Kate Roffey quits as Melbourne president, Brad Green takes on role
Kate Roffey has quit as Melbourne president and left the club’s board after weeks of mounting pressure about her leadership during the Demons’ culture crisis.
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Christian Petracca’s demand for change at Melbourne has set in chain a cascading series of events that has seen Kate Roffey immediately quit the presidency and the club committing to a second internal review this off-season.
Roffey has stepped aside for club legend and current board member Brad Green, who has committed to a review of the board in coming months.
Once that review is complete there will be a fresh vote on the presidency, with lawyer, Demons 200-gamer and former MCC boss Steven Smith being wooed as a potential president.
Green is in essence the club’s interim president and will allow the club to make seamless change without bloodletting or an extraordinary general meeting.
It is understood that while Green continuing on is less likely, he would be open to becoming the full time president if the board review finds that he is the best candidate for the club long-term.
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Chief executive Gary Pert has already committed to his own internal review of football operations, and with the board intent on stability he is expected to continue on in his role.
So while there are two reviews afoot, the club is resisting the opportunity for a full-scale external review despite Petracca’s concerns and two straight-sets finals exit before this year’s miserable season.
The Melbourne members will also be able to have their say on as many as three board spots given Roffey has immediately quit and director David Robb will stand down in coming months.
Melbourne director Sally Freeman is also up for election this year as part of her three-year rotation so there will be two vacancies and another board member who needs re-election on an eight-person board.
Roffey had completed her term as a director but because she was voted in as president she was allowed to remain on the board, but under club rules must now step down immediately.
The decision comes only eight days after her trainwreck interview on SEN where she made a disastrous attempt at compassion over Petracca’s injury this year.
While the club will say the process has been orderly, there is no doubt that interview and Petracca’s demand for change in many levels of the club has hastened her demise.
The Melbourne board can now appoint Smith to her casual vacancy and make an eventual transition that elevates him to the presidency if he agrees to their proposal.
Green and Roffey met Smith last week to assess his interest in joining the board and potentially becoming president after contact between Green and Smith across the season.
“I am honoured to have been chosen as president by my colleagues and proud to continue to serve this great club which has given me so many opportunities in life,” Green said on Friday.
“I have told my colleagues that I will lead the review process and once it is completed I would like to give the board the opportunity to vote again on the Presidency.
“This will be a collaborative reset of the Board and it’s important that we are honest with each other about where we have succeeded, and where we could have done better.
“There is no doubt that we need to turn the faith and belief of our members and fans into results and performance, and the Board stands at the top of that process.”
Green paid tribute to Roffey, who took over from Glen Bartlett but is being sued by the former president along with several other club directors for defamation in a case that continues in Perth.”
“Kate’s legacy as president is outstanding and we owe her a debt of gratitude. She took over at a tumultuous time, brought great stability to the Board and backed our management team and football department to deliver premierships,” said Green.
“Under Kate’s Presidency, Melbourne has experienced record membership growth and won both an AFL and AFLW Premiership. Kate has overseen the delivery of strong financial results, as well as steering the Casey Fields development, and the creation of the club’s Future Fund,” Green said.
Originally published as Kate Roffey quits as Melbourne president, Brad Green takes on role
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