Collingwood is falling apart without Eddie McGuire after more off-field drama

Instability remains rife at Collingwood as board member Bridie O’Donnell quit just months after her appointment at the club.

Collingwood is falling apart after Eddie McGuire's exit. Photo: Tony Gough/NewsWire.

Bridie O’Donnell has quit the Collingwood board just months after being appointed as off-field turmoil continues to plague the AFL giant.

A power struggle is taking place at the Pies as new president Mark Korda — who took over from Eddie McGuire when the long-time boss stood down earlier this year — faces a challenge from former Channel 9 managing director Jeff Browne.

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O’Donnell’s arrival on the Collingwood board in May, following the resignation of billionaire businessman and club vice-president Alex Waislitz, created plenty of controversy. It emerged she had been a Collingwood member for less than two years and did not have voting rights.

Then came the social media frenzy when a photo of the former professional cyclist wearing a Western Bulldogs jumper went public, sparking accusations of divided loyalty.

O’Donnell has quit her post citing added work commitments related to Victoria’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis.

“Last week I was appointed an Area of Operation Controller in the Covid-19 Outbreak Response Team in the Department of Health,” O’ Donnell said.

“I’ve only been in the job for five days, but it’s clear that it will require 100 per cent of my attention, energy and focus over the next four months as we aim to suppress the community spread of Covid-19 in Victoria.”

New Collingwood board member Dr Bridie O'Donnell tweeted her support for the Western Bulldogs AFLW team.

On Saturday night O’Donnell uploaded a post to Instagram of her watching the preliminary final between the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide. “Please, please, please, not Port. Come on, Doggies,” she captioned the post.

Responding to the social media activity on Wednesday night, McGuire told Footy Classified: “Oh, look, it’s ill-advised. You know my thoughts on Instagram and Twitter and things like that. Just don’t get on it.

“Why would you put your head in the lion’s mouth and pull the tail again at the moment? It’s ill-advised.”

O’Donnell’s departure is another issue facing the Collingwood board since McGuire quit after a huge backlash to his response to the findings of an investigation into racism at the club.

The Herald Sun reports director Peter Murphy was a possibility of replacing Korda at the helm in a bid to prevent Browne taking power. Murphy later denied such a plan was in the works.

“I am not a candidate for the presidency. I will not be a candidate for the presidency,” he told The Age.

Korda’s position as president has been under intense scrutiny ever since he took over from McGuire. He has said previously he intends to remain as president until his term expires at the end of 2022, but Browne is pushing to swoop in and take over sooner.

Collingwood’s annual general meeting is scheduled for the end of the year. Before her exit, O’Donnell was slated to be one of four board members to face an election at that meeting.

Originally published as Collingwood is falling apart without Eddie McGuire after more off-field drama