Board Spill? / Challenge called off/ Malvern Hotel group has re-emerged [update]

[Yeahright]

Focus on footy group are literally a laughing stock

Well most media experts did say they are pretty much the same as the current board with no point of difference, so you could well be correct.

What? Haven't the media been making fun of them for weeks while sticking up for the incumbents?

[WilliamPowell]

Well they're now trying a completely different tack.

From @superfooty

Richmond rebels change tune on coach Damien Hardwick https://t.co/Cj671PGnxe https://t.co/wDcA8jgKrw

Unfortunately I can't post the article because it is now subscriber only content. Did read it before I lost access to it.

BTW the article doesn't actually say they will sack him, just that if they do they will personally pay him out 

They are also meeting O'Neal & Gale tomorrow

I personally have to thank them, after reading quotes from a woman who has been a member less than a month and now is demanding to be gifted a seat on the board it makes my voting decision very easy

Out of 7, there is only 1 I'd consider voting for

[WilliamPowell]

Richmond powerbrokers to meet with Focus on Football board challengers

MICHAEL WARNER,
Herald Sun
an hour ago
Subscriber only

THE Richmond rebels will personally pay out coach Damien Hardwick’s $1 million-plus contract if they gain power and determine he must be sacked.

Fifteen days after the coup was launched, Tigers president Peggy O’Neal and chief executive Brendon Gale have agreed to meet spill leader Martin Hiscock and his deputy Mag Kearney at a city law firm at 9am on Tuesday.

The Focus on Football ticket will formally request that the Richmond board step aside or trigger a November club election.

“The current board has its hands tied with respect to Damien, having entered into a binding contract with him until the end of 2018,” lawyer Kearney told the Herald Sun.

“We will work with Neil Balme and Co to give Richmond every chance for footy success.

“However, working closely with the football department, we will set new performance measures for Damien, hold Damien accountable to these and, if required, provide the necessary funding to release him from the club, if he is unable to meet these measures.”

Hardwick’s contract was extended for a further two years in March. His deal is believed to be worth about $600,000 a season.

The payout would come from the pockets of the seven challengers or from funds raised by the group.

We will set new performance measures for Damien, hold Damien accountable to these and, if required, provide the necessary funding to release him from the club.

Kearney conceded the ticket’s stance on Hardwick had shifted since the club unveiled a series of changes to the football department last week.

Hiscock said when the board challenge was announced: “Damien has a two-year contract with us and we would like him to stay. We will build a strong and supportive team around him and that will involve a CEO of football.”

Balme has since been installed above Dan Richardson as Richmond football boss with other changes made in recruiting, list management and strength and conditioning.

“We have the people behind us to trigger at EGM — but we are holding off until we have had a meaningful discussion with the Richmond board,” Kearney said.

“The club is in serious trouble with primarily the same board in place. We are still calling for a reasonable spill of the board to rejuvenate the club.

“Currently, the club is chaos. If we don’t get change at the top, chaos will continue in 2017 — and beyond. We have a vision, plan and solution.”

The rebel ticket says it is prepared to retain two existing Richmond board members.

Both groups agree an extraordinary general meeting can be called under the terms of the club constitution by the gathering of 100 member signatures.

The calling of an EGM would effectively trigger a 35-day election campaign with members eligible to vote in person or by proxy.

The Focus on Football group also includes 1980 premiership players Bryan Wood and Bruce Monteath, former club doctor David Marsh, Phillip Allison and Ingrid Williams.

Hiscock is a cardiologist and Kearney a former chief executive of Clubs Victoria.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/richmond-powerbrokers-to-meet-with-focus-on-football-board-challengers/news-story/7b5677900e3ed23d1bb37b3026c6936a

[Dougeytherichmondfan]

My thoughts:

This move smacks of desperation.

His contract still contributes to the off-field cap (whatever you call it), so we'd have to pay a lot of assistants peanuts in order to get a decent coach.

I would hope they have a process already in action if this were the case; who comes in and coaches this team when Hardwick is ousted?

This hurts our trading capabilities; Prestia could pull out with a sudden change of coach.

We're already behind searching for perspective coaches. Brisbane would have likely made crucial decisions and had mechanisms in process well before Leppa was announced as gone.

I don't want Hardwick coaching next year, but unfortunately I think its almost unavoidable at this stage.

[WilliamPowell]

This is my take

There are 7 people on this ticket

1 of them I know and he's been trying to get himself on the board board for a number of years now. At no time has this bloke had the courage to actually nominate for the board. He has always wanted to be gifted a seat. Knowing him and having watched him try and get himself on the board,  there is no way in good conscience I could vote for him

The 2 women on their ticket, this ticket of influential and passionate Richmond people remember, well the 2 ladies have only been members for just over 1 month. That's passipn right there dont you think?

One of the ladies wasn't even present at their launch. Great message right there

Bryan Wood walked out on our club. In his handful of media gigs representing this ticket he has mumbled and bumbled his way through  answering questions.

Bruce Monteath has been angling to get on the board since 2014.  Funny thing about our last premeiership captain in that he only puts his hand up when he deems things as being negative. He last "agitated" when we were what was it 3-10 in 2014 and then once we made the finals he disappeared.

