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

[big tone]

What I don't get is, why if we were into Balme for a decent period of time, did we resign those duds before he was on board? Were they going somewhere before the big announcement of Balme getting the job? Why not wait to see what he thought of them? We held off for a long while on their contracts which I thought was fantastic but then went ahead and signed them before anything had started.

What about the other appointments, why do that if Balme was onboard. It ties his hands on a lot of things one would imagine. How much difference can he make if everyone has just signed new contracts??

IMO the appointment of Balme was pretty much a last minute thing, I'm not saying they hadn't thought of it before the other mob mentioned it but you cannot tell me it didn't push them a little.

As for the big changes and the review, what really has changed?? Assistant coaches have been sacked?? They shuffled a few deck chairs inside the organisation??
The RFC is a basket case and I'm pretty sure most cannot deny that.

We need change and to date nothing has changed really. 

IMO the current board are happy for us to show positive figures on a spread sheet but it seems they don't REALLY care about the thing that most of us here care about. Winning and winning finals.
Why give Dimma a 2 year extension with a year to go on his current contract after not even winning a final after 7 years in charge??
It sounds even worse when you write it. NOT 1 FINALS WIN IN 7 YEARS= 2 year contract extension.

How can a group of supposedly intelligent people agree to that??

[Chuck17]

It's mind boggling

[Raoul Duke]

They've gone into hibernation but thats quite an effort there WP so I thought I'd respond anyhow.

Im not confused by their message, they think the current board have lost focus on what this clubs is all about - PREMIERSHIPS !

Yeah they pointed that out

But when they announced themselves as an alternate on the Monday morning they gave us:

* Coach stays
Not much choice unless someones got a spare $1.2 mill they feel like wasting.
* CEO stays
Is keeping Gale a bad thing?
* Dan Richardson stays
Not sold on him yet but obviously has a contract so more wasted money would be needed?
* We will bring in Footy Director, some bloke called Balme, we haven't spoken to him but we will and we will get him. At the same press conference a journo phoned Balme and asked him if he knew anything about this motely crew; outside of being peeved being linked to them he didn't know anything about them and said he hadn't spoken to them
I thought he said they had spoken to him but not in an official capacity - which sounds right as they aren't on the board and couldn't offer the job yet?
* Took cheap shots at the incumbents and the club.
Not sure what these were but probably fair enough considering the fact the Hardwick extension.
* had as one of the main criticism about the current mob the fact that some of them had been there too long and there was too many accountants and lawyers. their alternative approach was to have 2 Doctors, 2 lawyers (both of which have only been members for about a month), 2 footballers (one of which walked out on our club) and a bloke that runs a software development group.
I know you have an issue with some of the FoF crew but is what they said about a greater diversity and the length of time as board member bad? I dont.
* made misleading comments about the clubs finances
The current mob are doing that too WP.   
* Said that losing 3 finals in row was unacceptable but deviated from answering why 2016 and not 2015 if it's all been a disaster
Is losing 3 finals in a row acceptable and as such warrant rewarding the Head coach with a contract extension for an extra 2 years whilst making scapegoats of every one else?
* said they would demand and or implement how the team should play
Couldn't do any worse than Hardwick.   
* would determine who we traded in / out
same as above insert Hartley.
* and their focus was going to be on football and improving resources in that area
Hence the name.
Later on that first Monday when appearing on Talking Footy Dr Hiscock said his group would deliver Balme to the RFC. Absolutely guaranteed is
So they were right?
Fast forward a week and they take credit for Balme coming to the club... their collective input into that was almost stuffing it up but I digrese. As late as yesterday the good Doctor was still taking credit
Not sure how you come to the conclusion they nearly stuffed it up, the whispers about Balme coming back were around before Grubby Allen took his job.
Not sure Hiscock  should be taking credit but it sure is a coincidence.
Just after Balme gets announced they organise a meeting with the incumbent board and 30-40 minutes before it's scheduled to start they cancel...Why?
Probably along the lines of the current board not answering or returning the calls made to them, why is it so?
We then get yesterday's HUN where they changed their tune and said they would actually sack the coach if he doesn't meet certain KPIs
Once again if there's spare change around I'm sure they would have.Is that a bad thing?
Which brings us to yesterday SEN interview where just before 8am Doc Hiscock said:

