after the number of signatures obtained significantly exceeded the amount required to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.
At least 1000 Richmond members and supporters signed the petition — well in excess of the 100 signatures needed to call an EGM and 200 to attend it.
According to a statement on the now closed website, the petition “achieved what we wanted”, with the focus subsequently shifting to identifying a “group that is serious about challenging for positions on the board”.
Foxfooty.com.au understands the website, known as the ‘Richmond Rollercoaster Ride to Nowhere’, was set up as a contingency plan should an EGM be required.
But after significantly exceeding expectations, it is believed there was no need to continue with the petition.
The group of prominent figures seeking to enact change at board level will ask the club for a civil transition. But in the event of president Peggy O’Neal refusing the request, an EGM appears the most likely option, albeit not the group’s preferred scenario.
Many of the challengers involved with enacting change met again on Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, Fairfax Media reported that a group of Richmond-affiliated figureheads were planning a “bloodless coup” targeting key board members, including O’Neal — who has served on the board since November 2005.
After three straight elimination finals exits, a disappointing 2016 campaign and the extension of Damien Hardwick’s contract, the online petition was adamant an evolution was needed at Tigerland.
“The idea of the Richmond Rollercoaster was to build support to call for much needed changes to the board of the Richmond Football Club,” a statement on the website said.
“This was not about one particular person, it was about starting the conversations and encouraging the right Richmond people to come forward to lead the Richmond Football Club and put an end to the rollercoaster ride we have endured for too long.
“Thank you to everyone who has been involved in the Richmond Rollercoaster, it has achieved what we wanted. Now we hope there will be an alternative to provide Richmond members with a choice to regenerate the Richmond Football Club.”
Before the website was shut down, it detailed the reasons for change.
“The on-field performance in the last four seasons is that of a club lacking in direction. It’s time the entire club had a more stable foundation rather than this rollercoaster we have every year,” it read.
“Change is urgently needed and with your continued support we will soon have the right people in place to lead the Richmond Football Club to success.
“It is important that we continue to build the momentum and push for change … We’re on track to get the right people, the best qualified people, to come forward to lead the Richmond Football Club.”
It has also been reported that Leon Davies — an IT executive and prominent Richmond supporter — is a key part of the planned board coup.
Davies tweeted out a link to the petition last month, throwing his support behind the campaign for change at Tigerland.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/richmond-board-challenge-trigger-reached-after-online-petition-obtains-excess-number-of-signatures/news-story/4b61fa813aa9f6919cf37016be4c92b1
