Believe it or not; this acticle is quite difficult to put together. Sure; it has been a sad year off the ground with all the discussions at League level being centred on the move to the AFL Regional Admistration Centre out at Kialla. At the previous General Delegates Meeting 22nd October 2014, leading up to the AGM the clubs voted on whether to stay as we have been since at least 1903 or to move our Administration out to the newly formed AFL Victoria Country Regional Administration Centre.
The vote on that night revealed 7 clubs voting to move to the RAC with five clubs being Seymour, Rochester, Kyabram, Euroa and Benalla voting to stay as is. The Board under Chairman Trevor POLLARD decided that they needed time to consider that vote as they believed for such an important matter that a 7/5 vote was not decisive enough. The Board informed they would seek legal advice before either ratifying the Delegates vote or perhaps take the matter further. Legal advice was given and acted upon whereby the Board agreed that the 7/5 vote was legal and binding resulting in the League's administration to be conducted under the the guidance of A.F.L. Country Victoria Regional Manager for the Goulburn Murray Region Mr Martin GLEESON. On 17th November 2014 it was moved and carried that the AFL Goulburn Murray Regional Administration Centre be adopted as the effective General Manager / Administration of the GVFL, via a partnership agreement for the supply of management services, as presented to and with the beneficial agreements as agreed in discussion at the Delgates meeting on 22nd October 2014.
On Wednesday 12th November 2014 the Shepparton NEWS reported the proceedings under the headline CLUBS' CHOICE UPSETS CHAIR - the story followed under the sub-heading Country's Best Admin Team Sacked :- Pollard. Sports Journalist Oliver CAFFREY from the Shepp NEWS wrote the following :- Goulburn Valley Football League Chairman Trevor POLLARD has expressed his disappointment at the competition's administration heading to AFL Goulburn Murray. "I am bitterly disappointed the clubs have decided to go down this path - I really feel for the people who have worked for the GVFL, including Keith WELLMAN and administration officer Melissa WELLS that have made us the powerhouse league it is today. The clubs have sacked the best administration team in country football to go to the AFL Goulburn Murray." Trevor indicated in that article that at the Board meeting the Board had moved a motion that the league headquarters in Dunkirk Avenue could not be sold for at least three years. Trevor also reported that he would be staying on the Board to help maintain the history of the league and wanted to make sure the Dunkirk Avenue premises is kept in a good state and ensure the office and all the memorabilia is maintained.
Each club were asked to respond to the decision but unfortunately attempts to contact delegates from Euroa, Kyabram and Rochester had failed so their responses were not recorded. By this time the Benalla club had informed that they had since changed their vote from "No" to the move to a "Yes" to move. Benalla President Bruce BIGGS was quoted as saying "We were initially for staying with the current situation but once Martin GLEESON addressed the Benalla Board and what they are proposing, we thought it was the best way to go. It's not a relection at all on the current board and administration, Keith WELLMAN has done a fantastic job but we need to keep moving forward as a League. The (GVFL) Board is still going to be there and I think we can draw on the resources of the AFL, then surely that's going to be a positive move."
On Tuesday 18th November 2014, former Sporting Editor of the Shepparton NEWS Noel HUSSEY who has been the GVFL Publicity Officer for the past two seasons, had an article printed in the Shepparton NEWS under the heading "Decision a Shame". Following is a copy of this article which many people believe is one of the best articles Huss has ever written in his 50 year career of sports reporting.
Decision a shame
by former Publicity Officer, Noel HUSSEY
The die has been cast and the future of the GVFL is in the lap of the gods.
For the league’s sake, I hope the move to the RAC is successful, even though I’m vehemently opposed to such a move when the league is running at 110 percent efficiency.
Had the AFL Goulburn Murray Commission been in place eight years ago when the league was insolvent, it would have welcomed with open arms a saviour but none was forthcoming until the board appointed, proven administrator, Keith WELLMAN, to get them out of financial difficulties and back on an even keel.
The pocket rocket grabbed the reins and the rest is history. It was a case of going from boiled lollies to old gold, in other words thousands behind to $500,000 in front, in round figures, as is the situation today.
Keith has done the job for a pittance and his reward for asking for one more year was a slap in the face.
