Open Letter to the MFC

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

On 04/10/2024 at 16:09, Demon Disciple said:

Keep your head in the sand all you want Saty, but those who refuse to believe how bad it has become at the club are clearly incapable of accepting reality.

We are in the worst position that we have been for the past 8 years. 

How bad?  I was at a packed B&F on Friday, the positivity in the room was palpable, if you want to believe all the garbage peddled by the media, that is your choice.

Edited October 9 by Satyriconhome

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,029]

Katrina, and you have posted on this thread because you don't agree with Ricky Dunn's open letter?

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

1 minute ago, Hawk the Demon said:

Katrina, and you have posted on this thread because you don't agree with Ricky Dunn's open letter?

Which we are allowed to do. Most of the letter was based on hearsay, rumour etc, in my opinion of course, which isn't necessarily right or wrong.

[Katrina Dee Fan 3,893]

43 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

How bad?  I was at a packed B&F on Friday, the positivity in the room was palpable, if you want to believe all the garbage peddled by the media, that is your choice.

Exactly.  I'm not buying the media bulldust for a second.  They've proven to be wrong time and time again, and they just won't let up.  They have an agenda, and they're making themselves look like [censored] now.  The B&F was one of the best I've been to, heaps of happy faces, heaps of positivity.  There are staff members at the club who I would consider friends, and they themselves are perplexed by the notions of "bad culture", they reckon it's a great place to work.

Edited October 9 by Katrina Dee Fan

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,029]

And Barrett's agenda is to get rid of Pert?

[Katrina Dee Fan 3,893]

40 minutes ago, Hawk the Demon said:

Katrina, and you have posted on this thread because you don't agree with Ricky Dunn's open letter?

There are a lot of assertions in that letter that is based on rumours in the media that have not eventuated.  So you'd be right, I don't agree with a lot in Ricky Dunn's letter, whoever he is.  If he wants to have a temper tantrum, that's his prerogative, but it's a bit of a dumb way to do it.  

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,029]

But his main point is that the reviews being done at the MFC are not truly external and independent. Are you happy with the make up of the teams doing the reviews? You say it was a dumb way to do it - what should he have done?

[Katrina Dee Fan 3,893]

7 minutes ago, Hawk the Demon said:

But his main point is that the reviews being done at the MFC are not truly external and independent. Are you happy with the make up of the teams doing the reviews? You say it was a dumb way to do it - what should he have done?

How about to the club?

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,029]

24 minutes ago, Katrina Dee Fan said:

How about to the club?

Because he would have got this response:

"Thanks for your email. I appreciate you taking the time to reach out and thank you for your passion and loyalty to the red and blue. 

The Board and I often receive feedback, ideas, and communication from a wide variety of supporter groups, and value the thoughts and opinions of all our members.

We engage with these groups, including Deemocracy, often and will continue to do so to ensure our membership base feels heard and valued.

External experts have been engaged as part of both the Board and Football Department reviews. As previously communicated, the ambition of both review processes is to strive for excellence and to ensure, that as our game demands, we evolve to achieve sustained success.

The reviews of both the AFL program and the Board will be completed in October and the priorities identified will be communicated to members. 

Thanks for your continued support of the club and I look forward to seeing you at the footy.

Thanks

Brad"

 

[DeeZone 10,100]

45 minutes ago, Hawk the Demon said:

But his main point is that the reviews being done at the MFC are not truly external and independent. Are you happy with the make up of the teams doing the reviews? You say it was a dumb way to do it - what should he have done?

Wait until it has been completed HTD not try and spook everyone with unsubstantiated BS and try and stand over the club to gain What??? Passing our winging on to our enemies in the press ( Yes HTD Enemies of the MFC) is going to help us, How? We are making life easier for the press not easier for our Club.

[DeeZone 10,100]

53 minutes ago, Katrina Dee Fan said:

How about to the club?

