North Melbourne Directors Dr Harry Unglik and Mr Paul Dwyer were confirmed as ‘re-elected’ at the club’s AGM on Wednesday night. 

As per the club’s Constitution, nominations were sought for the two Director positions, but none were forthcoming, hence the pair was not opposed and no vote required.

“Harry and Paul will play a critical role for us in the coming months and years, and the importance of retaining them for the future cannot be understated,” North chairman Ben Buckley told North Media.

“Both are heavily involved in current major projects and programs that will be critical to the success of our club.”

Buckley pointed to Dwyer’s role in the club’s stated aim to be debt free at the end of the year, the commencement of construction of a new $7 million facility expansion and the Arden Precinct planning.

“In the past, we could never consider investing in the football department to give our players everything they need to succeed, and look to build additional facilities without having to borrow heavily and recede further into the red. At the same time, we will ramp up our work with the Victorian Planning Authority on the Arden Urban Renewal Precinct to grow our footprint and service the needs of our community and our club for decades. 

“To achieve this, we will need to call on our people and more than ever, we will be relying on the expertise of Paul who is chair of our Finance & Audit Committee and Arden Precinct Committee. Paul’s knowledge and experience will be critical in guiding us through this next period and was integral to us posting a profit following the challenging Covid period. 

"It was through Paul’s efforts, as Chair of our Arden Precinct Committee, that we also were able to compile a 148-page report and make several presentations to the State Government advocating a vision that will serve the needs of our club and the community.

“A clear outcome of working with the right people is that this year, all going well, we will celebrate being debt free for the first time in possibly our club’s existence. I don’t know of another time when the North Melbourne Football Club could say it had no debt, and this comes despite enduring the most challenging financial year in AFL history. 

"This incredibly significant milestone is all thanks to our members and sponsors, and was also brought about by the hard-work of all our staff and Directors, past and present. Without their generosity and loyalty over many years, we’d never be in this position and it’s a testament to the passion and love our people have for our club.”

Buckley added Unglik would be pivotal as changes to the club's high-performance areas take affect following an extensive review. 

“We will be banking on an improved run with injuries and player availability and Harry will be invaluable,” Buckley said.

“Harry’s wealth of knowledge and expertise will be a tremendous asset and he will provide much needed experience on our Board to monitor and provide guidance to our high-performance and medical departments, and, in partnership with Australia’s foremost thinkers in this space, design a new welfare and mental health strategy for our players and people.”

The AGM also marked the end of a nine-year stint on the Board for Julie Laycock who was praised for her outstanding service as a club Director.

Laycock joined the North Board in 2011 and stepped down in accordance with the club’s constitution, having served a maximum of three successful three-year terms.

“Julie’s contribution to our club has been significant,” Buckley said.

“Julie joined the club nine years ago during a difficult and challenging period and has helped guide us to where we are today; a stable club in a strong position on and off the field.

“We thank Julie and her family for her time, commitment and professionalism and know she will not be lost to us as a passionate North Melbourne person.”

Since 2005, Laycock has held the position of Head of Marketing for 7-Eleven stores and joined the club under the leadership of James Brayshaw.

Buckley also praised the club’s members and reiterated his optimism for the future.

“We have a detailed and thorough plan that aims to deliver premierships and make us a thriving club, consistent on the field and regularly in finals contention,” he said.

“A club that people are not only proud to play for, but also support. Ultimately, we want to galvanise North Melbourne fans and bring them joy through winning and competing hard and by being proud of using our status in the community to bring about meaningful change and to make a difference to people’s lives who need it most. And underpinning all of this - we want to be financially independent and stable.

“Thank you as always to the members for their loyalty and support. I sincerely hope you enjoy a safe and happy 2021. I hope to see you at our games and that you enjoy getting back in the stands and being able to cheer our teams on.”