Gary Pert’s departure from Melbourne was not assured when he uttered the fateful words that Melbourne had the greatest culture he had seen in football, but it certainly created an impression that the leadership was out of touch, and change was needed.

As the words fell confidently from Pert’s lips in that October 2023 radio interview, which was intended to calm nerves about the Demons but managed to do the complete opposite, doubts were sown about the judgment of the club’s leaders.

Melbourne CEO Gary Pert.Credit: AFL........

© The Sydney Morning Herald