Waleed Aly asks glaring question amid Collingwood crisis

New Collingwood director Bridie O’Donnell has defended herself and the Pies after attracting scrutiny during the week as the AFL club faces a battle over off-field stability.

The Magpies came under fire after O’Donnell was parachuted onto the board following the immediate resignation of billionaire businessman and Collingwood vice-president Alex Waislitz.

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It soon emerged that because O’Donnell had been a Collingwood member for less than two years, she did not have voting rights.

Then came the social media frenzy when a photo of the former professional cyclist wearing a Western Bulldogs jumper went public, sparking accusations of divided loyalty.

Speaking on the ABC’s Offsiders on Sunday morning, O’Donnell stood behind Collingwood’s decision-making process.

“It’s been the biggest week of my sporting life, perhaps — my off-bike sporting life,” she said. “It’s been fascinating. I’ve had immense support and obviously criticism.

“I think people have been frustrated about what they have known about the process, but the good news is that there’s so much change happening anyway.

“What we’re seeing more and more in sport and across all boards is thinking about what skills you need on a board and identifying those and then looking for those people. So that’s how organisations thrive is you actually have really diverse voices.

“People who are motivated but aligned with different perspectives.”

Fellow Offsiders panellist Waleed Aly had a dig at Collingwood and suggested the club had stuffed up because there’s no way it would have knowingly appointed O’Donnell to the board had it known she hadn’t been a member for at least two years.

“The only thing I think that was a problem with this, and this is not at all a criticism of Bridie because it had nothing to do with her, was that clearly, someone didn’t check the criteria very well,” Aly said.

“I found it hard to believe they would have wanted to appoint you without voting rights. I would find that difficult to believe.”

This photo added to the questions over O’Donnell’s appointment.Source:Twitter

But O’Donnell was adamant she had been transparent throughout the entire process and Collingwood knew about her membership status when it offered her a position on the board.

She also reiterated she took a photograph wearing a Bulldogs jumper because she’s been supportive of all clubs that have AFLW teams — which again, was something she says the Pies were aware of.

“Yeah, I made it really clear and went through a rigorous process. They met with a lot of people,” O’Donnell said.

“I made it really clear that I had been a supporter of all the teams that have had AFLW teams, so that information was there.

“I think it’s been a challenge because of everything else that’s going on, it’s been a very noisy week and that (photo) escalated it.”

The controversy around O’Donnell comes as newly-installed Collingwood president Mark Korda faces the threat of a leadership challenge from Jeff Browne — a good friend of Eddie McGuire, who quit as Collingwood president after 23 years at the helm.

During the week McGuire said he was “bewildered” by suggestions he is orchestrating to help Browne oust Korda.

“I was president for 23 years at the club I love, I gave my heart and soul to the place and I stepped aside, and that’s it,” McGuire said. “I support the Collingwood Football Club, I want it to do well and I’ve got nothing to do with anything.

“We’ve been very good friends for a long, long time, but I’ve got nothing to do with anything that Jeff’s doing as far as anything to do with the Collingwood Football Club.”

McGuire’s exit has paved the way for a power vacuum.Source:News Corp Australia

In a series of radio interviews on Wednesday, Korda declared he has no interest in stepping aside as president and called for Collingwood to avoid a civil war.

“Why would Eddie want to tear down his own legacy?” Korda told Neil Mitchell on 3AW when asked if he believed McGuire was behind reports of board instability.

“Eddie has always put Collingwood first. He resigned in February because, as he said, Collingwood needed clear air. Five directors are on the board that were with Eddie so why would he want to do that for his own legacy?

“Yes (I want to stay as president). No (I have not considered stepping down in the interest of the club), we have got a fully elected board by the members … we need to govern the club in accordance with proper process and protocols so we will govern the club and govern the club well.

“Eddie’s on the record (saying) that coups aren’t good for clubs.”

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