How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
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FORMER Western Bulldogs boss Campbell Rose has spoken of the dire state of the club 15 years ago and Susan Alberti’s role in keeping it alive.
Rose revealed the Dogs’ finances and decaying Whitten Oval facility were literally on the nose in late 2002.
“Every night the gas would build up in both sets of toilets, and the vents were blocked so all of the toilets would blow out overnight,” Rose said.
“There would be no water in the S-bend, so every morning the whole place stank of s---.
“People would get sick. You’d bring files home and they’d smell, they’d make the room smell.
“The place had no asset maintenance, no investment. It wasn’t a matter of making ends meet. They were too far apart. These days were very dark, very dark indeed.”
In a book on the life of Alberti, The Footy Lady, Rose reveals how the trailblazing businesswoman agreed to stump up $1 million of her own money to kickstart an emergency club fundraiser.
“I had a concept that involved lining up all the dominoes to materialise $20 million in a short space of time,” Rose said in the book.
“She came back within a few hours and said yes, she was with me. If Sue hadn’t of done that, my plan wouldn’t have worked. If I hadn’t had a leadership gift, a leader within the Bulldogs community, putting their faith in me, the whole concept would have failed.
“By believing in me and what I was aiming for, Sue gave me the ability to look other high-net-worth individuals in the eye and ask for their commitment.
“We raised $32 million. We shifted it from hopless, hapless and helpless to an environment of pride, success and excellence. On that journey, I cannot acknowledge, recognise and thank Sue Alberti enough for what she did.”
The book reveals Alberti donated more than $4 million to the Bulldogs over a dozen years, serving as a club director and vice-president.
Her lifelong love affair with the Dogs culminated in last year’s Grand Final triumph over Sydney.
Rose also details a conversation with the late Collingwood board member Nuno D’Aquino after accepting the Bulldogs’ top job.
“We talked over coffee and he (D’Aquino) asked, ‘Why did you take that job Campbell? It is a road to nowhere ... you will leave that club, with it in a pine box. The AFL will relocate it to Queensland.”
Former Bulldogs director George Pappas said Alberti’s appointment as one of footy’s first female board members was initially met with cynicism.
“There was concern she might want to run things, get involved in the colour of the jumpers ... because she likes to go into detail,” Pappas said.
“(But) Sue was a network in her own right ... and to be quite blunt, we needed people on there who had money.”
Rose added: “I could see there was something special about Sue. I said to (president) David Smorgon that we needed diversity around the board table.
“In no way do I mean our board was anti-woman, but if you swim around in the fish bowl long enough after a while you end up drinking your own shit.
“You don’t understand the environment you’re creating. And anything that challenges that is a shock. You don’t necessarily ask if maybe there’s a different way of doing things. And I could see that Sue could bring that dimension.”
Alberti, 70, was a major driver behind the establishment of the AFLW women’s league and famously took on and beat The Footy Show in a 2009 defamation case.
She was made a life member of the Western Bulldogs two years ago.
The Footy Lady: The Trailblazing Story of Susan Alberti by Stephanie Asher (Melbourne University Publishing, out 1 November)
RRP $29.99
Preorder now at mup.com.au
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
I'd buy that book. Susan is awesome. The fact we have a childcare centre out the front of our ground speaks volumes about us and what we stand for.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
I'm going to buy the book because A. Susan Alberti is awesome and B. Just to help give back to someone who has given so much.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Just placed an order for the book.
Bought it for my wife, but l will read it too.:)
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
4 million bucks...
Four. Million. Dollars.
I reckon I'd kick in 4 mil to the footy club I love if I could afford it. But that's easy for me to say because I'm never going to have 4 million dollars to give to the club. I wonder how I'd go walking the walk?
You've got to admire Susan Alberti.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Susan is a fantastic women and really where would We be without her. She has put in not just the dollars but endless hours of her time.
I am in a business group that has been formed by Campbell Rose. Susan of course is a member of the group as are a lot of high powered business people. Don’t under estimate Campbell’s passion for the club, he has brought together over a 100 people into the group. He helped raise the dollars to get us out of strife as well as to redevelop VU Whitten oval.
We have some great people involved with the club and we are no longer a minnow
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Campbell Rose turned the club around financially, problem was he wasn't looking after the football side of things, I remember they bought in Fantasia as a go between , I think rocket ( might be wrong ) was coach at the time and he was doing everything, and didn't get on with Rose because of that.
No ones to blame I guess , Rockets job was the footy and Campbell's was the money side.
In the end were are a footy club and needed succes on the field.
By the time Campbell left we were in good shape and PG came in and was able to start putting money into the football side of things.
Smorgan, Rose and Alberti are the reason we still exist, PG was able to take us to the next step because of them. It's funny how it came full circle as the above 3 wouldn't have been able to do anything if peter hadn't done what they did in his previous term.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Twodogs
4 million bucks...
Four. Million. Dollars.
I reckon I'd kick in 4 mil to the footy club I love if I could afford it. But that's easy for me to say because I'm never going to have 4 million dollars to give to the club. I wonder how I'd go walking the walk?
You've got to admire Susan Alberti.
I don't admire her, I love her. What a person.
And good to see Herald Sun editorial standards are still crud.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Susan is a fantastic women and really where would We be without her. She has put in not just the dollars but endless hours of her time.
I am in a business group that has been formed by Campbell Rose. Susan of course is a member of the group as are a lot of high powered business people. Don’t under estimate Campbell’s passion for the club, he has brought together over a 100 people into the group. He helped raise the dollars to get us out of strife as well as to redevelop VU Whitten oval.
We have some great people involved with the club and we are no longer a minnow
Does Rose still follow the club or have any involvement? What's he up to now, professionally?
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
comrade
Does Rose still follow the club or have any involvement? What's he up to now, professionally?
Yes Rose does follow the club, the group I mentioned was formed this year, we are called Red White and Blue, and solely set up for networking. There are a few ex players in the group as well, plus politicians like the State Treasurer, and many other captains of industry. (not sure how I was invited :D)
Rose is CEO of VICTRack, a government agency responsible for looking after the assets of the railways and trams.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Yes Rose does follow the club, the group I mentioned was formed this year, we are called Red White and Blue, and solely set up for networking. There are a few ex players in the group as well, plus politicians like the State Treasurer, and many other captains of industry. (not sure how I was invited :D)
Rose is CEO of VICTRack, a government agency responsible for looking after the assets of the railways and trams.
They'll find a use for you.........eventually.
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Yes Rose does follow the club, the group I mentioned was formed this year, we are called Red White and Blue, and solely set up for networking. There are a few ex players in the group as well, plus politicians like the State Treasurer, and many other captains of industry. (not sure how I was invited :D)
Rose is CEO of VICTRack, a government agency responsible for looking after the assets of the railways and trams.
Sounds great!
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
comrade
Does Rose still follow the club or have any involvement? What's he up to now, professionally?
CEO at Vic Track. On the board of the WB Forever Foundation and central to setting up the RWB business group that bornadog is talking about.
Strangely there is no link to it on our club's website but you can read about the Foundation and RWB at this address:
http://www.foreverfoundation.com.au/rwb-is/
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Prince Imperial
CEO at Vic Track. On the board of the WB Forever Foundation and central to setting up the RWB business group that bornadog is talking about.
Strangely there is no link to it on our club's website but you can read about the Foundation and RWB at this address:
http://www.foreverfoundation.com.au/rwb-is/
Are you a member?
Re: How Susan Alberti helped save the Western Bulldogs from extinction and turn the club into a success
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Are you a member?
No. I'm just a pleb!
