CEO REPORT After such a magnificent Premiership season that was 2019, did we really expect the upheaval that was to follow. Unprecedented may cover it. Much has been written and said about the WAFC imposing penalties on our club after winning the premiership. It was a disgrace then and nothing has changed that view even now that those penalties have been removed for the 2021 season. It is impossible to gauge the impact it had on our players and coaches, however our past Peter Capes players, members & supporters have been incensed about this issue and that is something we will not forgive the WAFC. COVID-19 IMPACT Then of course the world was turned upside down by the COVID-19 crisis. We were preparing to play a round of practice matches the same weekend as AFL round one when on the Friday afternoon a meeting of WAFL Clubs and the WAFC made the decision to halt all playing and training. The players and coaches were all gathered the following Monday where announcements were made that the season was on hold, access to the club was no longer allowed and group training sessions were stopped immediately. It was a huge shock and had a very big impact on everyone involved.
The scandal led to significant change at the WAFC as well as the Minister for Sport, Mick Murray announcing a WA Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee hearing into the WAFC. The West Australian comments at the time included “The administration, it must be said, deserved to be embarrassed, it also reflected a bureaucracy that has become bloated and overly centralized” We couldn’t agree more and made similar comments in our submission to the Public Accounts Inquiry. See our full submission in this annual report. The PAC will report around the same time this annual report is published. Our hope is that by then pressure is still on the WAFC to continue to decentralize programs such as the talent pathway and even some community engagement programs that are best delivered by clubs closer to the community. SFC OPERATIONS Our staff have been great considering concerns about job security, stand down, office closure, reduced pay and hours and then working from home. I would like to thank everyone for their contribution, they have done a great job. Particular thanks to both Zac Acott and Deb King who both stepped up in a crisis to manage key aspects of our business. Well done also to Mack Sheppard for his COVID Safe plans and being available when required and for his hospitality team including long time staff in Paul and Susie.
Initially all clubs faced a financial disaster and a race for survival that was only saved by Job keeper payments and cash flow boosts via tax concessions. This was followed by support announcements by the WA State Government and the City of Vincent providing direct support to the club. Without these measures the WAFL competition could not have even been a consideration.
Our football highlight came in the form of the Colts Grand Final victory and well done to all those involved. Also worthy of a mention was the Reserves team’s excellent year and another push into the finals.
With clubs closed, staff stood down or working from home, the chances of any season at all appeared remote during April and May. Discussions then commenced with Clubs about what appetite they had for games and what capacity the industry had to fund game expenses, players, coaches and other staff. Especially since there was no prospect of generating revenue from crowds at games or through bars, functions and events. A range of different models were floated and the whole industry was working together to share information from government and what possibilities existed.
Some of the game day and event highlights during the year included;
During that process, the SFC and the majority of the other WAFL clubs strongly wanted to play a season although the commitment, the acceptable level of risk and capacity to do so varied significantly. In the end, to play any games at all, all clubs agreed to a set of rules and financials that met the demands of those most unwilling or unable to take any financial risk. Well done to WAFC’s Scott Baker and Luke Sanders for their work in supporting clubs to get the season underway. Just on a tangent, we never want to hear these words and phrases again – unprecedented times, flatten the curve, all in this together, lockdown, hard border, contact tracing, new normal, social distance, nimble, self-isolate just to name a few. WA FOOTBALL SCANDAL The off field has been dominated by the scandal of the famous WAFC leak of its entire staff payroll and the ensuring witch hunt which was played out in the media.
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The leak caused major embarrassment for the WAFC through back page headlines and lines like “WAFC pays $9 million to its 134 staff, with 23 pocketing at least $100,000”
SUBIACO FOOTBALL CLUB
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• Season launch and the unfurling of the premiership flag • Colts Premiership – well done Dicko and Chayce • The WAFLW and the Subiaco Football Club Women team
finishing minor premier and playing in the Grand Final. • Life Members Function to induct Clancy Wheeler and
Angelo Pocaro • The WAFL Grand Final at Fremantle Oval – would have
preferred Leederville but still? • Launch
of the Lions Foundation – our community engagement vehicle.
KEY CLUB STRATEGY Sport in general and WA Football in particular, is facing a very tough time now and into the next few years and no doubt this Club will be impacted. We must all now be aware of the significant challenge we have faced over the last few years. The future for us means we must address all the following key issues during next year and beyond. • Leederville Oval Master Plan with EP and the City of Vincent