Then there is their leader the good Dr Hiscock. Well he lost me when he on behalf of his ticket took credit for the Balme appointment. When they had absolutely nothong to do with it.  When in actaul fact they almost stuffed it up with their grand statements at their embarrassing launch

Which leaves the other good Doctor; Dr Marsh. I've met Doc Marsh a few times and I like him, know he loves the club so  I'd seriously think about voting for him

The rest of this group - absolutely no way

I want change on the board but this group isnt the answer from where i sit.

They say they have a vision and a plan. But outside of saying they will tell the coach what the game plan must be, what players we should Draft, trade and get via FA they actaully havent given us a plan.

They have actually only spoken about things that quite frankly they shouldn't have input in. Game plans, recruiting isn't the boards main role. Outside of OKing large contracts, trading away a frist round pick, recruiting isn't the domain of a board.

outside of telling us they supposedly have deep pockets, they havent told us how they intend to increase sponsorship, how they are going to fund they extra $$$ they intend to put into footy.

I've said this before and I expect to get whacked for saying it but there is more to being a director of a footy club than saying things members want to hear. A lot more, sadly this Focus on Football group have failed miserably in showing they understand that

Just my take

[TigerLand]

Well said WP. My thoughts exactly.

Time for the ticket to be out to bed. It seems more of a power and control thing. They have no vision and are changing to suit what they think will be favourable to members to get votes.

[big tone]

Anyone that will sack Halfwit gets my vote.
He doesn't deserve to keep his job after the job he has done IMO.
Even when we were winning games it was pretty average footy. Falling across the line against bottom teams too often.
There has been about 4 really good wins against tops sides in 5 years.
Not good enough.

[Harry]

About time someone is willing to sack the dud.  And out of their own pockets also.  perhaps Peg and Benny can reach into their pockets if they want to clear their mess. 

[TigerLand]

Personally want Hardwick gone but with Balme and the assistants linked. I think I'd prefer the current regime over this bumbling mess with no coach. Who is available to get that the focus on footy group could get?

[one-eyed]

Jason Dunstall slams Focus on Football group challenging Richmond’s board, Damien Hardwick’s future

Anna Harrington
Foxsports
20th September 2016

AFL legend Jason Dunstall has slammed the ‘Focus on Football’ group challenging Richmond’s board as “laughable”.

The Herald Sun reported on Monday that the group is prepared to personally pay out the final two years of Damien Hardwick’s contract if its board spill is successful and the coach fails to meet particular targets.

The group had previously said it would look to retain Hardwick as coach.

Dunstall said the group’s shifting plans made it difficult to see how the board challenge would gain traction.

“This is genuinely becoming laughable, isn’t it,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“I mean, they don’t have a platform.”

“First up, it was ‘keep the coach and we’ll tell the coach how to play — that’s if we can’t get Neil Balme’, who they didn’t get because he was already being got (by the current board).”

“Now it’s ‘oh we’ll get rid of the coach if we decide he has to go.’

“I’m struggling to see how they can gain any traction.”

The ‘Focus on Football’ group launched its bid to challenge the board on September 5.

The ticket is led by cardiologist Dr Martin Hiscock and comprises of seven people.

The other members are former Richmond players Bruce Monteath and Bryan Wood, Phillip Allison, Margaret Kearney, Dr David Marsh OAM and Ingrid Williams.

The ticket ran on a basis of the Tigers currently being “35 years into a five-year plan” and focused on overhauling the team’s game plan and recruiting.

The group had previously said they planned to keep Hardwick but wanted to install a “chief executive of football”, with Neil Balme considered the ideal option.

That plan appeared to have been scattered when the current administration appointed Balme as its general manager of football as part of a football department restructure.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/jason-dunstall-slams-focus-on-football-group/news-story/32c07a67e5b030c54760208406331140

[Diocletian]

Anyone that will sack Halfwit gets my vote.
He doesn't deserve to keep his job after the job he has done IMO.
Even when we were winning games it was pretty average footy. Falling across the line against bottom teams too often.
There has been about 4 really good wins against tops sides in 5 years.
Not good enough.

About time someone is willing to sack the dud.  And out of their own pockets also.  perhaps Peg and Benny can reach into their pockets if they want to clear their mess.

I'll vote for who'll-ever sack him right now, not halfway through next year...

[Francois Jackson]

I want change on the board but this group isnt the answer from where i sit.

What changes might this be exactly?

I've asked you this before and you may have already answered, but tell us why you would vote to maintain the current members as opposed to who you wouldn't vote for.

[MintOnLamb]

Agree with WP, cannot sack Hardwick.

Better for him to be puppet coach with 2-3 assistants, one of whom will be given the nod at atime to be determined.

Now is nor the time for rash knee jerk decisions and board challenges.

For mine, the constitution of 100 members able to call an election should be ramped up considerably. (5000 at least)

[WilliamPowell]

I want change on the board but this group isnt the answer from where i sit.

What changes might this be exactly?

I've asked you this before and you may have already answered, but tell us why you would vote to maintain the current members as opposed to who you wouldn't vote for.

I have answered this go back and have look rather than making your stock standard assumptions about what i would or wouldn't do or what I  think or dpnt think

[Francois Jackson]

No pretty sure you generalised about the current regime, so let's discuss who you would keep and why much like you have done with the focus stooges.