The Score: Carlton AGM more like a birthday party

Footy club AGM’s are known to be dour affairs, but the Blues tore up the script this week, using a professional MC and allowing players to take centre stage, with Eddie Betts reminiscing about the club’s infamous booze cruise.

Carlton president Mark Logiudice, coach David Teague and chief executive Cain Liddle. Picture: Michael Klein

Carlton’s AGM on Monday night had all the elements of a classic 21st birthday bash.

Instead of the mundane “president with a gavel” scenario, the Blues rolled out professional MC Jason Richardson to run proceedings.

“Richo” assured the Blues faithful that he was indeed a paid-up Carlton member and lightened the mood with a few early interviews with homecoming star Eddie Betts and new boy Jack Martin taking the stage.

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Eddie Betts found himself in trouble with the law in 2009.

A young Levi Casboult won’t forget the club’s infamous booze cruise. Picture: Michael Klein

Betts reminisced about when he “got locked up” after that infamous 2009 “booze cruise” (the one where then-rookie Levi Casboult was handcuffed to a teammate) and revealed that ex-teammate Chris Judd, re-elected to the Blues’ board minutes later, was “actually a good rapper”.

‘He’s a freestyler,” Betts said.

When Martin was asked what position he’d like to play in 2020, Richardson engaged new Blues coach David Teague, who was sitting in the crowd.

“Wherever you want,” the coach replied.

“Take that and run,” Richo said.

Heavy security was on hand too — for our birthday bash theme.

Carlton president Mark Logiudice, coach David Teague and chief executive Cain Liddle. Picture: Michael Klein

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But once the vote counting and serious stuff got underway a group of long suffering Carlton members turned their guns on president Mark LoGiudice, with one declaring that the Blues boss “couldn’t run a chook raffle”, let alone an AGM.

We disagree. As far as AGM’s go, this was a cracker.

Members were also bemused by the club’s decision to list the names of board candidates in alphabetical order according to first names, rather than surnames. One member even suggested it was a conspiracy as the two unsuccessful board challengers appeared last and second last on the ballot paper.

But he was assured that there was “flexibility” within the club’s 155-year-old constitution to allow it.

You’d be a bit stiff if former Swans Nick Smith and Kieren Jack rocked up to play against you in a social AFL9s competition. Picture: Phil Hillyard

RUDE SURPRISE FOR SOCIAL FOOTY

Imagine rocking up for your social game of footy on a Monday night after work and this happens.

You’re already a bit tired. Maybe work was rougher than usual. Oh, and then you’ve got two Sydney Swans greats on the other team, too.

It was reality for an AFL 9s team in Sydney on Sunday, as former Swans player Brandon Jack — no slouch on the field himself — revealed.

Jack’s side had two “ring-ins”: freshly retired pair Kieren Jack (Brandon’s brother) and Nick Smith.

“Felt a bit much for a Monday night social comp to be honest,” Brandon tweeted.

“Other team understandably flat.”

Perhaps, unsurprisingly, two of the Swans’ best players of the last two decades, who only just stopped playing at the elite level, were quite a bit better than the regulars on the Sydney AFL 9s circuit.

My AFL 9s team had two ring-ins tonight. @kjack_15 and Nick Smith. Felt a bit much for a Monday night social comp to be honest. Other team understandably flat.

— Brandon Jack (@brandonjack33) February 24, 2020

ROOS’ FASHION STATEMENT

North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw missed the memo but Jasper Pittard took inspiration from the past when North Melbourne gathered for its team photo this week.

Shaw apparently turned up in sneakers, not coach-appropriate dress shoes, and Pittard, resplendent in long sleeve jumper and bowl-like haircut, looked like he had waltzed out of the glory days of years gone-by, a by-gone era when the Galloping Gasometer ruled the roost at Arden Street.

But as always at North, it’s what happens on the field that counts the most.

Jasper Pittard sported an interesting doo for the club’s annual team photo.

THE WHISPER

Which Victorian club president told punters during a recent speech at the Sorrento Golf Club that he and AFL boss Gillon McLachlan had become close friends and come up with a plan to revolutionise the game?

Originally published as The Score: Carlton AGM more like a birthday party