It was a simple solution, put a succession plan in place and continue to be autonomous.
Instead the AFL logo, along with a lot of shallow promises, mesmerised a lot of people and the democratic process prevailed, and so it should. One more year was no price to pay for Keith to be leaving the position a contented and happy man.
Instead he said to me on leaving the meeting, which delivered the GVFL to the AFL, “That’s the saddest day of my life. I loved my job and I love the people I worked with.”
Keith was more than capable of another season, after his entire work load this year increased 10 fold with the pressure the AFL GM Commission put on the league.
The GVFL should never have been put under siege by the AFL, after all its there to promote and look after football in the region, not dismantle something which was running like clockwork.
But the prize was too great to ignore and the scalp of the best administrator in the bush had to be delivered.
In 50 years of football administration, I have never seen anything with a VFL, AFL logo deliver anything to country football which wasn’t designed to benefit either organisation and if there was something left for the country to benefit from, so be it.
I only hope, the AFL GM can deliver the goods and maintain the GVFL as the top country footy league in the nation.
For the past two years, I have had great pleasure of working with Keith, the staff, the board and ONE FM and I thank Keith for the opportunity to fill the role of publicity officer.
For 40 years, I have worked with Keith in football administration, one way or another, during which time he has been nothing more than outstanding in his governance and it’s a shame he couldn’t have been given a testimonial year. But as Ned KELLY said “Such is life”.
This whole saga has been pretty sad with the potential to lose very talented people. Keith WELLMAN has been magnificent, a thorough gentleman in all of this emotional change. We can only hope fervantly that he is not lost to football. There is still uncertaintly what Melissa WELLS may do but, like Keith, we cannot afford to lose people like these two. Michelle ADAMS has assisted with the League's finances over the last few years and done a fanatastic job for a minimal fee. Youngster Bailey OPIE has done a sensational job as the GVFL's official photographer. And what about Huss? We just cannot afford to lose quality people like this!
Now - the AGM held at the Shepparton R.S.L. on Wednesday 26th November 2014. Trevor POLLARD as Chairman welcomed all to the Annual General Meeting and was in a upbeat cheerful mood. Trevor has been a member of the GVFL Board for the last twelve years and actually been Chairman of the League for the past three seasons. When the time came to elect the people for the three positions on the Board contested by four men the two new Board members Braydon AITKEN and Philip FRIEDLIEB addressed the Delegates explaing what they could provide to the League. Trevor POLLARD, David ROFF and David FOX had to be re-elected to the Board as per the League Constitution. David ROFF, the CEO of the Mansfield Shire was an apology but had e-mailed all clubs requesting that he be re-elected. David FOX and Trevor POLLARD both only spoke pretty briefly to the Delgates before the vote was conducted.
Each club was issued with a vote card marked with the name of the 5 candidates. Vice Chairman Freddo McMAHON asked the four applicants to leave the meeting while the clubs cast their votes, requesting the clubs to simply draw a line through the name of the applicant they least favoured to be a member of the Board. The four men were only out of the room for five minutes where upon their return it was revealed that David FOX, David ROFF, Braydon AITKEN and Philip FRIEDLIEB had been elected to the Board for the 2015 season.
This was the bombshell. There was a deathly silence as it was realised that Trevor POLLARD has been voted off the Board. The A.G.M. was quickly wrapped up with Freddo continuing as the Acting Chairman but not before Denis FLETT, President of the Tatura Football Club moved a motion that the minutes should reflect a "vote of thanks" to Trevor for his service to the Goulburn Valley Football League. Rochester seconded the motion which was carried. Keith WELLMAN and Freddo McMAHON both spoke regarding Trevor. As mentioned, the AGM was quickly would up and then we had a 10 minute break between the AGM and the first Delegates meeting for the new season.
At this meeting it was revealed that Keith WELLMAN will finish in his position when his contract expires on 12th December rather than 19th December as some thought.
All in all, a very tough year off the field for the GVFL Board. There is a fair bit of uncertainty going forward into the unknown but as members of this proud football League we must always act in the very best interests of the Goulburn Valley Football League.
Good fortune and good luck to all involved.
Last Modified on 28/03/2015 18:23