“I think this club has got every right to be proud of the lead it took on the issue of racial vilification. We had some aboriginal players at the club in Michael Long, Che Cockatoo-Collins among others and then we got caught up on the other side of it when Michael Prior was accused of vilifying a Collingwood player. We took the view that it was wrong and that it was happening because there weren’t any real rules on the issue. We played a significant role in introducing a set rules that made AFL football a leader in this area,” he said.
“I think we can be proud of where we have gone with the promotion of women in football and the role they play. The Essendon Football Women’s Network has played a significant role in furthering that cause and a number of other clubs have now followed suit in that area.
“I also think that on the football side we have got it pretty right in terms of how we structured it and gave responsibility to the football department – the introduction of assistant coaches and fitness coaches. We were very much pacesetters in that area as well.”
“The obvious highlight was the Premiership but more importantly the fact that we have been in the finals for six of the seven years I have been here. That is a real credit to this club. Some clubs win Premierships and then go missing but we haven’t done that.”
McMahon said the club’s decision to move from a board of management to board of governance has been a significant one and a key to the club’s success on and off the field.
“It was already in the pipeline when I arrived at the club but I had the role of forcing that through. Some wanted to revert to the previous set up but we didn’t and I think it has been critical to the success of this club,” McMahon said.
“A board of governance enables you to go and hire good executives. You can’t hire good executives if someone is telling them what to do all the time – they will just walk away. Under the old system you end up with trained monkeys who do what they are told to do rather than get managers who will manage.”
And McMahon’s relationship with club chief executive Peter Jackson has been a key to the club’s sound management.
“Peter is a strong believer in the board of governance. If we had gone back to running as a board of management Peter Jackson would not have stayed at this club. He is hands-on man who likes to get on and do things and he has done very, very well. This club could not have got to where it was if Peter Jackson wasn’t in the chair,” he said.
But that is not to stay there have not been times when the relationship has been strained.
“It is a good strong relationship although we have had occasion to tell each other where to go – but we were both adult enough to know that when it is over and done with you get on with life. I’m entitled to my view and other people are entitled to theirs – I just don’t have to take any notice of theirs,” he laughed.
Regrets are few and far between for McMahon. One Premiership between 1999 and 2001 is one disappointment while off-field he was disappointed the number of board members wasn’t reduced to seven. McMahon believes a board of 10 is too big and that it needs to be reduced to seven sooner rather than later.
The third and final part of the special - ""Farewell to the Chairman"" - willbe in the Engine Room this Friday.
