New Coach

I’m surprised the club hasn’t advertised for a New Coach as yet.
I think we need to get moving given its recruiting season.
Maybe they have already made their decision and won’t be advertising.

Either way I think we need to receive communication from the club.

sorry no staff

I understand we have advertised for our New Coach on SEEK.
The position is full time and applications close on the 11 Sept.
The advertisement was posted on SEEK 4 days ago.

The advertisement says we were formed in 1892 'in the heart of the western suburbs'.

Oh dear

Understand that we have advertised for a new coach. (Someone found it on SEEK.) Not sure of the the criteria. Think that applications have now closed. Guessing that there will be a selection group formed to consider all applications. Speculating that a decision will be made in due course. Hopefully sooner rather than later. No idea really. Maybe I’ll read about the successful applicant in the paper.
As a long term member (over 60 years!) I know how a mushroom feels when kept in the dark.

Agree, b&r.

We've had no updates on our financial position since early in the year, despite the dire warnings about our position. Hopefully it has improved, but it would be nice to know. Are we losing any players? Have we re-signed our key players?

I was at the club last Wednesday about 6.30 to 9.30, hardly any one there at the bar.

I've booked my cricket club in for a major function in November, so hopefully that helps. Very pleased to report that Conny (CEO) and the new Venue Manager (Sondra) were excellent dealing with this.

Given that we've obviously again failed to get near our football KPIs, I wonder if there's any point in having KPIs if continual failure to achieve them is just ignored.

For too long we've been a 'next year' club.

I guess we will have to wait for the annual report re. Financial Position.
I have heard that there will be an enormous loss this year….
The numbers I have heard are staggering.
If so, that’s a real worry!!

I hope that's not right. It would threaten our existence.

We budgeted for a 350K loss and have done well from the Riverland game and the Gala auction, so hopefully will do better than that.

There has been nothing on the clubs website about our new coach.
The club should be keeping members and supporters updated on what is going on. They should be telling us that
1. Applications have closed.
2. Who The interview panel are
3. And when An announcement will be made

So far we have had nothing, and once again the food be lack of communication is terrible.

I would have thought the job is Hartlett’s………

Wolf Pack

The position was advertised on Seek so therefore they have to go through a proper process and that’s why we needed communication from the club

Yes, we don't lose interest in our club just because the season is over. (If we did we'd be losing interest about 4 games in.)

The number of life-long supporters who tell me they're losing interest in the club is a worry.

We're seeing massive staff turnover with no communication and no information about our financial position or, for that matter, anything at all.

Interest in the SANFL is declining, our attendances have dropped off and there's no news.

"Stronger together' is admirable, but we don't feel part of the 'together' and we don't see any evidence we're stronger. 'United in our pursuit of a premiership' just isn't believable right now.

Let's just hope we're doing better financially, otherwise we're in the territory of selling the building or merging down the track.
Let's also hope that's way off the mark, but please tell us what's going on and give us a reason to believe.

Lachlan wrote:There has been nothing on the clubs website about our new coach.
The club should be keeping members and supporters updated on what is going on. They should be telling us that
1. Applications have closed.
2. Who The interview panel are
3. And when An announcement will be made

So far we have had nothing, and once again the food be lack of communication is terrible.

The lack of communication from the club is insulting to members. It has been a concern for some time. Our president made the following statements when the appointed board took over:

It is my intention to publish a President’s Message as soon as possible after each formal board meeting is held. This will provide you with certainty about the timing of when you can expect updates on the activities of the board. Formal board meetings are held on the last Monday of every month ...

I encourage all members to visit our website regularly. It’s our main method of keeping you informed.

As I’ve stated several times before, I’m a great believer in open and transparent communication. It is my intention to keep members and supporters informed as much as possible about important issues in our club.


The last President's Report was in March. Previously, advertised positions were posted on the website, either under News or Resources. I would have thought that advertising for a new coach was an important issue and posting all relevant details/processes on the club's website important in maintaining open and transparent communication.

This lack of communication can only serve to alienate members who are already hurting from four abysmal seasons. As Lee pointed out in his post, members need a reason to believe. Maybe the board needs to keep this in mind before urging supporters to renew their memberships for 2023.

You make some good points there!!
It would appear that the President has failed to deliver what he wrote in that piece which is very disappointing.
I would argue that since our flag in 2015, we have had 6 abysmal seasons.
2018 was ok ( we won 8 games ).
There are a lot of disgruntled members / supporters and I know a couple of long time members who probably won’t renew next year.
I certainly will be thinking long and hard about spending another $200 on a membership next year.

While I agree some criticism should be directed at the President, I would also challenge the Membership Director and the Director People, Culture and Govenance (whatever that is) to addrsss the members concerns about the communication strategy, or more accurately the non communication strategy developed by the Board. I would have thought that the Director specifically charged with being a conduit between the Board and the Club’s members would have felt it their role to inform on matters affecting the members. That includes the process and updates on the selection of the Club’s new coach.
Even mushrooms need tending if you wish to get the benefit.

Very good point, coolie.

I have no doubt that Board Members are doing their best in difficult circumstances.  They're finding out that a football club isn't just a business and most of the historical knowledge and people knowledge was kicked out 4 years ago.

Perhaps we're travelling well financially. Let's hope so, but we're all mushrooms right now and only have speculation left as an option.

Facts are better, but we aren't getting any.

And what about the governance committee who reappointed the President despite not fulfilling these promises and despite 4 spoons in a row? How do we hold them accountable?

aldo russian wrote:And what about the governance committee who reappointed the President despite not fulfilling these promises and despite 4 spoons in a row? How do we hold them accountable?

Or the Nominations Committee, who appoint the Board and which includes a Board Member. A record of appointments that is way less than successful.

I hope we are worrying needlessly about the Club, otherwise there is a lot to answer for. And if we're travelling well, just please tell us so we can stop having to speculate.

The comment about " perhaps we are travelling well financially" got my attention.
I bet we aren't. We are showing no sign of that IMHO. We have to shut the doors due staff shortages ,run out of food early at the BBQ, Can't get hold of the Admin staff etc. All of these things point to me that we can't afford to employ enough staff.
I hope not but Hmmmmm?

Lee Harradine wrote:
I hope we are worrying needlessly about the Club, otherwise, there is a lot to answer for.  And if we're travelling well, just please tell us so we can stop having to speculate.

Exactly. Without regular and informative communication, members are left to use the information that is available and draw their own conclusions, or in other words, speculate. Even if these speculations or perceptions are inaccurate, they are still damaging. Any board or ruling body would do well to dispel them as soon as possible, and if they cannot, then at least explain what is being done to overcome them. Either way, communication is key.

I have suggested this before, but instead of sole communications from the President what about regular updates from every board member, say one or two board members add a statement ( a couple of paragraphs) to Murray's monthly message to members. This would be informative and demonstrate transparency. Members would be able to see how directors are meeting, or attempting to meet, their KPIs.

I can only speak for myself, but the most logical conclusion that can be drawn at the moment is that the situation at the club is dire. The current absence of communication is reinforcing this conclusion. To the Board - PLEASE TELL ME OTHERWISE!!!!!!!! or be honest and outline what you are doing to rectify the situation.

There has been nothing new on the club website for over a week and that was an Under 15 squad.

Let's hope we're going OK.