Footy is more than just a game, it was one of the rare glues that held us together, a collection of warring tribes whose epic battles had the power to heal our culture, week after week.
But can it do it again? Can it heal us now?
Dr Nick Takos is currently a lecturer and researcher within the (Sport) Business Division of the University of South Australia. Nick is a specialist in the areas of leadership, organisational culture, management, and commercial operations, particularly in the sport and recreation context.
Nick holds a BEc, a MBA in sport management, a Diploma in Marketing, and has completed his PhD in leadership and organisational culture. Nick's research has been published in the leading international sport journal - Journal of Sport Management.
His backgound in the sport and recreation industry includes 14 years in various senior roles with AFL team the Adelaide Crows, and he has also held senior management positions within netball (Adelaide Thunderbirds) and cricket (Adelaide Strikers, South Australian Redbacks and Scorpians). In 2021 he was a board member of the Adelaide Football Club, where he was the Chair of its inaugural member Enagagement Committee.
He was forced to resign from his board position due to the mandatory vaccine mandates.
Joining Nick will be Dave Ryan
Dave worked as an analyst with Essendon Football Club for 13 years. When Covid came along, he did what he always did - he looked at the data. And the data suggested not getting the jab. But that meant he could no longer work in the AFL, and he was going to be sacked for serious misconduct. So he resigned.
In the weeks before he left, the vax rules meant he was able to buy merchandise in the Essendon shop (cha-ching) have a coffee in their cafe (cha-ching) and go to games with 100,000 others at the MCG (cha-ching). But he wasn’t allowed to sit at his desk to work. That’s just the way Covid rolls - it knows when you’re spending money or trying to earn it.
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Dr Nick Takos and Dave Ryan, formally with the AFL, talk leadership and healing