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Buckley backs current board in Collingwood leadership battle


Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has weighed into the club’s board battle, saying there has already been a “heap of change” at the club in recent years and he thinks the current board “are the right people to take the club forward.”

Former Channel Nine boss Jeff Browne made headlines this week when he announced his intention to become club president, only for the current board to firmly reject his takeover proposal.

It has been 12 months of turmoil for the club that’s seen the ‘Pies drop to 16th position on the AFL ladder, the damning “Do Better” report into racism at the club and a salary cap squeeze that resulted in a horror 2020 Trade period.

It has led to calls for changes at board level, but Buckley said there has already been a lot of movement.

“For what it’s worth, I actually believe that there’s been a whole heap of change at this football club, over the last three or four years in particular,” he said.

“I think we’re a much better organisation across those years and I believe the people that are on the current board have had no small part in that progress.

When asked whether more change would have a destabilising effect on the club, Buckley said that was up to the board and Browne’s camp to decide.

“That’s up for the people that are in those discussions to work out and as I said, I believe that they all want the Collingwood Football Club to prosper.

“Everyone’s hurting at the moment with the situation we’re in in 2021, but the situation we’re in is not fatal, it’s a moment in time. There’s a lot of things that are working for us and will come through in coming years, no doubt.

“There’s been a fair bit of change in our football department, there’s been change in our administration, there’s definitely change in our environment and the way that we go about our business and with the backdrop of two wins and nine losses, it’s very difficult to sell that or see that, but I’m really sure that that will come to fruition.

“It was really obvious two or three years ago and it hasn’t changed, we’re still a good organisation in that sense.”

Despite Buckley’s stance, the club appears headed for an Extraordinary General Meeting to decide who will lead.

An EGM can be called if five per cent of Collingwood’s voting members sign a petition calling for it.

Member David Hatley has gathered over 1,700 signatures, which should trigger the meeting.

That would allow Browne and his ticket to run against sitting president Mark Korda and the current board.



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