'Axes to grind': Ballesty hits back at Bulldogs members trying to oust trio from board

[Tassie Devil]

Embattled Canterbury deputy chairman John Ballesty claims the members attempting to oust him and two fellow directors don’t have the club’s best interests at heart and defended his board’s performance, declaring: “Three years ago, if we were in a 100-metre race, we were handicapped 50 metres.”

The "family club" is on the brink of civil war after a letter demanding an extraordinary general meeting to oust directors Ballesty, Lynne Anderson and Paul Dunn was tabled to chief executive Andrew Hill on Tuesday. It raised the prospect of the trio being overthrown just as incoming coach Trent Barrett prepares to begin his first pre-season at Belmore.

Speaking before a scheduled football club board meeting on Thursday night, Ballesty said the outfit had been hamstrung by the salary cap issues it inherited from the previous regime.

“When you have back-ended contracts, it’s ridiculous to think the board could have done anything but what we’ve done over the last three years,” Ballesty said.


“We’re trying to secure some [player signings] in November and people calling an extraordinary general meeting isn’t helping the cause.
“We said from day one that we were in trouble for three years and that the third year would be the worst. We have now got the club back to the starting line. Three years ago, if we were in a 100-metre race, we were handicapped 50 metres.

If we get thrown out, I will be very comfortable with what we’ve achieved. We’ve got Canterbury back on the starting line ready to perform.
John Ballesty

“We had 10 players on back-ended contracts. They ranged from people going from $150,000 in 2017 to $750,000 in 2020.
“It’s disgusting. That’s what we managed. We had no choice [but to lose players] just to keep under the salary cap each year.

“We are now back to the starting line. If we get thrown out, I will be very comfortable with what we’ve achieved. We’ve got Canterbury back on the starting line ready to perform.
“We’ve got money to buy players, an opportunity to start going forward. [The people behind the EGM] are not doing it for the genuine good of the club; it’s led by people with axes to grind.”
It has been a disastrous season for the Bulldogs, from the moment a pre-season sex scandal in Port Macquarie cost the club a $2 million sponsorship with restaurant chain Rashays. Canterbury’s loss has become Cronulla’s gain after the company signed on with the Sharks as their back-of-jersey sponsor for their finals campaign.
The deal will provide the Shire outfit with a timely six-figure boost, even if their premiership campaign ends with a loss to Canberra on Saturday.
Rashays had indicated it was prepared to reconsider partnering with the Bulldogs if the "family club" got its affairs in order. However, it opted against it after a diabolical season in which the blue and whites parted company with coach Dean Pay, narrowly avoided the wooden spoon and is now embroiled in a battle for control of the board.

Instead, Rashays has opted to spend its marketing dollars at Cronulla.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/pe...-club-in-strong-position-20200930-p560rj.html
“I want to be at a club that’s a little bit more stable,” Rashays owner Rami Ykmour said.
“The fact we had to walk away from the Bulldogs is obviously unfortunate circumstances. I know there are a lot of things going on in the board as we speak right now.
“The Sharks opened the doors two months ago during the pandemic. I got to go out there with the prime minister one day and they made me fall in love with their brand.

“They gave me an assurance that their brand is in line with our brand family wise.
“Our brands align a bit more than where the Bulldogs are at at the moment.”

 

[Tassie Devil]

While I agree with the board being behind the 8 ball, and it's been extremely difficult for them to progress as a club what I'd really like them to say is:

"We've made some mistakes, but we've always worked hard with the best interests of the club in mind."

All of this talk of being happy with the work they've done, Ballesty and Dunn have said this now, doesn't sit well with me as it's a little dellusional. They could've been better, and I'd like to hear them say that as I think it would help a lot of people here see that they genuinely believe it.

In saying that, I 100% would like to see them go their term and continue on with things.

We HAVE TO GIVE THE BARRETT ALL THE SUPPORT TO START THE NEW SEASON. This EGM thing is absolutely ridiculous and is killing any chances we have to turn things around.

 

[bradyk]

This really should be coming up after we know our roster for 2021. A lot of what is being complained about would be 100% warranted then. Not having a completive roster for 2021 is criminal. They technically have ~5 months to do it so they should be given that time before an EGM. Playing to a higher salary cap (massively back ended towards the end) F'd us harder than anything but I don't think the current board can use the excuse after this year. If they're unable to attract players to our club for next year then their outdated methods are 100% the problem and I can't have confidence in them moving forward.

 

[Tassie Devil]

This really should be coming up after we know our roster for 2021. A lot of what is being complained about would be 100% warranted then. Not having a completive roster for 2021 is criminal. They technically have ~5 months to do it so they should be given that time before an EGM. Playing to a higher salary cap (massively back ended towards the end) F'd us harder than anything but I don't think the current board can use the excuse after this year.

That's exactly it. Ballesty has said so much himself that this year is the starting point, so let's see what they can do in the leadup to the new footy season. If we can get a competitive team with decent players then everyone in the club will be more enthused with our direction. Let's wait and see what the board and Barrett can do ... though this isn't going to happen obviously.

