AFL 2022: High-ranking Essendon members call for a review into CEO Xavier Campbell

Essendon backers are not only concerned head office culture is affecting the players, but that the club had not adequately investigated CEO Xavier Campbell’s behaviour.

Essendon president Paul Brasher, right, and CEO Xavier Campbell in March. Picture: Michael Klein

A group of high-ranking Essendon members have written to Bombers chairman Paul Brasher, expressing concerns the club hierarchy has not adequately investigated behavioural issues involving chief executive Xavier Campbell.

The Australian has obtained a number of letters written to Brasher, including two raising concerns around a serious “HR issue” involving Campbell.

An alleged incident involving Campbell is understood to have occurred at a pre-Christmas work party in 2015.

The reappointment of Campbell, who on Tuesday was re-signed for another two years on an estimated $850,000-a-year contract, has outraged supporters of the Essendon club which has not won a final in almost 20 years.

Campbell has been in the role since 2014 and has previously been touted as a successor to AFL chief Gillon McLachlan.

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Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell and president Paul Brasher. Picture: Michael Klein

In the letter seen by The Australian, a high-ranking Essendon member – on behalf of several fellow members – wrote directly to Brasher asking for clarification as to whether Campbell’s behavioural issues were being addressed.

It also asks if the current board had been informed of the behavioural issues, why Campbell had been reappointed for two years considering the club’s poor on-field performance, and called for an external review.

It says: “We have concerns, if in fact this is true and would like you to validate:

“Was there a review conducted by the board in relation to allegations ... committed by Xavier Campbell? If the answer is yes then great, have the current board members received a copy of the report?

“Who made the decision to reappoint Xavier Campbell for an additional 2 year term? The board vote or the president independently.”

The author of the letter has asked for an external review into the reappointment and conduct of the CEO.

“We are a proud football club with a rich history,” they wrote.

“I and many fellow members would be disappointed should this contract extension create such a divide within our members especially during a year that should be full of celebration in honouring our 150th.”

At time of going to print, the Essendon football club had not formally responded to a request for comment from Campbell and Brasher.

It is not the first time an allegation has been made against Campbell in an email to Brasher.

The Australian has obtained a letter dated November 4, 2020, from a high-ranking Essendon supporter which expressed concern about Campbell‘s position and a “HR issue” understood to be referring to the CEO’s behaviour within the workplace.

“This speculation surrounding the CEO is creating a severe negative undertone,” the Essendon supporter wrote.

Campbell and skipper Dyson Heppell. Picture: Michael Klein

The Bombers supporter is also concerned Campbell is more interested in a move to a senior role at AFL House. It was reported by The Age in late 2019 that McLachlan approached Campbell to take up a role at league headquarters and groom him as a potential replacement for the AFL job. Campbell later turned down the opportunity.

“As discussed in our meeting, the CEO is too focused on his pursuit of a higher CEO role, which is an ambition no one can support,” the supporter wrote.

“As we were personally informed by Paul Little in his board room in 2015, he will be mentioning Xavier Campbell as CEO and under his leadership will be groomed to lead this club. What we have clearly seen since 2018, Xavier had ambitions to move into a senior AFL role.

“One we were pleased of the pending appointment and showed where he was considered in Australian sporting administration. We accepted the swell of support immediately after the supplement scandal. We supported the appointment and the board.

“Five years on, if we are to be asked to accept another term that doesn’t show change of significant measure, means we accept the fate of this club and whatever is served up to us in 2021 and beyond.”

The Bombers after the loss to Sydney. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos

A group of supporters who contacted The Australian said they believed the governance and culture in the head office was severely affecting the playing group, with the Bombers 16th on the ladder.

It is not the first letter of concern to land on Brasher’s desk calling for an external review – in 2020, 1500 members called for an independent analysis of the club.

The architect of that letter, Bombers supporter Brett Crabtree said that he did not hear back from Brasher or the board after submitting the petition to him.

“We were asking for an external review if that review came back and said nothing to see here, the club is running well and due process being followed – well then it would be onwards and upwards,” Crabtree said.

“If that review came back and said ‘you know, there’s not enough due diligence happening’ whatever problems were identified … then they would be addressed. So then change would be made from that external review.

“But of course they did the internal review and everyone got a pat on the back – nothing to see here … let’s continue on the current railway track … and now here we are.”

Brasher has privately refuted Campbell’s alleged behavioural issues to supporters, and this week told several influential Essendon members that an external review would not take place.