“James and [Merlino] We’ll be on board the $15 million the government is withholding from us, so I’m assuming it will be delivered tomorrow,” Kennett said.
“And when Andy was fighting for the election, he said he knew another $10 million. “
Nankibel claimed to rule in a more consultative manner than Kennett, but it was not enough to lead him to victory. Nankibel, a well-connected lawyer who has been on the board since 2014, publicly tried to distance himself from the unpopular president during his election campaign.
Peter Nankibel was involved in a heated campaign against 1991 premiership hero Andy Gowers.
Gowers and Nankibel united on backing coach Sam Mitchell’s vision of rebuilding the playlist and once again putting the Hawks in the premiership mix. The Hawks, who finished 15th last season, have let go of star players Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston and Jaeger O’Meara and are looking to top-end draft talent next season, so they’ll have more on the field. Expect more pain.
In front of the club’s followers, club CEO Justin Reeves said the Hawks are in a strong position to declare a profit and that the club’s withdrawal from the game will provide a strong financial base. He said 2022 was a “strong and historic” year, but made no mention of the racism scandal.
A handover to Gowers would mark the end of Kennett’s second term as president, but the former Victorian prime minister is likely to be an outspoken supporter of the club and a critic of the AFL.
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