 

[bradyk]

"They ranged from people going from $150,000 in 2017 to $750,000 in 2020." Who?

 

[Tassie Devil]

"They ranged from people going from $150,000 in 2017 to $750,000 in 2020." Who?

That makes me want to vomit. Fucking hell!

 

[AlzzBulldog]

They say all this but they extended pay for 1 season when It wasn’t warranted and almost delivered us the spoon

 

[bradyk]

They say all this but they extended pay for 1 season when It wasn’t warranted and almost delivered us the spoon

The timing on making a decision on the coach was terrible as it halted our progress in the transfer market (It doesn't even matter who they decided on, Pay, Barrett back then or someone else). If the decision was made last November we would of had a large pool of talent off contract to try and recruit. Then it'd come down to their methods which I'd currently question too.

 

[Tassie Devil]

They say all this but they extended pay for 1 season when It wasn’t warranted and almost delivered us the spoon

Agree.

I don't like that they say they've done really well, as they've clearly made some mistakes and should admit it. I can understand why they extended Pay for a year, and in hindsight is was a mistake lets say. Every footy club makes them.

But because they made these mistakes, it doesn't mean we should call a fucking EGM just when we need stability at our club to get in new players. It's fucking moronic to do it this way and all of these idiots coming on saying that the boar dshould fall on their own sword are simply showing their true intentions. They want something for themselves rather than the club.

 

[DinkumDog]

Embattled Canterbury deputy chairman John Ballesty claims the members attempting to oust him and two fellow directors don’t have the club’s best interests at heart and defended his board’s performance, declaring: “Three years ago, if we were in a 100-metre race, we were handicapped 50 metres.”

The "family club" is on the brink of civil war after a letter demanding an extraordinary general meeting to oust directors Ballesty, Lynne Anderson and Paul Dunn was tabled to chief executive Andrew Hill on Tuesday. It raised the prospect of the trio being overthrown just as incoming coach Trent Barrett prepares to begin his first pre-season at Belmore.

Speaking before a scheduled football club board meeting on Thursday night, Ballesty said the outfit had been hamstrung by the salary cap issues it inherited from the previous regime.

“When you have back-ended contracts, it’s ridiculous to think the board could have done anything but what we’ve done over the last three years,” Ballesty said.


“We’re trying to secure some [player signings] in November and people calling an extraordinary general meeting isn’t helping the cause.
“We said from day one that we were in trouble for three years and that the third year would be the worst. We have now got the club back to the starting line. Three years ago, if we were in a 100-metre race, we were handicapped 50 metres.

“We had 10 players on back-ended contracts. They ranged from people going from $150,000 in 2017 to $750,000 in 2020.
“It’s disgusting. That’s what we managed. We had no choice [but to lose players] just to keep under the salary cap each year.

“We are now back to the starting line. If we get thrown out, I will be very comfortable with what we’ve achieved. We’ve got Canterbury back on the starting line ready to perform.
“We’ve got money to buy players, an opportunity to start going forward. [The people behind the EGM] are not doing it for the genuine good of the club; it’s led by people with axes to grind.”

Spot on Ballesty.
Don’t you love how they brought Rashays and the Sharks into the story? Can’t help themselves. Grubs.

 

[Tassie Devil]

Spot on Ballesty.
Don’t you love how they brought Rashays and the Sharks into the story? Can’t help themselves. Grubs.

Yeah. I was going to leave that part out but ...

I'd believe news stories more if they told the whole story, or at least half of it.

But they're consistently leaving out all the shit the club has been in. The dramas off the field. Etc. etc.

We all know we should be doing better. We're not stupid. Well ... most of us aren't ...

 

[DinkumDog]

Yeah. I was going to leave that part out

Speaking of leaving it out - there’s another story with Gary McIntyre leaning in. The bloke who was the architect of the 2002 cap scandal. Cause he’s got so many chips in the credibility stakes .

 

[Spoonman84]

Going back and deflecting to the cap situation left by the old board is getting old. The vast majority accepted the situation and gave them a grace period but pointing the finger at the old board and not accepting responsibility for their own mistakes is pretty disappointing.

What about the re-signing of Pay and their own questionable recruiting mistakes?

 

[Tassie Devil]

Going back and deflecting to the cap situation left by the old board is getting old. The vast majority accepted the situation and gave them a grace period but pointing the finger at the old board and not accepting responsibility for their own mistakes is pretty disappointing.

What about the re-signing of Pay and their own questionable recruiting mistakes?

I've said about re-signing Pay and also other mistakes they've made. I'd like them to admit to the mistakes rather than going on about what a good job they've done.

However, you can't have a conversation about the current board without talking about the situation they were handed. It's not possible. Trying to erase that or saying it's "getting old" isn't fair. The fact is that the board came into a shit storm and people shouldn't forget that.

At the same time, the board need to be judged on what they've done and even though they were restricted in many ways they still, in my opinion, could've done more. And, if nothing more is done in the next 4-5 months to rectify that I'll be the first in line on here to call for them all to step down.

