A Message from the RFC Board of Directors

[Hanno]

Thought I might post this for those without access to Eye of the Tiger. Get a membership, you loafers, by the way.

The resignations of Brendan Schwab and Peter Welsh as RFC directors, and Richmond's finances, have been the subject of intense media attention and speculation.

It is not intended to debate these matters in the media. We would point out, however, that the Club's accounts and financial position were considered at every Board meeting up to December 2003 before independently audited accounts were published to the members. In the view of the Board, established procedures were followed and governance requirements were met.

RFC is not seeking financial assistance or a handout from the AFL. Like many other league clubs, Richmond is using its entitlement to an AFL dividend to underpin its overdraft.

The Richmond Football Club is extremely conscious of its obligations as a corporation, as a member club of the AFL and as a football club towards its players and members. Every Director properly brings their own views on the management and direction of the club. They contribute to the best of their ability in terms of skills, expertise and available time. Differences of opinion, even passionate and heated debate at times, should not be regarded as surprising, particularly at a football club. The views of any Director are always considered by the Board.

The resignations have occurred for a number of reasons which have been and will be the subject of discussion by the Board and with the retiring directors. The Club thanks those directors for their time of service. Given the new season and our focus on a successful year, we do not believe there is anything to be gained by undertaking further discussion on these matters in the media.

So, it looks like we won't be getting too many answers (officially) from the club. hmmm...

http://210.50.4.102/rfc/Page_UI.asp?cc=7385670&pageID=156&SM_ID=66

 

[praying manton]

What's new?...

Clint thinks he is running the whitehouse...like he is saying everything is a.o.k....like 3 board members resign every other day...so nothing for the members to worry about.

It like all of a sudden the 3 of them said they would like it more is they were lighting a barbie...

Hellooooo????......Clint?...we are not stupid mate?...and it irritates me to think you think we are

 

[bigwow]

He's back ;D

 

[kb7882]

I suppose that's their token attempt at informing the membership what's going on ?

Absolutely pathetic dribble.

 

[Hanno]

PM, I don't think Casey is treating the members like idiots, but I am concerned that he is placing other considerations before informing the members of exactly what is going on at board level.

Casey is obviously concerned with trying to quarantine these matters and wants to keep the behinf-the-scenes happenings at RFC out of the press as much as possible. In business, that's not such a bad policy most of the time.

The thing here is that, although many businesses have shareholders who want to know what is going on, football clubs have members and supporters. Members and supporters of football clubs have much more than money invested in their football clubs. For many, AFL is almost a way of life, and their club is akin to a second family. When there are problems within that family, the supporters and members feel the disquiet, and if they are no told the truth then they may fall prey to the worst-case rumour that are abound to fly when the media catches of whiff of trouble.

By keeping the members and supporters in the dark, RFC is allowing these problems to fester. What a football club needs is strong, decisive leadership, but even more than that they need to be seen to have strong, decisive leadership. This leadership also needs to be honest.

Our corporate sponsors may not want to see RFC's dirty washing aired in public, and the club are right to be concerned about this, but the Richmond Football Club is about much more than our corporate sponsors. As members and supporters, the public deserves to be treated with respect, and this is why the club needs to come clean and provide honest answers to the many questions that abound.

 

[jb03]

Propaganda. *smile*.

Members told nothing as per usual.

 

[praying manton]

PM, I don't think Casey is treating the members like idiots, but I am concerned that he is placing other considerations before informing the members of exactly what is going on at board level.

Casey is obviously concerned with trying to quarantine these matters and wants to keep the behinf-the-scenes happenings at RFC out of the press as much as possible.  In business, that's not such a bad policy most of the time.

The thing here is that, although many businesses have shareholders who want to know what is going on, football clubs have members and supporters.  Members and supporters of football clubs have much more than money invested in their football clubs.  For many, AFL is almost a way of life, and their club is akin to a second family.  When there are problems within that family, the supporters and members feel the disquiet, and if they are no told the truth then they may fall prey to the worst-case rumour that are abound to fly when the media catches of whiff of trouble.

By keeping the members and supporters in the dark, RFC is allowing these problems to fester.  What a football club needs is strong, decisive leadership, but even more than that they need to be seen to have strong, decisive leadership.  This leadership also needs to be honest.

Our corporate sponsors may not want to see RFC's dirty washing aired in public, and the club are right to be concerned about this, but the Richmond Football Club is about much more than our corporate sponsors.  As members and supporters, the public deserves to be treated with respect, and this is why the club needs to come clean and provide honest answers to the many questions that abound.

Hanno i hear you but I ask you this:

Did you see a mighty leader on the tv last night?
A leader that was exuding confidence?
I saw someone that was sweating, dodging bullets.

 

[Hanno]

PM, I'm not defending Casey in this post. To the contrary, I think he has his priorities in the wrong place this time.

Although I believe he deserves to keep his job for now, I think he is handling the current situation in the wrong way. He seems more concerned with sweeping the whole thing under the rug.

