DEEP divisions have emerged at St Kilda as the club moves into a potentially tumultuous off-season with a split board, unsigned key players and the threat of not one but two challengers to Rod Butterss and his team.
The Age believes that Butterss and his inner circle have been at odds in recent months with fellow directors John Gdanski and Ross Levin, with tensions spilling over at the Saints-West Coast game last Friday week about a dispute originating in part from the handling of the Steven Baker tribunal hearing.
Further fuelling the tension is the fact that neither former club captain Nathan Burke, who will consider his final position this week, nor the transport boss emerging as an alternative president, Greg Westaway, have returned Butterss' calls. A separate challenge is also being looked at by a former St Kilda director.
One year after the sacking of coach Grant Thomas, the club is also divided over Ken Sheldon's position as head of the Saints' football department. Sheldon has been placed in charge of player contracts and that decision was a matter of some heated debate at a recent board meeting.
Justin Koschitzke, who has been the subject of renewed interest from Carlton, Xavier Clarke, Baker and Matt Maguire all remain unsigned. The retirement of Fraser Gehrig makes the retention of Koschitzke all the more crucial for the Saints.
Sheldon's handling — with the help of club directors but not the lawyer Levin — of the Baker charge after the Fremantle game in round 20 raised eyebrows among the Saints hierarchy and was criticised on radio SEN by coach-turned-commentator Thomas.
Levin, who was attending the game with guests, moved seats after a robust verbal joust with Butterss. Witnesses reported Butterss, unhappy with comments made by Thomas on radio, flicked Levin on the face with his AFL Record. Another version had Butterss unhappy with Levin's behaviour during an official speech.
The tension at board level is believed to have prompted Levin to consider resigning from the board, while Burke has told former teammates he has become disenchanted with the Butterss board, the club's football operation and under-resourced football department.
Last Friday, Levin sent an email to all of his fellow directors assuring them he was not planning to stand against Butterss on a rival ticket that, under the St Kilda constitution, would take 60 days to orchestrate following a move for an extraordinary general meeting.
Levin refused to comment when contacted last night. Butterss denied eyewitness reports that he had angrily flicked Levin with his Record. "We had a discussion, that's all it was. I have strong debate with all of my directors from time to time. This was a storm in a teacup."
The president told The Age last night of a potential challenge: "I would have thought if anyone's got concerns, they would have called me as a first point of contact. This is not the way to go about it. We're trying to re-sign players and contract sponsors. The timing is not ideal.
"Having said that, five teams that made the finals last year missed out this year. There's always going to be talk like this after a disappointing season but I'm confident there will be no challenge."
Burke, who sat on the coaching panel that selected Dean Bailey as the Demons' new coach, also sits on the AFL's match review panel, works as a consultant for Mettle Media and part-time as a media commentator on football issues.
"I've left messages for him but I haven't heard back," said Butterss, who has the support of fellow directors Glen Casey and Mark Kellett. "I understand he is now on holidays."