You are probably a bit young Katrina to know this term but 5th Columnist springs to mind, they are people who work with the enemy to undermine the will of the people to resist and fight back. It’s the direct opposite of Unity.

[DeeZone 10,100]

34 minutes ago, Hawk the Demon said:

Because he would have got this response:

"Thanks for your email. I appreciate you taking the time to reach out and thank you for your passion and loyalty to the red and blue. 

The Board and I often receive feedback, ideas, and communication from a wide variety of supporter groups, and value the thoughts and opinions of all our members.

We engage with these groups, including Deemocracy, often and will continue to do so to ensure our membership base feels heard and valued.

External experts have been engaged as part of both the Board and Football Department reviews. As previously communicated, the ambition of both review processes is to strive for excellence and to ensure, that as our game demands, we evolve to achieve sustained success.

The reviews of both the AFL program and the Board will be completed in October and the priorities identified will be communicated to members. 

Thanks for your continued support of the club and I look forward to seeing you at the footy.

Thanks

Brad"

 

They ( Our Football Club) are in the midst of two separate Reviews HTD and who do you represent???

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

8 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

You are probably a bit young Katrina to know this term but 5th Columnist springs to mind, they are people who work with the enemy to undermine the will of the people to resist and fight back. It’s the direct opposite of Unity.

Katrina may have understood a bit better, if you had said like some posters on Demonland

[DeeZone 10,100]

5 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

Katrina may have understood a bit better, if you had said like some posters on Demonland

True Saty that was my inference. 😁

[RickyD 45]

On 02/10/2024 at 18:01, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Can someone find out if Ricky Dunn exists?

Sound like the reporter who wrote this letter has watched Talledega Nights recently and attached Dunn as the surname instead of Bobby.

I do!

[RickyD 45]

Hi everyone

I’m the author of the letter that The Age published. I’ve just come across this thread and wanted to clarify and elaborate on some points raised here.

The Age's Publication
I was as surprised as anyone that The Age decided to publish my letter. My intention was simply to copy them in and present it as an open letter to encourage the club to acknowledge my concerns—which I still firmly believe are entirely valid.

Cancelling Membership
I’ve held my consecutive years of membership as a badge of honour and hate the idea of losing it. Taking this step was the only action I felt could bring about meaningful change.

To those calling me a ‘nuffy’ for threatening to cancel my membership: I welcome your suggestions on how someone with limited resources can effectively drive much-needed change.

Sadly, even after my letter got published, the only response I received from the MFC was from the membership department, asking if I had any feedback and embarrassingly copying in The Age on their email. Clearly they didn’t even read the letter.

For what it’s worth, my frustrations have little to do with on-field performances—I’ve stood by the club through far worse periods. My fundamental issue lies with a group of insiders running the club, sweeping their mistakes under the rug instead of taking accountability. This process has made it abundantly clear that the club doesn’t genuinely care about its members. 

Independent Review is Essential
I’m not part of any inner circle and have no insight into the club’s administration. It’s not my place to dictate who should be hired or fired and whether Pert, Green, Goodwin or anyone else is the best person for the job. However, common sense dictates that if the club decides a review is necessary, those who have overseen decisions should be excluded from that process. Having the review conducted by someone who has received previous contracts from the administration is a clear conflict of interest, as is involving the CEO in assessing his own performance. I haven’t heard any arguments suggesting otherwise, which speaks volumes.

Support The Cause
For anyone who supports what I’m trying to achieve, please sign the petition I’ve put together - www.change.org/MFC_review. I’d love to reach 1,000 signatures so this can be formally presented to the club and further pressure can be put on the administration to do the right thing. 

I’ve written more than I intended here but please know my sole motivation with all of this is to make the Melbourne Football Club the best it can be – both on and off the field. Bringing negative media to the club is far from ideal, but so is having unaccountable leadership running an organisation we help fund.  

If anyone has any questions or concerns, I’m happy to try and address them.