That approach is disrespectful to all of Richmond's members and supporters. It also can make it look like the truth would be damaging to his cause. While Casey continues to avoid coming clean, the press and anyone with an axe to grind can say whatever they like to try to make it look like Casey is the core of the problem (he may or may not be - I simply don't know enough to say). If he came out and gave his side of the story, we may find that more than one person or issue is involved here.

 

[Joshnbeks Dad]

I'm sorry but I'm finding it difficult to maintain interest in a story which is sounding more & more like a media beat up every day. As I understand it all the financial hoohaa is about securing a previously unsecured overdraft and not about handouts.

Regarding the directors resignations I wuld like to know why they didn't resign a couple of months ago so we the members could have voted for their replacements.

But more importantly we play Collingwood tonight. Lets focus on what is important.

 

[praying manton]

PM, I'm not defending Casey in this post.  To the contrary, I think he has his priorities in the wrong place this time. 

Although I believe he deserves to keep his job for now, I think he is handling the current situation in the wrong way.  He seems more concerned with sweeping the whole thing under the rug.

That approach is disrespectful to all of Richmond's members and supporters.  It also can make it look like the truth would be damaging to his cause.  While Casey continues to avoid coming clean, the press and anyone with an axe to grind can say whatever they like to try to make it look like Casey is the core of the problem (he may or may not be - I simply don't know enough to say).  If he came out and gave his side of the story, we may find that more than one person or issue is involved here.

Ok then Hanno, lets turn it around a little.
Lets say the tiges have posted a 2 mill profit and we have just won the flag.
Would he be coming out beating his chest and and giving us every little detail about how he and the board acheived it?
I think the answer is a definite yes.

Like where did the 2 mill go?....the members demand to know why we are up the creek.

 

[MC24]

We have a season that gets under way tonight and if all this Board room stuff hampers our season in any way, I don’t know about others, but I am going to feel cheated out of yet another year.

Our role is to support RFC, so does that involve knowing all the Board room issues? Perhaps I’m being a bit naïve about all of this, or maybe I’ve missed something, but when there is need for us to know something, I assume we will be informed. And if correct procedures are not being followed by the Club, there are bodies in place to keep them on the straight and narrow.

The fanfare that has surrounded the departure of Directors who have resigned has done our footy Club no favours. The fact that so many have resigned would make anyone sit up and take notice. So questions were always going to be asked.

In my view, the fact that this saga has been played out in the media does not say much for our Club. Any damage has been done because of this. What goes on in Board rooms is generally the domain of Board rooms, except at RFC it seems. We have bits and pieces of information from everywhere and have developed views perhaps without knowing the politics that goes on. So all the reports in the media have done to now is to add confusion to the whole situation and do further harm to our name. One party says one thing, the other says something else. Confusion reigns supreme as to who is telling what truth and how much. And then everyone adds their views on top of this. My head is spinning.

As a consequence, the responses given by RFC, to now, have been viewed with a grain of salt. Whether that would have been the case had things been different, who is to know? So what difference would it make what they come out and say. People have already made up their minds.

The ideal scenario would have been for the least amount of people to be involved and informed. But warring factions sometimes make it difficult for things to happen in such a routine manner; especially in our case it seems. I just hope and pray people have RFC at heart here and not their egos.

Part of the role of the Directors is to run the Club so that our team is given the best opportunity to win a Premiership. And if they can’t do that, then it is in the best interests of RFC that they move on and let someone else have a go. Likewise if they do not have the interests of Richmond footy Club at heart or the time needed to do the job properly.

It is the responsibility of those who are left to show the way and solve the issues created. Let them be judged by the results.

Bring on the footy.

 

[Roar34]

Good one, MC!

Nothing we say or do is going to have the slightest effect on what has happened, unless someone wants to go ahead and draw up a petition for an EGM, so - let's get on with the footy!

 

[bigwow]

What are the odds of a petition floating around the MCG this evening?

 

[Harry]

What are the odds that 100 members have already signed a petition.

Any tiger members on this board sign anything yet ?

 

[praying manton]

What are the odds that 100 members have already signed a petition.

Any tiger members on this board sign anything yet ?

Dont need petitions harry...the board knows that we are not to far away from their premium seats...just ask Jim Malone next time...lol

 

[Hanno]

Ok then Hanno, lets turn it around a little.
Lets say the tiges have posted a 2 mill profit and we have just won the flag.
Would he be coming out beating his chest and and giving us every little detail about how he and the board acheived it?
I think the answer is a definite yes.

Like where did the 2 mill go?....the members demand to know why we are up the creek.

I, too, would like to know more about our finances, PM. It's a worry that the worst-case scenario has gone from break even to a $2 mil loss in such a short time.

But I refuse to lay the blame at the feet of one man until I have enough information to make an informed decision. ANd I don't think that information is going to be forthcoming.

As I said before, the thing that irks me is the great cone of silence that has descended on the club. I agree with MC, in that I don't think we need to know all that goes on in the boardroom. However, I think the members and supporters deserve to be treated with a modicum of respect - and that includes having the club make a frank and honest accounting of the full financial situation at the moment. After all, we might find that all the doom and gloom is unwarranted. But how will we know unless the club tells us the truth?

