The Collingwood board met  Dec 17th to appoint a new president and vice-presidents for the next year and the result was overwhelmingly positive.

The AFL announced it had reduced the minimum distribution per club from $10million to $8million and four wealthy clubs – Collingwood, Richmond, Hawthorn and West Coast – would all only get the bare minimum meaning each club would lose $2million a year.

The AFL club unanimously elected Jeff Browne as the club’s 14th president and will be accompanied by vice-presidents Jodie Sizer and Paul Licuria. As confirmed by Jeff, it was a unanimous decision at the Collingwood 2021 annual general meeting, one that also name checked him as the Director on the same evening. Also elected to the board were Renee Roberts and Barry Carp while director Christine Holgate continues in her former capacity as a board member.

The Collingwood board for next year will comprise of seven people in charge if decision making. They are Jeff Browne, Barry Carp, Christine Holgate, Paul Licuria, Renee Roberts, Jodie Sizer and Mark Korda.

Jeff joins Collingwood on a bourgeoning reputation in the AFL having served as its external lawyer for 22 years with the notable contribution of creating several rules guiding the clubs ranging from the competition agreements for all clubs, the players’ collective bargaining agreements, the racial vilification policy, media rights agreements to rules for the salary cap and national draft.

Due to this impact on the game, Jeff became a Life Member of the AFL.

Coupled with being the current chairman of the Walkinshaw Automotive Group and chairman of ASX listed investment bank MA Financial Group, he was the former Managing Director of the Nine Network. Korda, the outgoing president of the club confirmed months ago that he won’t be running for another term, paving way for a fresh face. He said, “I thank all of the candidates who contested the election hoping to make a contribution to Collingwood at board level.

It is heartening to be reminded of that deep passion for our club.” He also congratulated the newly elected board members, “I congratulate the successful candidates and, on behalf of the returning directors and our members, look forward to working with them in 2022.”

Despite another COVID-affected season Collingwood had previously declared an operating profit of $1.8 million but a net loss of $700,000 after depreciation.

The new Leader addressed the club’s board members via video stream, highlighting the need to improve the club’s status in earnest driving new memberships as a big goal.