Browne ticket gets up at Collingwood

Jeff Browne’s four-person ticket has swept to power at Collingwood with the former head of Channel Nine to be the new president of the Magpies.

There were no surprises in the vote with the Magpies members endorsing Browne’s push for change along with Barry Carp and Renee Roberts and re-electing former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate.

The president will be elected at the first board meeting which will be held on Friday morning with the four newly-appointed board members joining outgoing president Mark Korda, who will remain on the board next year, and vice presidents Paul Licuria and Jodie Sizer.

Former Nine Network boss Jeff Browne.

Browne is expected to be appointed unanimously at that meeting and become the club’s fourth president in less than 12 months after long-term president, and Browne’s close friend, Eddie McGuire resigned in February this year. Korda and Peter Murphy shared the job for a short period after McGuire’s sudden resignation before Korda was appointed in his own right until season’s end.

The appointment capped a year of turmoil at board level and upheaval on the field with the team finishing second bottom and parting ways mid-season with Nathan Buckley and then appointing an almost entirely new football coaching panel.

About 5000 or the 11,500 eligible members voted at the election.

Korda had already declared he would not be president next year. Browne is the only current or prospective board member who stated they wanted the job and so likely to be installed as president. His successful campaign, which clearly resonated with members was about offering the club leadership.

Outgoing president Korda took the opportunity to praise McGuire and former president Alex Waislitz who also resigned from the board this year.

“Both were on the board for 23 years and I think it is fair to say they saved the club when it was almost bankrupt when Eddie and Alex took over. Their legacy is unbelievable, Eddie president for 23 years,” Korda said.

He said COVID-19 had stopped the club properly celebrating the pair but that would happen next year.

He also praised significant club figure and former co-president Peter Murphy who had chosen not to seek re-election to the board.

“Contrary to all the ridiculous stories in the press Peter and I have worked very, very well together during this year and at certain stages there wouldn’t be a day go by I didn’t talk to Peter,” Korda said.

Chief executive Mark Anderson thanked and praised former coach Buckley as “all class” for the manner in which he handled himself throughout his career and in particular his departure from the club.

Korda thanked Anderson for his efforts and observed “everyone has been giving more than 100 percent”.

Korda said the club was undertaking a review to put to members regarding eligibility for members observing that although the club has over 75,000 members only about 11,500 were eligible to vote.

They would also consider proposing term limits for board members and presidents “for example no board member serve more than three terms of three years and a president two terms of three years”.

Despite another COVID-affected season Collingwood had previously declared an operating profit of $1million but a net loss of $1.8million after depreciation for the Glass House.

Head trainer Rohan Bownds, who has been with the club as a trainer for 34 years, was granted life membership.

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