Grant Thomas paid $100,000 hush money by St Kilda

[JeffDunne]

The St.Kilda Football Club is in deed very fortunate to have Archie Fraser as CEO and he did his upmost to heal the divisions between the coach and board, but this was inevitably an exercise in futility.

Other than trying to get him to sign away any claims to unpaid entitlements . . . what exactly did he do?

I'm curious.

[saintsRrising]

The big picture gets back to the club wanting to bring in a football department restructure whith had the responsibilty shared over more shoulders, whereas GT wanted to retain the structure where everything was channelled through him.

GT having so many dysfunctional relationships inside and outside of the club only compounded this further.

Fair enough you see this as a problem, but you don't seriously still believe this is why he was sacked?

So why was he sacked Rodge?

Come on...don't skirt.

Come out and actually say for a change.

All you ever do is hint...and don't say.

How about actually saying EXACTLY what you believe the reason was ? Then we can actually discuss it.

You do have a reason I trust?

[barks4eva]

The St.Kilda Football Club is in deed very fortunate to have Archie Fraser as CEO and he did his upmost to heal the divisions between the coach and board, but this was inevitably an exercise in futility.

Other than trying to get him to sign away any claims to unpaid entitlements . . . what exactly did he do?

I'm curious.

In all honesty there was nothing he could do to heal the division's between the coach and president, there was nothing ANYONE could do

The relationship between the coach and president was beyond repair before Fraser even arrived

BUT he was the go between and did what any CEO would or could do in this situation

The insinuation by Mebabble that Fraser was one of Butterss henchmen is pure fantasy.

This is so NOT the case, if mebabble hadn't of already confirmed what an absolute goofball he is, which he already has, then this time he's put it beyond any doubt whatsoever.

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

[saintsRrising]

[Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

My "conspiracy theory" is that Archie "engineered" the departue of both... ...or at least shall we say alerted people to the idea that there was a better way forward..... As CEO his responsibility was not to stroke egos, but do do what is best for the club.


The other way of looking at things is that the CEO was hired with the brief to make the Saints successful.....and so he had to overcome any weaknesses or weak links...

[JeffDunne]

The St.Kilda Football Club is in deed very fortunate to have Archie Fraser as CEO and he did his upmost to heal the divisions between the coach and board, but this was inevitably an exercise in futility.

Other than trying to get him to sign away any claims to unpaid entitlements . . . what exactly did he do?

I'm curious.

In all honesty there was nothing he could do to heal the division's between the coach and president, there was nothing ANYONE could do

The relationship between the coach and president was beyond repair before Fraser even arrived

BUT he was the go between and did what any CEO would or could do in this situation

The insinuation by Mebabble that Fraser was one of Butterss henchmen is pure fantasy.

This is so NOT the case, if mebabble hadn't of already confirmed what an absolute goofball he is, which he already has, then this time he's put it beyond any doubt whatsoever.

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

I really don't care what you think of meher baba and you didn't answer the question.

You said he did his "upmost" to heal the rift.

Since you're dealing in facts, what exactly did he do?


Also, since you're now dealing in facts, could you outline the sequence of events that lead to a consultancy firm being hired to 'review' the football dept which included discussions with people linked to opposition teams?

i.e when this decision was reached, when Archie was hired, when the consultants were appointed . . . that sort of thing.

And if Archie was acting in the best interests of the club - was it ever considered that for the good of the club that maybe the president rather than the coach should be the one stepping aside?

Did we hire consultants to investigate that decision?

[krabb]

Not an Archie fan...never was...IMO since this guy's arrival at our Club..the mess gets messier.

I reckon he's a deadset d1ckhead.

[barks4eva]

You said he did his "upmost" to heal the rift.

Since you're dealing in facts, what exactly did he do?


Also, since you're now dealing in facts, could you outline the sequence of events that lead to a consultancy firm being hired to 'review' the football dept which included discussions with people linked to opposition teams?

i.e when this decision was reached, when Archie was hired, when the consultants were appointed . . . that sort of thing.

And if Archie was acting in the best interests of the club - was it ever considered that for the good of the club that maybe the president rather than the coach should be the one stepping aside?

Did we hire consultants to investigate that decision?

If you really want answers to your specific questions then why don't you ask someone in a better position than myself to address this?


or perhaps you've become accustomed to and actually prefer to revel and trade in scuttlebut, speculation, disinformation and the innuendo of ss

[JeffDunne]

You said he did his "upmost" to heal the rift.

