The Footy Five

Beyond the Book, Historical Context 2 Minutes

The term “Footy Five” was coined by Ron Mulock to describe a group of five directors who, during this period, generally adopted a shared position on a range of issues affecting the Panthers organisation.

Despite the name, the distinction between this group and the remaining directors was not based on differing levels of commitment to rugby league. Directors on both sides of the Board were deeply committed to the future of football in Penrith. Indeed, several of the directors outside the Footy Five had devoted decades to building both the football club and the broader Panthers organisation.

The differences between the two groups became most apparent during the Super League era, the merger debate and the wider governance issues confronting Panthers during the late 1990s. These included questions surrounding the club’s strategic direction, its response to the changing rugby league landscape and the future structure of the Panthers organisation.

The four remaining directors—Leo Armstrong, Barry Walsh, Terry Heidtmann and Keith Rhind—were never collectively identified by a comparable title. Ron Mulock occasionally referred to them as “Roger’s Four Kinsmen”, a phrase drawn from the well-known Australian musical group The Four Kinsmen. The expression implied that these directors simply supported Roger Cowan’s position, but it never achieved the widespread usage of the term Footy Five.

Both expressions formed part of the language surrounding one of the most divisive periods in Panthers’ history. While Footy Five became the enduring shorthand used by directors, members, the media and later historical accounts, neither label should be interpreted as a literal description of the directors’ respective commitment to rugby league or of the complexity of the issues under debate.

As the Footy Five is referenced throughout the narrative, it is useful to identify the individuals within the group:

  • Geoff James: Private Enquiry Agent.
  • John Bateman OAM: Solicitor. Mayor of Penrith (1998-2000)
  • Greg Evans: Owner of the Western Weekender, a local newspaper also prominent in the narrative.
  • Craig Terry: Financial controller at Liquorland.
  • Denis Coffey: Owner of successful engineering company. Former Panthers player.

Although the Footy Five were frequently identified as a group, each member brought different professional experience and motivations to the Board. Their backgrounds included law, engineering, finance, investigation and newspaper publishing. While they often acted together on major issues, the narrative suggests that their reasons for doing so were not necessarily identical.

Each member of the Footy Five played a distinct role in the events described in Panthers, Passion & Politics. Individual profiles provide further background on their professional careers, their involvement with Panthers and their contribution to the governance conflicts that followed.

Each member of the Footy Five played a distinct role in the events described in Panthers, Passion & Politics. Individual profiles provide further background on their professional careers, their involvement with Panthers and their contribution to the governance conflicts that followed.

Related Topics

Related Themes

Conflict · Governance · Board Decisions

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