THE CANDIDATE
THE DON.
FOR ESSENDON.
FOR 2030.
Purely for the love of the club.
ONE CLUB. ONE GOAL.
“The only thing that matters is the whole club working in unison towards a single goal: a premiership. Everything else is secondary, and every decision gets made with that goal in mind.
Watch how returning the focus to AFL performance improves every other part of the club.”
The President of the Essendon Football Club isn't paid. It's still one of the most important jobs at the club: the public face, the driver of its culture, and the person who connects the back office to the front office, so everyone is pulling towards the same thing.
I want it for one reason. I love this club and I want to help it win again.
I've spent my career building things from scratch, including the National Pickleball League. I bring startup scrappiness, real business experience and the honest view of someone looking in from outside. That's what I'd add to the people already in the building.
Ron 'The Don' Shell
WHERE IT STARTED
1996.
Driving home from dinner with my dad.
The prelim from the SCG on the radio.
Tony Lockett marks 55 out, after the siren.
He kicks a behind.
We lose by a point.
I was shattered.
THE SWAGGER HAS TO COME BACK.
WHERE WE ARE
THE RECORD.
- 2004
- Our last finals win.
- 8
- Senior coaches since then. Sheedy, Knights, Hird, Thompson, Worsfold, Rutten, Scott, McVeigh.
- 2-21
- 2026. The worst record in the club's history.
This isn't about blaming anyone. It's the reason a different kind of campaign exists.
ONE GOAL.
Everything else serves it.
Watch how returning the focus to AFL performance improves every other part of the club.
How does this help us win a premiership?
WHAT NEEDS
to change.
- 01
One goal.
A premiership is the only north star. Everything else matters and supports it, and all of it benefits from sustained success on the field.
- 02
Stability.
Too much instability in key roles for too long.
- 03
No one bigger than the club.
We've catered too much to individuals. No one is bigger than the organisation.
- 04
Leaders.
We need strong leaders who set the example on and off the field.
- 05
Bravery.
We don't take chances, especially in marketing and social media. We should be building a vibe and connecting properly with all our fans and the community.
What's working: the last six months of football hires, and moving on people who didn't want to be here.
PROMISE:
a report card, every year.
Members deserve to know how we're judging success, in plain English.
EXAMPLE FORMAT
| Measure | Target | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Win range | ||
| Average losing margin | ||
| Points conceded | ||
| Under-23 development | ||
| Stability in key roles | ||
| Attendance & membership | ||
| Member satisfaction | ||
| Finances |
THE ROAD TO 2030.
Build the movement.
WE ARE HERE
Enrol, bring your mates, follow the pod.
Win a board seat.
Essendon members elect directors at the AGM.
Take the chair.
The directors elect the President.
Not a coup. No overthrow. Just putting my hand up, earning it, and taking over when the time is right.
THE RÉSUMÉ
RON SHELL.
- CEO, National Pickleball League.
- April 2023 - present.
- PointsBet.
- 2016 - 2023. Joined when it was an early-stage startup. Rose to Senior Vice President, Customer & Insights, working in New York and Denver.
- EY.
- 2015 - 2016. Financial services audit.
- Master of Finance.
- University of Melbourne.
What we've built at NPL
- 12 Pro Tour teams
- 24 Division 2 teams across Australia & New Zealand
- 6 venues in the NPL network
- 32,000 newsletter subscribers
- Tennis Australia's Official Pickleball Growth Partner
- Founding member of the Global Pickleball Alliance
- Built LADER, the technology that ran the Australian Open Pickleball Slam 2026
- Make-A-Wish Australia's Pickleball for Wishes, two years running
Facts as published by NPL, October 2026.
STRAIGHT ANSWERS.
Is this a coup?
No. I'm not trying to overthrow anyone. I want to earn a seat through the members, and earn the presidency from the board, when the time is right.
Why does a podcast host think he can do this?
Having played or run a footy club hasn't guaranteed success either. I bring a startup mentality, real business results and a lifetime as a die-hard fan.
Are you a member?
I've been a lifelong supporter, and a member at various stages but not in recent years. I've re-joined, and I'm staying.
You've worked in wagering?
Yes. I spent years in wagering, and it taught me a lot about customers and building a business. I left in 2023 and hold no interests in it.
Where do you stand on Spike?
I'll always support the club. I love Spike, and I think he's now set up for success.
Where does AFLW sit?
I fully support our AFLW program. The premiership is the north star, and success at the top lifts every program, AFLW included.
Is the campaign sponsored or funded?
No. No sponsors and no donors. It's purely intrinsic. The Don loves the Dons and wants us to get our swagger back.
“He brought the swagger back to the Essendon Football Club. He set up an organisation that understood its one goal: to support a premiership run, year after year. And he left the processes, culture and structure in place for that to continue long after he'd gone.”