 

[MC24]

It’s only natural that we’re all concerned for our footy Club and it’s only because this has been played out in the media that everyone wants to know what’s going and the more we know, the more we want to know. But this is business that should be looked after by those entrusted to do so. If they can’t do that then they shouldn’t even be there.

Maybe we should go run the joint. Why have administrators, etc. if we don’t trust them to perform their duty?

At some point, we have to allow people to fail or succeed, without any outside interference, or we will be hard pressed to get anyone, that’s anything other than desperate, to want to come near our footy Club. And we all know what that means.

If we have a role to play in all of this, it will come soon enough.

 

[CanbTiger]

It’s only natural that we’re all concerned for our footy Club and it’s only because this has been played out in the media that everyone wants to know what’s going and the more we know, the more we want to know.  But this is business that should be looked after by those entrusted to do so.  If they can’t do that then they shouldn’t even be there.

Maybe we should go run the joint.  Why have administrators, etc. if we don’t trust them to perform their duty?

At some point, we have to allow people to fail or succeed, without any outside interference, or we will be hard pressed to get anyone, that’s anything other than desperate, to want to come near our footy Club.  And we all know what that means.

.....

mmmmm...Interesting viewpoint MC24 but imagine if it were applied to the Government.

Eg- The government posts a massive budget deficit? "This is government business, to be sorted by the govt so can the public please but out".

I don't think so. Accountable government and accountable governance in all spectres of life for me.

Yes- Boards should be left alone to do some things, however when three members of the Board (a third of its total) suddenly walk out questions must be asked.

Especially, as one of those departing members has alleged breaches of corporations law.

 

[MC24]

Accountable government and accountable governance in all spectres of life for me.

Yes- Boards should be left alone to do some things, however when three members of the Board (a third of its total) suddenly walk out questions must be asked.

Especially, as one of those departing members has alleged breaches of corporations law.

One-third of the Board has walked so how unscrupulous does that make the rest of them?

And I’m not sure why we have rules or regulations in place at times.  People don’t seem to have faith in them to do the job they’re supposed to do.

Canbtiger, I agree there has to be accountability and there are bodies in place to ensure this happens.  So if anything under-handed is going on then it’s only a matter of time before people are caught out and if they are slack in these areas then there are consequences, not to mention the backlash that would follow.

The reason these things are publicly aired in the first place is not always apparent and unless there is some hidden agenda, generally, such things would never see the light of day.

If people do have something to offer in a situation then by all means get in there and do something about it.  But what good does it do anyone or anything when so many just seem to undermine and have nothing of value to contribute?  Others always seem to have the answers but aren’t prepared to do something about it.  At least those who are there now had the gumption to put themselves out there in the first place.  And if others think they can do more and better, let’s see them.

All the media speculation has done is to add further unnecessary pressure on people and had them waste time and energy on speculation and hearsay, when they could be focused on other things.  I doubt that other Clubs have their boardroom rumblings played out in the public arena as often as we seem to and seem better able to get things done with a minimum of fuss because of that.

At an administrative level at least, things don’t look all that good at our Club at the moment.  We can all see that and it hurts a lot.  But I have no idea how to help in this situation and by knowing all the ins and outs of the whole thing doesn’t help me one bit and perhaps just makes me worry unnecessarily and I can’t see how that can benefit anyone.

No doubt others will see it differently to me, but I don’t like the situation any better than anyone else and as I see it, it is up to those involved to run the race, if they can’t then what are they doing there?  And if at some stage we need to be involved then it is just a matter of time.

It seems to me that if people at Board level know that things are serious and choose to opt out, but ultimately do nothing about it then I guess we would have reason to be worried.  Alternatively, if they do nothing then maybe things weren’t that bad or perhaps they had nothing to offer under the circumstances.  Best if they are not there.

Whatever needs to happen will do so regardless of what and how much the press feed us and if we have a role to play, we will know soon enough and it doesn’t need the whole thing to be played out so publicly for that to happen.  Because I doubt that the people who can effect change go by what is fed to the public and I would think that the wheels would have been put in motion well before the media became involved.

My view has always been that what has been stopping our Club from moving forward all these years is that we’ve become really good at chopping people off at the knees, just when things were starting to get uncomfortable and at the point where we could get to find out what people are made of.  Right now, they’re extremely uncomfortable, moreso for some than others.  And, in the past, this is perhaps where we’ve had a say in the decisions made (read coaches).  How about for once we hold our nerve and see the heroes that can emerge from the rubble, rather than just wanting to remove what makes things seem uncomfortable.  That approach has never helped us in the past and it’s not going to help now.

 

[CanbTiger]

.........
No doubt others will see it differently to me,
.....

Definitely MC24. I am not as tempted by the wait and see mentality as you are. If there's a hint of malcontent I want to know why and with bank balances such as the RFC's I want to know even more.

The Club's in a perilous state and I believe the "leave it to the Board"/ all will occur in due course stance could see us waiting for a call to rattle the tins.

I want as much information on the Board and its actions as possible, which leads me to the following.....

Have further Board replacements been found yet? ???