After some lengthy internal manoeuvring,in which at least two directors switched allegiances from Peter Murphy,Mark Korda was elected president in April at a time when Browne was neither fully prepared,nor had the support to come on board. With a clearer vision and better planning surely that would have been the time for him to make his move. Complicating matters for Browne was the ultimate reality that,despite their divisions,the board appeared united in not wanting the former AFL lawyer,Channel Nine boss,and McGuire close friend as president.
McGuire’s position had been taken by VRC chairman Neil Wilson. That appointment,at least,was difficult to argue with,but the seeds of discontent surrounding Korda’s leadership were fuelled by dismayed Magpie supporters and notably disgruntled aspirants who had missed board roles,such as past players president Paul Tuddenham and digital strategist Con Frantzeskos.
Fuelling a messy April and May was the reality of the club’s salary cap-inspired fire sale,which contributed to a lifeless team enduring a string of losses and the controversial board appointment of former road cyclist Dr Bridie O’Donnell,a former St Kilda supporter who had not been a member long enough to vote as a director. It is worth pointing out that Collingwood must have at least three female directors to qualify forVictorian Government funding to further redevelop its Olympic Park precinct facility.
Korda has dug in through all of the above,penning a letter to members in News Corp and firing off an angry media release accusing Browne and his supporters of “bullying”. Another disgruntled member,DavidHatley,collected almost 2000 signatures to force an extraordinary general meeting but then backed off after Korda’s board dissuaded him.
Those signatures have now been taken over by Frantzeskos but the push for an EGM has been complicated by the board’s refusal to share the identities of Collingwood’s eligible voting members,which reportedly number 12,000 out of the Magpies’ total 80,000 members. Without those names,the Browne campaign has no hope.Hence the move by Francis Galbally to report the board to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Along the way came the decision to part company mid-season with Nathan Buckley,a move that seemed politically-timed and gave the board the authority to openly search for a new coach. At least one coaching aspirant has said he would want to have Browne’s imprimatur before taking on the job and two frontrunners,Brad Scott and Don Pyke,are managed by Craig Kelly,who has publicly supported Browne. As has Peter Moore who,like Kelly,has a son playing at the club.