Later, he reflected (to this masthead) on the differences between those three clubs that he had run – which ran the gamut of one that was at first a public company (West Coast) that changed from focusing on profits, to Geelong’s regional flavour, to the emotion-charged Carlton, which he said could achieve remarkable things if they could harness their passion.
West Coast, Cook said, was set up as a shareholding business (in the late ’80s), and it was this culture that Cook inherited in early 1990.
“The way they were founded has created a bit of a culture for them, not completely, but it provided the base. It’s around they were a public company, they were very commercial, they were very driven by profit in the early days,” he said.
Gillon McLachlan, pictured here at a grand final lunch, sat on the same table at the Cook function as his predecessor Andrew Demetriou.Credit: AFL Photos
“And that has been maintained. The appointment of Mick Malthouse, I think, was a major change in the way they were thinking in terms of footy first, as distinct from profit first. And when the Eagles started they had 3000 members, but they had 7000 shareholders.
“That’s changed completely. There’s no shareholders, apart from one, and there’s like 100,000 members. And it was founded during a time of a really fluid and bouncy share market.”
Geelong’s defining point of difference was that it was regional, and the only club of that kind.
“I think the best way to describe them is they have a casual professionalism, which is regional, country-ish, and they do have a defined region, which is Geelong… I think that sort of separates them.
“Then, you go to Carlton and Carlton are just such a passionate group… lots of great resources, very passionate, a reasonable amount of talent, and if they can harness the passion into positivity, make it commercial, make it good behaviour, they can go places.”
Cook identified Carlton’s problem over recent times as one of extreme reactions and poor governance.
“I think it’s been extreme in its reaction to loss, and it’s been very quick to make decisions after loss. And I think its governance structures in the past haven’t been great.
“So its ability to make good decisions, on important decisions, is sometimes not as good as it should be.
Cats great Joel Selwood paid tribute to Cook at the function.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s a lot better now, a lot better than what it has been… you have seven directors, you haven’t got any conflicts of interest.”
Cook said the biggest change over his time was that clubs were multi-layered now, and no longer just about winning games.
“Then it became making money off field. Then it became doing well in the community, or doing good in the community. And then it became doing right from a behavioural, integrity point of view. The AFL have got 40 staff in integrity now.″
Cook said the players had more power in dictating where they wanted to play in today’s game.
“The pendulum is swinging for player movement to be more pro player than pro club. There is no doubt about that.
“I would like to see the pendulum go back to the club, but I don’t think it will happen.”
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