Note: Please don’t waste your money paying to promote the petition on the Change.org  platform. I can see the stats and don’t think it will achieve anything. Please just encourage other supporters who are disenchanted with the way the review is being conducted to sign instead.

 

 

 

[RickyD 45]

1 hour ago, Katrina Dee Fan said:

There are a lot of assertions in that letter that is based on rumours in the media that have not eventuated.  So you'd be right, I don't agree with a lot in Ricky Dunn's letter, whoever he is.  If he wants to have a temper tantrum, that's his prerogative, but it's a bit of a dumb way to do it.  

Hey Katrina
I don't believe think my letter referenced rumours - my core issue is with those conducting the reviews, which is common knowledge.
No temper tantrum either - just frustration at seeing the club I love run poorly

[RickyD 45]

56 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

They ( Our Football Club) are in the midst of two separate Reviews HTD and who do you represent???

Hey DeeZone

First, I come in peace. I get where you're coming from and don't like having the Dees dragged through the mud either.

As a broad question - if any organisation decides a full review is warranted, don't you reckon it's important that the people who have been in charge are removed from that process?

I reckon whether it's Qantas, a political party or a football club, if issues have been identified and changes need to be made, do you really want Alan Joyce, Anthony Albanese or anyone else in charge etc being the ones that  analyse their own wrong-doings? What sort of outcome would you expect from that? I don't reckon the MFC are any different.

I'm giving Green the benefit of the doubt and it's a bit of a shame that he's having to make these decisions after just coming into the role. He likely has the best of intentions but he's handling this situation poorly and there can be long term issues from that... good news is, it can be easily fixed if he wants to.

[DeeZone 10,100]

1 minute ago, RickyD said:

Hey DeeZone

First, I come in peace. I get where you're coming from and don't like having the Dees dragged through the mud either.

As a broad question - if any organisation decides a full review is warranted, don't you reckon it's important that the people who have been in charge are removed from that process?

I reckon whether it's Qantas, a political party or a football club, if issues have been identified and changes need to be made, do you really want Alan Joyce, Anthony Albanese or anyone else in charge etc being the ones that  analyse their own wrong-doings? What sort of outcome would you expect from that? I don't reckon the MFC are any different.

I'm giving Green the benefit of the doubt and it's a bit of a shame that he's having to make these decisions after just coming into the role. He likely has the best of intentions but he's handling this situation poorly and there can be long term issues from that... good news is, it can be easily fixed if he wants to.

Hi RickyD you make the assumption that you have the high ground and are right and by inference the Club is incompetent and untrustworthy to conduct two separate Reviews regarding the very business that they manage and you have introduced your Open Letter to all and sundry and invited them to partake of the feast on the bones of a relatively successful football club.!! I don’t buy it RickyD.

[RickyD 45]

2 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Hi RickyD you make the assumption that you have the high ground and are right and by inference the Club is incompetent and untrustworthy to conduct two separate Reviews regarding the very business that they manage and you have introduced your Open Letter to all and sundry and invited them to partake of the feast on the bones of a relatively successful football club.!! I don’t buy it RickyD.

No high ground mate, I just believe it’s common sense.

It’s not ‘the club’ I don’t trust, it’s certain executives at the club who would (understandably) like to maintain their roles.  These are the same people who are responsible for the current situation(s).

You don’t see where I’m coming from?

[Mgdee 322]

[DeeZone 10,100]

37 minutes ago, RickyD said:

No high ground mate, I just believe it’s common sense.

It’s not ‘the club’ I don’t trust, it’s certain executives at the club who would (understandably) like to maintain their roles.  These are the same people who are responsible for the current situation(s).

You don’t see where I’m coming from?

Sorry RickyD can’t see where you are coming from nothing personal but…..!!!!

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

31 minutes ago, RickyD said:

No high ground mate, I just believe it’s common sense.

