RICHMOND president Peggy O'Neal will consider meeting with the 'Focus on Football' group challenging the incumbent board, but has pledged not to let the club descend into chaos.
The Tigers on Monday afternoon responded publicly to the pitch made by a rival seven-person ticket, which is being supported by premiership Tigers Bruce Monteath and Bryan Wood.
O'Neal addressed the media with CEO Brendon Gale, who used the opportunity to underline his commitment to the club and declare he was not interested in replacing Stephen Gough as CEO of the Melbourne Cricket Club.
"Instability and change equals chaos, and I refuse to let that happen to my club," O'Neal said.
Both O'Neal and Gale were disappointed the board had not been given formal notice about the 'Focus on Football' announcement on Monday.
O'Neal said the group's leader Dr Martin Hiscock had called her on Monday morning, but she was unable to take his call.
"I haven't had a chance to go back to them. They didn't ask the board to withdraw, they asked for a meeting … that's what we'll consider," O'Neal said.
"We weren't afforded the courtesy of anyone meeting with us or telling us it was going to happen. But we had heard that something was underway.
"When there's a chance for people who have the best interests of the club at heart to sit down and discuss their differences you usually come to a pretty good result.
"I think collaboration has been what we've been about and we're quite accessible and open."
The challenging group will require 100 signatures to force an extraordinary general meeting, and 200 present members for the meeting to go ahead.
If a peaceful transition is declined, the rival ticket said it would present a requisition, containing signatures of many of the club's greats, to force an EGM.
As well as past captains Monteath and Wood and Epworth hospital cardiologist Dr Hiscock, the seven-person ticket includes Philip Allison, Margaret Kearney, Ingrid Williams and former club doctor David Marsh OAM.
Gale said he understood Richmond supporters were angry and Monday's pitch by the Focus on Football group had appeared to be "motivated by a lot of emotion".
He said the Tigers were still working through a review of their football operations and change would be made as a result.
The Tigers have already told three assistant coaches – premiership coach Mark Williams, Greg Mellor and Ross Smith – their contracts would not be renewed and are yet to make a decision on fellow assistant Mark P Williams.
"We're trying to get a really good understanding of why we've performed poorly this year. We're looking at all the drivers of football performance," Gale said.
"Clearly when you have a year like we did, we make changes.
"Those coaches have been great contributors to our footy club, but sometimes you need a different message, a different structure, and the football department has made those decisions."
Gale said he had been approached some time ago to replace Gough at the MCC, but it was not the job for him.
"My job is with the Richmond Football Club. That's my passion and I'm absolutely hell-bent on delivering on our vision of a strong and bold premiership club," he said.