Since you're dealing in facts, what exactly did he do?

[barks4eva]

Not an Archie fan...never was...IMO since this guy's arrival at our Club..the mess gets messier.

I reckon he's a deadset d1ckhead.

and what do you base this on?

I actually strongly believe that the St.Kilda Football Club is in deed very fortunate to have him onboard as CEO.

It must be remembered that he walked into a football club that had a completely dysfunctional relationship between the board and football departments with sworn enemies controlling both camps.

This is a recipe for disaster.

Today, we have a new board, new professionally run football department for the first time in the St.Kilda Football Club's history including the best of the best in regards to quality fitness and conditioning staff, this has all been turned around very quickly in the grand scheme of things and while it is not Archie Fraser working alone, he has played an integral role in this transition.

Then again your post was just insulting wasn't it,
and it would be an understatement to say, light on for detail.

[JeffDunne]

Today, we have a new board, new professionally run football department for the first time in the St.Kilda Football Club's history including the best of the best in regards to quality fitness and conditioning staff, . . .

Yes but do we have someone that can get players to run through brick walls?

[rodgerfox]

See dodgy the difference between us is this, I prefer to be informed, get the facts, hear them first hand, you obviously prefer to continue to spread disinformation that you gleaned second hand from some "virtual" bored member and what you read in the herald sun, relying on some court reporter to disseminate what is relevant and what is not,

each to their own

Umm, I'm pleased to say that the difference between us is far greater than that.

[barks4eva]

You said he did his "upmost" to heal the rift.

Since you're dealing in facts, what exactly did he do?

you're barking up the wrong tree

I'm not about to detail on here what I may or may not have gleaned by having been privy to court room evidence, by actually attending in person

if you want to know more, investigate for yourself

[krabb]

and what do you base this on?

I remember his mess handling the Moorabbin Council fiasco...some things just stay in your mind.

Feel free to idolise the guy...

[Mr Magic]

B4e,
I for one am glad to have your posts reporting the procedings.

At the very least we are informed with what is being said without any commentary as to whether what has been said is true or not. It must be hard for you not to allow your anti-GT views to colour your posts, but I think you have done a pretty good job at doing just that so far.

[rodgerfox]

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

If Butterss went instead of Thomas, how do you think that would have gone?

[barks4eva]

See dodgy the difference between us is this, I prefer to be informed, get the facts, hear them first hand, you obviously prefer to continue to spread disinformation that you gleaned second hand from some "virtual" bored member and what you read in the herald sun, relying on some court reporter to disseminate what is relevant and what is not,

each to their own

Umm, I'm pleased to say that the difference between us is far greater than that.

how deep is your foxhole, afterall?

[Mr Magic]

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

If Butterss went instead of Thomas, how do you think that would have gone?

Coaches cannot sack Board Directors but Boards can sack Coaches and Directors.

[Shaggy]

B4e,
I for one am glad to have your posts reporting the procedings.

At the very least we are informed with what is being said without any commentary as to whether what has been said is true or not. It must be hard for you not to allow your anti-GT views to colour your posts, but I think you have done a pretty good job at doing just that so far.

I second that.

[rodgerfox]

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

If Butterss went instead of Thomas, how do you think that would have gone?

Coaches cannot sack Board Directors but Boards can sack Coaches and Directors.

Well derrr.


As a Board, and as the brilliant AFL mind and CEO that he is, would it have been a better situation - seeing as the President and the coach couldn't get along, that the President went instead of the coach?

Who was bringing more to the table in terms of results? Who was of more value yo our core business? Which I probably need to remind people, perhaps including Archie Fraser, is winning football matches.

[Mr Magic]

Bottomline, my understanding, Fraser as CEO knew that St.Kilda Football Club could not be successful while the ex coach and ex president together remained in their respective positions

You don't need to be Einstein to figure that out

If Butterss went instead of Thomas, how do you think that would have gone?

Coaches cannot sack Board Directors but Boards can sack Coaches and Directors.

Well derrr.


As a Board, and as the brilliant AFL mind and CEO that he is, would it have been a better situation - seeing as the President and the coach couldn't get along, that the President went instead of the coach?

Who was bringing more to the table in terms of results? Who was of more value yo our core business? Which I probably need to remind people, perhaps including Archie Fraser, is winning football matches.