It’s not ‘the club’ I don’t trust, it’s certain executives at the club who would (understandably) like to maintain their roles.  These are the same people who are responsible for the current situation(s).

You don’t see where I’m coming from?

Hi,

Can you answer the following questions.

1. Why not write to the Club, I have

2. How many years experience do you have in an executive position in any organisation for you to pass judgement on the performance of executives.

3. Have you ever stood up at any meeting involving Club Staff, AGM and the like and asked any questions, if not, why

4, What exactly is the current situation in your eyes, please expand, and who do you not trust and why,  please name them, you yourself are hiding behind a nickname.

5. Are you a supporter of Peter Lawrence in any shape or form.

6. Have you had the opportunity to question any Club Staff face to face, and if you had, did you.

 

 

[58er 6,560]

5 hours ago, Katrina Dee Fan said:

 A bit of perspective.  

1) what part of the reporting has the media actually got right?  Clarry last year?  Nup.  Petty last year? Nup.  Kozzy last year?  Nup.  Trac? Nup. Viney?  Kozzy? Nup.  Clarry?  Nup.  

Meanwhile the club has either re-signed or extended the contracts of Gawny, Viney, Howes, Turner, Tholstrup, Windsor, McVee, Langdon, Petty, McDonald, Melksham, Bowey, Seston, Verrall, Moniz-Wakefield and Brown this year alone.  17 players.  And only one officially requesting a trade, one who does love the club, and is going home for family necessity.  A club with genuine culture problems would not be able to do that.  And these players were so happy on Friday at the B&F.

2)  Barrett made himself look like a dill when yesterday he claimed the Oliver trade is still open.  Even though it's been shut down by Melbourne and Geelong.  What does that tell you?  

As Clarry said in the podcast last week, the media are full of [censored].

Well said KD but that never gets reported!!! 

[RickyD 45]

35 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

Hi,

Can you answer the following questions.

1. Why not write to the Club, I have

2. How many years experience do you have in an executive position in any organisation for you to pass judgement on the performance of executives.

3. Have you ever stood up at any meeting involving Club Staff, AGM and the like and asked any questions, if not, why

4, What exactly is the current situation in your eyes, please expand, and who do you not trust and why,  please name them, you yourself are hiding behind a nickname.

5. Are you a supporter of Peter Lawrence in any shape or form.

6. Have you had the opportunity to question any Club Staff face to face, and if you had, did you.

 

 

Sure. Writing this on my phone so sorry if I’m missing anything.

 

1. I have written, other family members have too. Club never bothered to respond. 
 

2. Not much… but enough. I’ve worked for government organisations and in various roles where reviews like this have been conducted. I’ve tried to avoid passing judgement on Pert (and likely failed)..  I believe there are better people to do that… they should just be independent of the administration.

3. I have not. Can’t do much about the past but I wojld like to in future. I don’t think that stops me from being able to share an opinion, does it?

4. I think there’s been enough speculation about what’s been going on at the club. It’s the reason they’re chosen to conduct a review in the first place isn’t it?
I don’t want to be the one passing judgement on management, I’d like a more knowledgeable third party to do that.

My name is on the article, I’m not hiding my identity.

5. I have never met Peter Lawrence and prior to starting the petition I had never had any communication with him. Like many, I only saw club communications regarding his lawsuit along with a bit in the press.
It’s easy to draw opinions when you mainly hear one side of the story and from what I can gather he is a thoroughly decent guy who simply wants the best for the club. I think his legal actions achieved good. He’s dedicated more time and money to the club than I could even dream of.  While raising my own grievances with the club I’ve realised how hard it is to get anything meaningful from them and I have a great deal of respect for his commitment.
 

I’ve spoken to him recently and it seems many of our views are aligned.

6. No. I have tried to contact Brad Green without success. 
 

I’d really just love for someone to say why they wouldn’t want independent voices as part of the review. It makes no sense to me.

Edited October 9 by RickyD