Hawthorn board stoush: ‘Middle-aged white men’ called out by board member Katie Hudson

Hawthorn board member Katie Hudson has called out a group of “middle-aged white men” she says are attempting to usurp a trio of female candidates at the club’s board elections.

Anne-Marie Pellizzer and Katie Hudson at Waverley Park. Picture: Jason Edwards

Hawthorn board member Katie Hudson says a group of “middle-aged white men” attempting to usurp a trio of female candidates at the club’s board elections would “send us back to the 1960s”.

Current board members Hudson and Anne-Marie Pellizzer are joined by board aspirant Maria Lui in attempting to build a culturally and gender-diverse board that reflects Hawthorn’s membership base.

The trio were endorsed by four-time premiership star Jordan Lewis on Friday, who told the Herald Sun “diversity is as important as ever” as the club attempts to build its next era of success.

Pellizzer also has the strong backing of many of the club’s past legends in David Parkin, Russell Greene, Don Scott and Peter Knights through her role on the board helping past players.

But it is their responsibility for key Hawthorn issues including AFLW, integrity, finance and medical that the trio believe will see them sitting on a board helmed by Peter Nankivell next year.

Katie Hudson and Anne-Marie Pellizzer at Waverley Park. Picture: Jason Edwards

Presidential candidate Andy Gowers made clear this week Hawthorn could have extended the board positions of Hudson or Pellizzer by a year to spare them an election but instead handed that privilege to ex-captain Richie Vandenberg.

But Hudson said Hawthorn could not afford to reverse its progress on diversity across the board.

“Half the players are women. Half the members are women so we want the board to reflect what the club looks like today. The board is proposing two female candidates and recommending another.

“It is in stark contrast to the external candidates who are middle-aged white men. If they are elected we will have a board of eight men and no women. They will be trying to send us back to the 1960s, which is when my dad (1961 premiership player Reg Poole) played.”

Hudson is the chair of Hawthorn’s AFLW committee and is on the finance committee given her expertise as the co-owner of Yarra Capital.

She made clear on Wednesday president elect Peter Nankivell would run a comprehensively different board to Jeff Kennett, saying “the reality is Jeff is leaving the building in 30 days. He is consultative, he listens. The message about a new leadership style couldn’t be more important.”

Board member Anne-Marie Pellizzer is a long-time medico, on the club’s history and traditions committee who helped ward off the 1996 merger and coined the catch phrase “proud, passionate and paid-up”.

Pellizzer said she was happy to be backed by Lewis, Greene and 26 past players through her work with them as a director and made clear she was keen to help the First Nations players through their current difficulties.

“It’s a little bit upsetting that others who are offering themselves up for election don’t see the club is changing,” she said.

Jeff Kennett at the Hawthorn best and fairest.

“We don’t want to go back to being a men’s only board. It’s not relevant in today’s society. It’s intriguing people want Hawthorn to be diverse but the only candidates they put forward are males.

“The first piece of work to do (with the First Nations allegations) is to look after those who are hurting. It doesn’t matter about rights and wrongs. We have done some work in that space and it’s difficult when people for a very good reason don’t want to be identified.

“We really do need to have a coming-together. I understand and appreciate the concerns of those who don’t want to be present. The family club line is trotted out all the time and I don’t know about your family but when my family had a problem they came together and discussed it.

“It’s very important to say that our current First Nations players feel the club is culturally safe. The people on the board now are not the people on the board when this occurred.”

Greene had open heart surgery after Pellizzer made sure he had his heart checked after some worrying symptoms, with the triple-premiership utility backing her on Wednesday.

“She has been amazing. I am apolitical but good Hawthorn people should remain on the board and she is one. I had a triple heart bypass and if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be here,” Greene said.

“Her heart is in the right place and she needs to be able to stay on the board.”

Lewis told the Herald Sun on Friday he strongly endorsed the trio of females as well as Nankivell as president.

Jordan Lewis has endorsed Peter Nankivell as Hawthorn’s next president. Picture: Hamish Blair

“It is with much enthusiasm that I endorse the current board of the Hawthorn Football Club by supporting Peter Nankivell, Katie Hudson, Anne-Marie Pellizzer and Maria Lui on the back of a successful transition to what hopes to be the next dominant chapter in the club’s rich history. Diversity is as important as ever as we welcomed our AFLW team for their inaugural season. I firmly believe the club‘s mission and player development approach will put us in a strong position for years to come,” he said.

Maria Lui is the chairman of the Hawthorn Community Foundation and said on Friday her combination of experience in legal matters and risk management meant she had something specialised to bring to the board.

“I think the club is at a very important juncture. We have got to build the Kennedy Community Centre, but we also need to retain financial stability. I am so glad we got out of poker machines but we have to replace that revenue somehow. It is inevitable at some point we will need to replace the Tasmanian government’s sponsorship so there are a lot of challenges,” she said.

“We also have the independent review into cultural safety so there are a lot of things to be done and lots of challenges and I want to be in the room helping drive strategy. I want to be part of the solution, not standing on the sidelines.

“I also want to make sure culture remains a top priority for the board.

“It has been proven that diversity on boards and gender balance increases the performances of the board. I am a big fan of diversity, not just in gender but in thinking and experience.”