Getting Rid of Denis?
By Mits
Very little is known about the politics at Parramatta. Many people believe, incorrectly, that Denis is the Chairman, the President or an elected head of the club. Denis is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and, as such, is the first employee of the company; Denis is employed by the Parramatta Leagues Club Group’s board of directors. The current Board is, Alan Overton AM Chairman,Don Ritchie, Ron Hilditch, Peter Miller, Gary Morris, Dr Michael Johnson, Chris Jurd
So what would it take to spill Denis from the club, save him resigning? Here is a brief look into the politics at Parramatta, something I have been lucky enough to be involved in since 1998.
CLUB STRUCTURE
The Parramatta Leagues Club Group (PLCG) is the holding company and runs Parramatta Leagues Club, and its sister clubs, the Parramatta Two Blues Club and Dundas Valley Rugby Club now called Vikings Sports Club.
The charter of the Leagues Club itself is as follows:
1) To provide facilities for members and guests of the club.
2) To promote Rugby League in the Parramatta District.
Up until 1999, the Leagues Club provided a significant grant to the football club allowing the football club run both the NRL and all junior league sides. This grant was approximately 9 – 12 million a year.
On the Football club board at the time was a Minority of People who were Causing problems between the football club and the leagues club, like what was happening at South Sydney. There was a though amongust the leagues club to pull all funding, Luckily, a solution was found to put this bitter dispute to an end
At the 1999 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Football club, the board of the club put forward a motion to have the NRL side run by the Leagues Club to allow a much more streamline funding system for football operations without politics or taxation getting in the way. The AGM heard speeches from Brian Smith and Clinton Schifcofske about the added bonus of having their contracts guaranteed by the Leagues Club. The motion was carried by a majority at the AGM, As such the Parramatta National Rugby League Club Pty Ltd. (PNRLC) was created and, once again, made a member of the PLCG.
It is the PNRLC that runs the NRL side while the rest of Rugby League is run out of the Football Club office.
It is a requirement of the arrangement that three members of the Football Club board are on the Leagues Club board.
South’s and the Sea Eagles talk about privatisation, Parramatta privatised in 1999.
REPLACING THE CEO
To replace the CEO you may need to unseat the current board. To do that you will need to be, firstly, a member of the Parramatta Football Club (PDRLFC), and secondly have been a member of the PDRLFC for three years before receiving voting rights.
You would then need to vote on members of a rival ticket to the current board. You would need to get at least four new board members of the Football Club to be of any use in the future, and they would need to remain on the board through the 2007 Football club elections.
Then in April 2008, when the next Leagues Club elections are held, you will need to vote those members, which have joined the Football Club board from the rival ticket, to the Leagues Club board.
Four members of the board is a majority, and that is what may be required to review the contract of Denis Fitzgerald, then you have to prove he hasn’t performed in all aspects of his job.
WHAT HAS DENIS DONE?
Now, without doubt, Denis as the highest employee in the PNRLC and the Football Club has to take responsibility for the club’s implosion this year. Player behaviour and results have also been placed at his feet, but there is also some good work that has come out of Denis’ reign as the so called “Emperor of Parramatta”.
Denis was able to secure a loan from Jack Boyle to keep the club solvent in 1988, when no bank would touch us.
Denis has used this foundation to get the club to a point where they are turning over at least $50 million a year in Poker Machine Revenue and holds over $50 million in Assets around the District.
Denis has brought in two other clubs to help combine the revenue of the main club.
Denis has employed strong people to look after the football operations. Greg Mitchell, Tony Zapia, and Previously Brian Smith
CONCLUSIONS
In speaking with club CEO, Denis Fitzgerald, after the game at Penrith, I asked if he was feeling any additional pressure from the past weeks.
He said “Some, but I can handle it”.
To which I replied, “I know you can, but I also know what it will take to get rid of you.”
Denis questioned “Oh yeah, what’s that?”
My simple reply was… “an act of God”.
leave you pr!ck