Well derrr,
You're not seriously suggesting that Archie, having been employed by the Board should have turned around after 2 weeks and told the peple who had recently employed him that they should sack themselves and allow him and the Coach to run the Club?
GT was obvioulsy so capable at doing everything he could run the CLub without a Board as well?

[rodgerfox]

So why was he sacked Rodge?

Come on...don't skirt.

Come out and actually say for a change.

All you ever do is hint...and don't say.

How about actually saying EXACTLY what you believe the reason was ? Then we can actually discuss it.

You do have a reason I trust?

The reasons were personal. Not professional.

Butterss didn't like Thomas. And Thomas didn't like Butterss - I believe this part actually happened first. For reasons that I will not post on a forum. Mainly because I don't for a fact, as I heard it second hand. And the reasons I were given are quite controversial.

He didn't like Thomas, and didn't like the fact that Thomas had more support than he did. He felt threatened, and so he should have. A coach who is performing well, and has the support of his players is far more important to a club than a president who can't get sponsors and find the club a home.

As Butterss once said about business - 'You shouldn't run football clubs like a business. In business you seek your competition out and destry them' (not an exact quote, but along those lines). This is how he treated his 'situation' with Thomas.

Butterss has a severe ego. Even when Thomas was gone, Butterss was incensed that the football world showed support to Thomas, and not him.

He went about changing that.

We soon tired of hearing and seeing him everywhere on TV and quotes everywhere. "Look at me! What about me! I'm still here! I'm the good guy here!"



Now all the crap you went on about for months and months about why the club sacked him and how it all sat exactly with what you said all along, was blatantly wrong.

All the rookies, Casey, Plan B, game plan etc. etc. was not why he was sacked. You were wrong. The club was comfortable with his performance as a coach. And rightly so really.

[barks4eva]

B4e,
I for one am glad to have your posts reporting the procedings.

At the very least we are informed with what is being said without any commentary as to whether what has been said is true or not. It must be hard for you not to allow your anti-GT views to colour your posts, but I think you have done a pretty good job at doing just that so far.

thanks, but I've mentioned only a very small amount of stuff,

ok here's one more thing that may or may not have been reported in the press

both parties have agreed that in the event that Thomas's claim for holiday pay and annual leave entitlements is successful, he will recieve $90,000 for this claim

I don't read newspapers so have no idea if this has been mentioned already

In all honesty there is a heap of stuff I could post, in an unbiased manner or at least as objective as I could try to be on this matter, but I, in all honesty do not deem this place worthy enough, due by and large to the gaggle of goggle eyed, gumpy, goofballs and flaggetating flogs on here.

and for the record, just in case, I most definitely do NOT want pm's on this matter from anyone wanting to know more

[rodgerfox]

In all honesty there is a heap of stuff I could post, in an unbiased manner or at least as objective as I could try to be on this matter, but I, in all honesty do not deem this place worthy enough, due by and large to gaggle of goggle eyed, gumpy, goofballs and flaggetating flogs on here.

Or is because it proves you were wrong on many things all along?

[Mr Magic]

B4e,
I for one am glad to have your posts reporting the procedings.

At the very least we are informed with what is being said without any commentary as to whether what has been said is true or not. It must be hard for you not to allow your anti-GT views to colour your posts, but I think you have done a pretty good job at doing just that so far.

ok here's one more thing that may or may not have been reported in the press

both parties have agreed that in the event that Thomas's claim for holiday pay and annual leave entitlements is successful, he will recieve $90,000 for this claim

That would mean that if he doesn't 'win' at least $10,001 more he will be up for paying bothe Club's and his own legal costs which I reckon will be well in excess of the 90,000 he may get for AL etc.

If you don't mind answering questions on what was said in Court, I would like to ask a few?

Under cross-examination from GT's Barrister, did AF repeat that GT had agreed to withdraw his claim for AL etc if the Club paid the $15,000 fine?

DId AF state that the Club paid that fine?
Under Cross-Examination from Glick, was GT asked if he had a meeting with AF and if he reached agreement about teh AL etc?

DIdi GT claim under examination/cross-examination that he didn't understand what was in the Contract he has supposedly signed?

Has anybody produced the contract that GT supposedly signed?

[ausfatcat]

Thanks for the info you have given us anyway Barks, I have found it to be very interesting and revealing (also unbiased ),


lol from what you have said if the court case was close by I would almost have gone myself retrospectively.


Thanks again