Jeff Kennett is ending his time as Hawthorn president in the only way he knows – with all guns blazing.
The former premier of Victoria has never ducked a political brawl and his latest tweets have raised the temperature further in the battle for who succeeds him at the AFL club.
On the one side is current board member Peter Nankivell, who is aligned with Kennett.
His challenger is 1991 Hawks premiership player and former board member Andy Gowers, who has criticised the president in the lead-up to the December 13 election.
Adding further spice, former Labor deputy premier James Merlino is also running for a place on the club board.
The Hawks brand is ‘family club’ but for now, their house is divided.
“Unemployed James Merlino, having jumped the Andrews disastrous government, now wants to join the Hawthorn board on a platform of governance,” Kennett has tweeted.
“Give me a break, if he was concerned about governance why did he not apply that when in Cabinet.
“Now he wants to infect a great club. No way!”.
Similarly Kennett fired a shot at Gowers’ ticket for the club election.
“Grab this James Merino, recently retired Andrews (government) minister and Andrew Gowers are part of a political push to gain election to the board … part of a ginger (sic) group that seeks diversity on the board,” he posted.
“But their group have never nor now seen fit, or found one woman to nominate for the board even though half our members are women.
“We have two women’s teams. Diversity! They want to turn the clock to HFC being a men’s club only.
“The board is supporting 3 women for the (election), 2 who are already serving.”
Kennett has served two terms as Hawks president, from 2006-11 and again since 2018.
During his tenure, Kennett has been a constant critic of the AFL.
He also has been disparaged the Labor state government, something Gowers says has cost the Hawks financially as they aim to build a new $100 million headquarters at suburban Dingley.
“Late-night tweets from our outgoing president Jeff Kennett criticising government officials does not help our cause when we look to the state government for funding,” Gowers said.
“In addition, I personally know of several prominent Hawthorn people who simply won’t be giving us money for Dingley until the outgoing president and his proxies are out of the club.”
In a separate media interview, Gowers said those withheld funds totalled $25 million.
The election comes at a fraught time for Hawthorn, with an ongoing independent investigation into bombshell claims of racism at the club from 2008-16.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Maybe he could ring Beyond Blue
Boo
Guest
I resemble that comment Chum.
IDeals22
Roar Rookie
Seems like Jeff has no peace at night. - Funny that!
IDeals22
Roar Rookie
Kennet's legacy is not as toxic John Elliot's at Carlton, (yet) despite the state he's leaving them in. But if Hawthorne's recent list management a form of tanking to get Harley Reid at number 1 next year & build a team around him, It's a flawed strategy. The "Gun" at 1 is almost never the best player in the draft. (Nick Riewoldt is the exception.)
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
We'll there was the Annual Unhinged E J Whitten Oratory.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I never got over 99, I'm still in love with her.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
https://www.murraybridge.news/p/murray-bridges-bunyip-at-50-how-dennis
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Hilarious
Chanon
Roar Rookie
My bro in the 98 prelim did something very similar he ran out onto the field drunk as a skunk after the copper told him don’t u dare’, luckily he didn’t get clobbered or fined, persuasion is a powerful emotional tool when your drunk & he just broke his leg in a motorcycle accident a few months prior. The copper was in tears that’s 10K fine he got off Scott free :laughing:
jutsie
Roar Rookie
Jeff loves a late night drunk tweet spree
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Hawthorn invested in Jeff & vice versa but comes a time in all organisations to depart. He’s always been divisive but Hawthorn required some mongrel & one would think he delivered in spades. Controversy will always encircle a vulture looking for road ki.l
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm irreleventing against my rail. That's what l told the cops. They said how fast were you going? I said sod off and l sped off.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He's beyond the pail now. (No-one knows what that word means)
Realist
Roar Rookie
As in the time of Queen Victoria? Yes. How does it compare to a Peter V'landys rant?
Chanon
Roar Rookie
I think Jeff founded beyond blue!
Chum
Roar Rookie
:sick:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Hey!!! I'm still relevant. My dog looks to me for walks, dinners and tummy rubs. The missus doesn't mind a tummy rub either.
Chum
Roar Rookie
Watching old men rail against their inevitable irrelevance never gets any less funny
Patient #9
Roar Rookie
What's the best part of being premier? It's riding around in the car with the flags on the bonnet...ah Tommy g and Rob sitch never get old.
XI
Roar Guru
He's the personification of the Bunyip aristocracy