* Can't tell you the KPIs because it's not up to me decide what they are
Correct answer that would be Balmes job. 
* when pressed on it said it may be about game style but then again it might not be
Balmes job again.    
* might involve wins & losses but then again it might
Balmes job once again, we seeing a pattern here WP?
* made the idiotic claim that people had told that Hardwick had himself said he was a dead man walking. but when pressed on that he changed the subject
Maybe because he didn't want to give some one up, FFS he's talking to the media!
* Cotchin shouldn't be captain but I wont say whoo I think should
Should never have been made captain at such a young age to start with.
*that in the planned meeting with O'Neal & Gale he and Mag Kearney representing FoF would be demanding the incumbents stand down. He then said Peggy could stay because "we don't want to depose a president"... by the end of said meeting the demanding of 7 seats board seats (even now there appears to be only 6 of them left as Monteath reportedly wants out) had changed to wanting 4 maybe 5 seats

Want me to go

So outside of telling people what they want to hear by stating the bleeding obvious what exactly have the shared with us outside of the bumbling incompetence in selling their message / vision?

Because to TBBH I have no idea what their vision plan is exactly?
their name should have given you at least some guide. 
What's their plan for ensuring that we can pour the resources into all the areas they say need fixing?
Probably by not wasting it on making bad decisions like 2nd rate employees.
Easy to say this is what we need to do but where's the money coming from.
Wheres it coming from now?
Haven't head one of them say I have $3 million a year sponsor waiting in the wings to sign up if take over. On the contrary in yesterday's shambolic SEN interview Dr Hiscock went as far as to say that they would time any EGM around sponsorship deals being sorted..how bloody noble of them... NOT it's cowardly; they want other to do the hard yards it would appear
Have the current board ever delivered anything close to a $3 million a year sponsor?
Haven't heard one utterance about their take on corporate governance which whether people give a rats or not is one of the most important functions of being a company director.
I Don't think they mentioned it because the focus was on the football department, wasn't it?
I could go on... to say they have a plan and a vision is laughable all they've done is what other have done before and that is state what's wrong, and then flip flop, change their message on a regular basis. They don't instil any confidence in me that have the vaguest idea what it takes and to sit on a board of footy club.

and before people starting whacking about the current mob. Their single biggest mistake was that bloody contract extension there is no hiding from that. But at least through them we now have Balme and thanks to the external review carried by EY's sports advisory division that other AFL clubs and major sports have used there is clarity in the stuff that we've got horribly wrong.
So the current board sacked all the right people before the review was complete?
Sounds like another coincidence to me.

[Raoul Duke]

What I don't get is, why if we were into Balme for a decent period of time, did we resign those duds before he was on board? Were they going somewhere before the big announcement of Balme getting the job? Why not wait to see what he thought of them? We held off for a long while on their contracts which I thought was fantastic but then went ahead and signed them before anything had started.

What about the other appointments, why do that if Balme was onboard. It ties his hands on a lot of things one would imagine. How much difference can he make if everyone has just signed new contracts??

IMO the appointment of Balme was pretty much a last minute thing, I'm not saying they hadn't thought of it before the other mob mentioned it but you cannot tell me it didn't push them a little.

As for the big changes and the review, what really has changed?? Assistant coaches have been sacked?? They shuffled a few deck chairs inside the organisation??
The RFC is a basket case and I'm pretty sure most cannot deny that.

We need change and to date nothing has changed really. 

IMO the current board are happy for us to show positive figures on a spread sheet but it seems they don't REALLY care about the thing that most of us here care about. Winning and winning finals.
Why give Dimma a 2 year extension with a year to go on his current contract after not even winning a final after 7 years in charge??
It sounds even worse when you write it. NOT 1 FINALS WIN IN 7 YEARS= 2 year contract extension.

How can a group of supposedly intelligent people agree to that??

stuffing nailed it big man!

 

[Jackstar 1960]

Balme appointment was a last minute thing
The Collingwood situation changed dramatically at seasons end with Bucks mentor Trevor Hendy getting the flick and Gubby Allan's arrival back into the footy  Department

[Harry]

What I don't get is, why if we were into Balme for a decent period of time, did we resign those duds before he was on board? Were they going somewhere before the big announcement of Balme getting the job? Why not wait to see what he thought of them? We held off for a long while on their contracts which I thought was fantastic but then went ahead and signed them before anything had started.

What about the other appointments, why do that if Balme was onboard. It ties his hands on a lot of things one would imagine. How much difference can he make if everyone has just signed new contracts??

