Demand for Docker democracy

by LES EVERETT

THERE'S a new football team in Fremantle. "The Freo MOB" (The Fremantle Members Owned Board) took its first step into the public arena by handing out a flyer explaining its position prior to last week's game at Subiaco Oval.

This week Freo MOB spokesperson Russell Collett told the Herald his group is pushing for the licence of the Fremantle Football Club, and therefore its ownership, to be held in Fremantle and for club members to vote for all board members.

Dockers CEO David Hatt, who leaves the club next week, told the Herald he is not surprised by the appearance of the Freo MOB: "These sorts of groups are not uncommon around organisations when things are going poorly," he said, "People, usually out of the best of motives, want to have a say, precipitate change and offer solutions."

The two Fremantle based WAFL clubs have also been meeting to discuss the way the Dockers are governed. Bulldogs president Terry Dean says it is the policy of this unlikely alliance not to be clandestine: "We want to let people know what we're discussing and we have let the WA Football Commission know what we are doing."

Mr Dean says the commission must be made aware of the depth of feeling in Fremantle: "They've tended to view football supporters as customers who are happy to just go along and watch a game," he said, "But there is a large group of supporters who want clubs in the true sense and want to have a say in how they are run." Representatives of the two WAFL clubs met with the Freo MOB this week but won't be making a joint submission to the Crawford Report into the governance of football in WA.

Mr Dean says the two WAFL clubs have made a general submission to Crawford and favour a board which is half elected and half nominated by the commission: "We believe there should be some representation from the two local clubs because we can offer culture and expertise in running football clubs.

"Our position is not the same as the Freo MOB's but we have no problem with them, they have helped to give the whole thing a focus."

The Dockers have already made a submission to Crawford suggesting some board members should be elected by members. Chair Ross McLean believes the process should start gradually.

Mr Hatt believes change is imminent, he says the club has been pushing for elected board members for a number of years: "I have absolutely no doubt that it will happen in the next couple of months. It will happen because Crawford will ensure it happens," he told the Herald, "It (elected board members) is something our management wants and the club has promoted.

"The overwhelming theme of correspondence from our members is 'let us have a say in the way our club is run'." Mr Hatt says a change to elected board members would lead to an increase in membership.

Mr Collett says the Freo MOB is made up of passionate Dockers supporters who would do nothing to harm the club: "We just don't want to see the WAFC in direct and utter control as they are at the moment," he said, "I am not interested in running for the board, I just want to be able to attend an AGM where we elect the board."

The Freo MOB has organised a rally to be held on the Fremantle Esplanade Reserve at 11am on Sunday July 8.

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