North Melbourne’s financial stability will allow it to give its new coach security to complete a lengthy rebuild
North Melbourne’s financial stability will allow it to negotiate with its incoming coach on a payout figure giving him the security to complete a lengthy rebuild. Jon Ralph has the latest on the search for Rhyce Shaw’s replacement.
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North Melbourne’s financial stability will allow it to negotiate with its incoming coach on a payout figure giving him the security to complete a lengthy rebuild.
Brisbane legend Jon Brown believes his premiership captain Michael Voss should not go for the Roos position if he can be sacked with only a six-month payout figure.
AFL clubs who are “assisted” by the AFL in their finances must insert a maximum six-month payout clause into contracts.
It means a coach signing a long-term deal at a rebuilding club would be aware they could sack him at any time in that rebuild, meaning that terms of the deal were irrelevant.
But North Melbourne will again declare a small profit this season, with chairman Ben Buckley confirming recently the club is “unassisted”.
All clubs receive annual special distributions from the AFL, but those deemed “assisted” have had to use the AFL to borrow extra money during the COVID crisis.
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It means the Roos are free to offer the kind of deal that they will need to secure an elite senior coach without feeling candidates could back out because of the lack of security.
Player managers said this week without added security there was no way they would recommend their coaching clients apply for a role of that scope without added security.
Voss joined the Channel 7 special comments team for the AFL Grand Final and did himself no harm with an assured and insightful performance.
The Roos are expected to announce their panel for the senior coaching search by the end of the week, meaning they will not have a coach by the upcoming trade period.
Paul Roos is expected to be on that panel, along with CEO Ben Amarfio, board member Glenn Archer, footy boss Brady Rawlings and chairman Buckley.
Voss would be one contender for the role alongside Collingwood’s Robert Harvey.
Brisbane football boss David Noble confirmed on Tuesday he was pushing for a CEO’s role in coming seasons and would not be a candidate for the Roos role.
Buckley told the Herald Sun after Rhyce Shaw stepped down the Roos would be aggressive in their search but not approach contracted coaches in senior roles.
“We want to get moving quickly but we will take the appropriate amount of time to get it right. If it extends beyond the obvious draft or trade period then so be it,” he said.
“The challenge is there and coaches by their nature are the sort of people who want challenges so I don’t think anyone would be deterred by any of that.
“There is no one we won’t talk to. Everyone who is available will be in the frame.”
Buckley told the club’s members in a letter recently the Roos would declare an eighth straight profit and hoped to wipe all debt by 2021.
“Like the other unassisted clubs, we have not needed to access AFL funding assistance in 2020 from the AFL’s line of credit during this COVID-19 period (since April 2020),” he said.
“While the majority of AFL clubs receive variable funding from the AFL above the base distribution, in 2019 North received the 6th highest variable funding. Variable funding is a key plank of the equalisation policy and why the AFL competition has been so successful in recent decades.”
ROOS EYE COACHING PANEL AS SHAW DEPARTS
North Melbourne chairman Ben Buckley says there is “no one we won’t talk to” about the club’s vacant coaching role, confident the Roos’ comprehensive rebuild will not scare away any prospective candidates.
Rhyce Shaw has moved on from North Melbourne by mutual agreement after accepting a payout as he deals with personal issues.
Buckley told the Herald Sun the Roos would draw up an exhaustive short list, with Ross Lyon and Michael Voss expected to be in that group of candidates.
He said the Roos were in no hurry to appoint a replacement before the trade period as the club assembles a selection panel expected to include premiership coach Paul Roos
Buckley, CEO Ben Armarfio and head of football Brady Rawlings will be joined by outside consultants.
Buckley again declared the Roos would never move full-time to Tasmania and said reports Rawlings had been overruled by the club’s board on coaching roles were “complete nonsense”.
He paid tribute to Shaw’s integrity, but said the club would move quickly to secure the best possible coach.
“We want to get moving quickly but we will take the appropriate amount of time to get it right. If it extends beyond the obvious draft or trade period then so be it,” he said.
“The challenge is there and coaches by their nature are the sort of people who want challenges so I don’t think anyone would be deterred by any of that.
“There is no one we won’t talk to. Everyone who is available will be in the frame.
“I think it’s an exciting opportunity given we had the highest number of Rising Stars in the competition over the past few years and then we have really exciting proven performers. Then you have a strong hand at the draft and you put it together and it’s an exciting combination.”
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Asked about the club’s interest in Michael Voss, he replied: “I just won’t speculate on anyone.
There are a lot of talented individuals out there. Some with experience and some will less experience and we will assess all of them.”
About reports head of football Rawlings was overruled by the board, he said: “I have seen those reports and it’s a total misrepresentation.”
“He has had a challenging first year as have all the staff and he’s doing an outstanding job,” he said.
“The work he has done around list management has been clear and concise and well-articulated.
“It’s a necessary decision we need to make and he and Scott Clayton and Glenn Luff are the group of guys to execute it well.”
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Shaw said he was thankful for the chance to coach the Roos after winning the senior role last year after a successful audition.
“Despite the challenges of the past year, my passion for football remains. The experiences I’ve had throughout my career developing young footballers to reach their potential has given me the greatest satisfaction and pride, and I hope to have the opportunity to contribute to this great game again in the future.
“For now, however, my focus is on taking time out, and I would ask that my privacy, and that of my family, continue to be respected at this time.”