IMO the appointment of Balme was pretty much a last minute thing, I'm not saying they hadn't thought of it before the other mob mentioned it but you cannot tell me it didn't push them a little.

As for the big changes and the review, what really has changed?? Assistant coaches have been sacked?? They shuffled a few deck chairs inside the organisation??
The RFC is a basket case and I'm pretty sure most cannot deny that.

We need change and to date nothing has changed really. 

IMO the current board are happy for us to show positive figures on a spread sheet but it seems they don't REALLY care about the thing that most of us here care about. Winning and winning finals.
Why give Dimma a 2 year extension with a year to go on his current contract after not even winning a final after 7 years in charge??
It sounds even worse when you write it. NOT 1 FINALS WIN IN 7 YEARS= 2 year contract extension.

How can a group of supposedly intelligent people agree to that??

Correct.  They make poo up as they go

[Harry]

Balme appointment was a last minute thing
The Collingwood situation changed dramatically at seasons end with Bucks mentor Trevor Hendy getting the flick and Gubby Allan's arrival back into the footy  Department

It was an opportunistic last minute political move to lift the hopes of the masses.  It's all reactive from this mob.  No foresight

[one-eyed]

Richmond renegades call off board challenge

AFL.com.au
21 September 2016

THE FOCUS on Footy group has abandoned its Richmond board challenge amidst rumblings that key member Bruce Monteath had walked away from the ticket.

Monteath, one of the two premiership Tigers on the rival ticket, is believed to have stood down in a body blow to the group's chances of taking control of the board.

The group's public relations firm, Royce Communications, confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that their push to take up to five seats on the board was now over.

"The unanimous decision of the group's seven members follows a meeting with the club yesterday after which it was declared no directors would be standing down voluntarily from the board," a spokesperson said.

"We are committed and passionate Richmond people who want the same on-field success that every Richmond fan wants (and) we had the courage to make a stand on the club’s future.

"Our intention is not to take the club to an EGM."

The group, which said it was going "into hibernation", claimed it had achieved much by putting an incredible focus on football, which "needed to be urgently addressed at Richmond".

“We challenged the board to take action. We contributed to the return of Neil Balme. We have shaken up the place. We did something," they said.

Monteath did not return calls on Wednesday, while other members of the group referred enquiries about their solidarity onto their spokespeople. 

The 1980 premiership captain,Monteath had been Focus on Footy's link to Neil Balme, who they pledged to appoint as "CEO of football" should they be installed as a new board.

Balme has since been appointed as the Tigers head of football under the club's existing regime.

On Tuesday, Focus on Footy leader Dr Martin HIscock claimed the group had received an indication they would have been able to secure Balme themselves.

"We were led to believe that we probably had 'Balmey'," Hiscock said on radio station SEN.   

"Bruce had been in constant contact with him. He sort of got the wink there. So that's why we went ahead with our launch."

It is understood Focus on Footy had the 100 member signatures required to call an extraordinary general meeting.

That was a live option after their request to take "four to five" seats on the board was rebuffed following a meeting with president Peggy O'Neal and CEO Brendon Gale on Tuesday.

Focus on Footy launched 16 days ago by requesting a spill of all directors. 

Richmond's board met on Tuesday afternoon and decided to dismiss the rebel group's most recent request "in its entirety".

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-09-21/richmond-renegades-call-off-board-challenge

[one-eyed]

Richmond board challenge called off

Caroline Wilson
The Age
21 September 2016 7:46 pm

Richmond premiership captain Bruce Monteath has not ruled out standing for the Tigers' board in future but said he believed it has been crucial for the club's football rebuilding that the ill-fated Focus On Footy group immediately withdraw its challenge.

Monteath called his former teammate and newly appointed Richmond head of football Neil Balme late on Wednesday to convey that the Martin Hiscock-led challengers had brought their campaign to a halt.

However, the so-called Malvern Hotel group has re-emerged with club president Peggy O'Neal expected to meet representatives of that disenchanted body of supporters early next month.

O'Neal, who has received unanimous board support to run for another term, is understood to have spoken in recent days with a spokesman for that group, which  first met at the Malvern Hotel in August.

While O'Neal is up for reelection in November she has received the board's nomination leaving director Kerry Ryan the most vulnerable.

Ryan will stand alongside former player Emmett Dunne, who was seconded to the board last month. Already one challenger, lawyer Simon Wallace, has announced his intention to stand.

