Don Mc Kenzie (footballer) - Dispute Over Player Payments

Dispute Over Player Payments

McKenzie captained the club in the 1969 season. He was removed from his captaincy in 1970 when he and four of his team mates, Geoff Gosper, Darryl Gerlach, Geoff Pryor, and Barry Davis, demanded better pay and conditions. Once the issue was resolved (by the time of the second round in 1970), McKenzie was appointed Vice Captain for 1970 (with Barry Davis appointed Captain). According to Mapleston,

sensational beginning to the season when a group of five senior players — Don McKenzie (the previous year's captain), Geoff Pryor, Darryl Gerlach, Barry Davis (the year before's vice-captain) and Geoff Gosper — requested an increase in match payments much higher than allowed by the League. The players wanted three dollars for each training session instead of one dollar, and a basic forty dollars per match until fifty games with increments coming each twenty-five games after that. When their request was rejected they all decided to stand out of football. Essendon had initiated a move in the League for an increase in players' payments and advised the players that consideration of their request would be given when the League finally made a decision. The committee was unanimously in favour of the increase but under League regulations were not allowed to give it. This was conveyed to the players who then advised the committee that unless their demands were met, the players of the 1969 list would in sympathy refuse to play in a practice match against South Adelaide. After further discussions, the players decided to play, but, in a later letter, the five senior players submitted their retirement as players. They were not considered for the first match against Carlton. During a sensational five hours at Essendon on Thursday the 2nd of April, the club threatened to split wide open. The five rebels turned up for training but were not invited to the players' dinner. As well, the club named a new acting captain, John Williams and acting vice-captain, Charlie Payne. Chairman of selectors, Harry Hunter, when asked the reaction of the selectors said tersely:- "You may need an Obituary Column. It could be the end of them." But then four days later, the row was settled and the five were all chosen in the second game against Footscray. Davis became captain on the vote of the players and committee with McKenzie as his deputy. The League, by this time, had agreed on an increased minimum payment to be allowed to be paid to players of thirty-five dollars and the players were advised of the increased payments. In addition, the committee decided to set up a testimonial fund, in addition to the regular provident fund, by which players would have an amount put aside for them to be collected on retirement only. Alf Brown in The Herald was very critical of the treatment of the players. He wrote: "Essendon have assets of $115,000 but claim they want this money to buy a new ground. They have been talking about shifting ever since I have been writing football ... The players have been treated like little school boys." Club president Allan Hird, while admitting that Essendon could have afforded more, was understandably not prepared to break the League rules. He was particularly annoyed with one player who he refused to name, who he described as a "paragon of virtue to the general public but the biggest disappointment."