The question, for me at least, isn't about whether the board has done a good job or not. It's about whether we should be replacing 3 of them now. Whether we should be having an EGM. Whether we should be creating this circus now.

For me we shouldn't be.

 

[Spoonman84]

I've said about re-signing Pay and also other mistakes they've made. I'd like them to admit to the mistakes rather than going on about what a good job they've done.

However, you can't have a conversation about the current board without talking about the situation they were handed. It's not possible. Trying to erase that or saying it's "getting old" isn't fair. The fact is that the board came into a shit storm and people shouldn't forget that.

At the same time, the board need to be judged on what they've done and even though they were restricted in many ways they still, in my opinion, could've done more. And, if nothing more is done in the next 4-5 months to rectify that I'll be the first in line on here to call for them all to step down.

The question, for me at least, isn't about whether the board has done a good job or not. It's about whether we should be replacing 3 of them now. Whether we should be having an EGM. Whether we should be creating this circus now.

For me we shouldn't be.

Reading that you’d think everything is rosey at the club and it’s firing on all cylinders if it wasn’t for the cap issue. The thing is Ballesty doesn’t mention anything the board has achieved apart from watching contracts expire surely they have more to show for 3 years work then that?

No one has forgotten about the cap issue it’s been mentioned countless times it’s time to move on.

We shouldn’t be having a EGM but it looks like we are so that means the board’s performance has to be evaluated now.

 

[Dogtime]

That's exactly it. Ballesty has said so much himself that this year is the starting point, so let's see what they can do in the leadup to the new footy season. If we can get a competitive team with decent players then everyone in the club will be more enthused with our direction. Let's wait and see what the board and Barrett can do ... though this isn't going to happen obviously.

Your totally delusional if you think you can get a competitive team by simply attracting talent in accordance with the cap and the third party agreements you can harness. The only way to be competitive is to have enough players on your books that are half decent/can hold their own that you developed yourself and pay UNDERS for.
Until we have decent development players coming through, we won't be competitive.

 

[Tassie Devil]

Your totally delusional if you think you can get a competitive team by simply attracting talent in accordance with the cap and the third party agreements you can harness. The only way to be competitive is to have enough players on your books that are half decent/can hold their own that you developed yourself and pay UNDERS for.
Until we have decent development players coming through, we won't be competitive.

Completely agree. Completely. It's so important that we get more youngsters coming through, which is something that we've been neglecting.

However, are you suggesting then that we don't bring in 3-4 top players into our team and just bank on our development players? You do realise it takes quite a considerable amout of time to turn around the youth production line which was pretty much producing nothing?

The problem as I see it is that we've got over 50% of a roster which probably shouldn't be there. The players we've brought in, to this point, haven't lived up to just basic expectations. That's a mixture of bad recruitment, being hampered by salary cap issues, and most importantly not having the best coaching staff around them. Not just the head coach but also support coaches.

What when you say I'm delusional, what exactly are you takling about?

 

[Tassie Devil]

Reading that you’d think everything is rosey at the club and it’s firing on all cylinders if it wasn’t for the cap issue. The thing is Ballesty doesn’t mention anything the board has achieved apart from watching contracts expire surely they have more to show for 3 years work then that?

No one has forgotten about the cap issue it’s been mentioned countless times it’s time to move on.

We shouldn’t be having a EGM but it looks like we are so that means the board’s performance has to be evaluated now.

Agree. Which is why I said that I'd like them to come out and be more open and truthful about some of their failures rather than just saying that they've done a really good job. There are clear issues at the club, and I for one am not denying that.

However, if indeed this EGM goes forward the first thing I personally would do is ask why it was so fucking necessary to do. And if I didn't get a wonderful golden fucking answer I'd be telling this rival ticket to go get fucked.

There's ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON to have this EGM now, and not in 3-4 months at earliest. Absolutely no positives will come out of it as it's 100% damaging our ability to attract players which is exactly what we need now.

If indeed this is all about changing the 3 board members like has been said, then what difference would it make to wait 3-4 months? None.

As for evaluating the board's performance. Whether you like Ballesty or Dunn or Anderson or not, what they've said about being restricted is completely true. IF you're going to evaluate them then you need to take everything into account. Everything.

I'm not defending them as if this was the scheduled election time I'd be saying quite loudly that they haven't done enough.

But it's not the scheduled election time. Their tenure isn't up. So you need to take this into account, along with the reasons why this stupid EGM has been pushed for.

 

[GDR]

Sharks, "more stable club"..?? LMFAO... Gfy rashays...

 

[_G-Dog_]

My question is: What progress have we made as a club in a 3 full years?.. On and Off the field?

I cant see any progress.. Our spine in 3 years is a dud.. we persisted playing dud kids in keys positions that clearly don't cut it at NRL..

Off the field we are a rabble..

If they can genuinely actually tell us how we have progressed and improved in 3 years id be happy to hear it..

If anything i think we are worse on & off the field now than back then..