The Malvern group, which included Stephen Mandie, Damian Silk and Robert Ralph, remain determined to gain some representation on the board and are now employing more conventional means to achieve that outcome. Fairfax Media expects a further two Richmond directors to stand down over the next month.

O'Neal on Tuesday night flatly rejected the Focus On Footy's messy attempt to infiltrate the Richmond board. That group had originally pushed for a total spill, then a partial spill, and had changed its stand on the short-term future of embattled coach Damien Hardwick.

Monteath said that while he applauded ongoing personnel changes in the football department "the head controls the legs and the arms".

However, he added: "I've decided it was time things were brought to a halt. It was time to stop. I didn't want an EGM and I'm rapt my very good friend Neil Balme is helping to rebuild the club.

"We've shaken things up and that's a healthy thing. That's why businesses have shareholder meetings. We needed to get them refocused and although I'm disappointed that a couple of the directors didn't stand up and admit they'd been there long enough at least we've achieved that."

Monteath defended the widely criticised and mocked Focus on Footy group, saying their only fault was over-enthusiasm and passion for the club.

"They are passionate, they're committed and they really do care about their club. They've drawn attention to important issues, football issues and we have not been a big club for a very long time."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/focus-on-footy-group-calls-off-richmond-board-challenge-20160921-grlget.html

[WilliamPowell]

Among your sterling work against the latest board challengers this one caught my attention.
As you well know this board changed the constitution to give themselves the right to APPOINT a third of the directors (themselves) as well as any staff member (now Gale) as an extra.

The point being there are NOT "3 positions up for grabs at the AGM" but only two. The board have the other as well as Gale.

See Caro's article above, she confirms there are 3 board positions up for grabs this year. O'Neal, Ryan & Dunne

And i think you are giving me far too much credit. The FoF group didnt need any help from me in highlighting their collective incompetence 

Regarding sponsorship, when did the ME naming rights end and who now has naming rights for Punt Road Oval and the clubrooms?
Bingle have recently been announced as extending their sponsorship into 2017, presumably at the same amount as before.
Décor, AGL and Viagogo end their deals in November before the AGM.

The ME Bank deal ended at the end of 2015. We were givn 12 month notice they wouldn't be renewing. We have not had a replacement naming right sponsor for Punt Road this year. I've heard some whispers but thats all they are at the moment

Bingles deal is an increase on this year,  thats my understanding

Viagogo the legal scaplers...well who cares TBBH..

Decor is the important one.

Also working on a new main sponsor for our VFL side.

[Tigeritis™©®]

At the end of the day the threat of potential instability at board level stabilised the current board to levels never before experienced. 

[JP Tiger]

We should broker a deal with the Channel 7 News Sports Desk, since we already provide them with so much content ...        

[sugark]

Makes you think that perhaps some very good announcements imminent for the club were divulged at yesterdays meeting and common sense prevailed so as to not jeopardise what's in the pipeline

[Chuck17]

The circus has left town

[Francois Jackson]

Anyone who thinks the current status quo are any different to these clowns are kidding themselves.

BT you have have absolutely nailed it son. I've said it before but so many are quick to pay out three stooges but I would rather focus on how stuffin incompetent this current board and FD has been.

What these idiots are doing and have done is far worse.

What I don't get is, why if we were into Balme for a decent period of time, did we resign those duds before he was on board? Were they going somewhere before the big announcement of Balme getting the job? Why not wait to see what he thought of them? We held off for a long while on their contracts which I thought was fantastic but then went ahead and signed them before anything had started.

What about the other appointments, why do that if Balme was onboard. It ties his hands on a lot of things one would imagine. How much difference can he make if everyone has just signed new contracts??

IMO the appointment of Balme was pretty much a last minute thing, I'm not saying they hadn't thought of it before the other mob mentioned it but you cannot tell me it didn't push them a little.

As for the big changes and the review, what really has changed?? Assistant coaches have been sacked?? They shuffled a few deck chairs inside the organisation??
The RFC is a basket case and I'm pretty sure most cannot deny that.

We need change and to date nothing has changed really. 

IMO the current board are happy for us to show positive figures on a spread sheet but it seems they don't REALLY care about the thing that most of us here care about. Winning and winning finals.
Why give Dimma a 2 year extension with a year to go on his current contract after not even winning a final after 7 years in charge??
It sounds even worse when you write it. NOT 1 FINALS WIN IN 7 YEARS= 2 year contract extension.

How can a group of supposedly intelligent people agree to that??