By Brett McKay

Are you having trouble keeping up with the whole mess currently threatening the Brumbies? You’re not alone, and with the situation changing almost by the minute at times earlier this week, it has been difficult to fully get around the key events that led to CEO Michael Jones being stood down this week.

Jones was sensationally relieved of his duties on Monday night, after an extraordinary interview with Tim Gavel on 666 ABC Canberra last Saturday. In an interview initially designed to put an end to the rumours and speculation that had been circling Jones and Brumbies board in recent weeks.

Centring on the referral of documentation around sale of the Brumbies’ former HQ and training base in South Canberra in 2013, and subsequent move to flash new digs at the University of Canberra in May 2015 to the Australia Federal Police, Jones let fly in the ABC interview.

“I’m doing what has to be done for the Brumbies. If that gets people who have their own personal interest hurt by that, I do not shy away from that and do not apologise for that,” he said, before later responding to questions relating to the threats made to him, “I only know how to act and that’s you can’t fight half a war. So if I go to war it’s going to be ugly and there’s going to be a lot of people are going to get burnt by it.”

The current status is that Jones won a temporary injunction in the ACT Supreme Court into the board decision to stand him down on Tuesday, with the case adjourned until next Tuesday March 29. Jones was free to return to work, but it’s fair to say there is a lot of water to go under a lot of bridges before this saga is resolved.

So how did we get to this point? Here’s a chronology of events to date.

2009: The Brumbies hatch plans to sell and redevelop the land at their former South Canberra Bowling Club, including a new HQ building on the existing Griffith Oval, attached to the bowling club.

2010: Griffith Oval is awarded heritage protection status after significant opposition to the development plans by local residents.

2012: Brumbies announce operating loss of $347,000.

2013: ACT Government sustainable development minister Simon Corbell uses his call-in powers to approve revised plans for a 131-unit development on the site.

December 2013: The club announced a further loss of $141,000, despite making the Super Rugby Final, and a visit by the British & Irish Lions.

Griffith training base site is sold to developers for $11.375 Million, leaving the Brumbies a surplus of more than $9 Million after clearing debts.

The Chairman Sean Hammond says at the time the club must invest wisely and return to a sustainable operating profit after coming close to insolvency. Plans of a $5 Million investment in the development of a new $16 Million training facility at the University of Canberra (UC – the then naming rights sponsor) are announced, due for completion in March 2015.

The Brumbies move out of the old Griffith base for a temporary home at the Australian Institute of Sport.

The remaining $4 million from the profits of the sale were to be invested into a ‘Brumbies Rugby Provident Fund’, for the future funding of ACT rugby.

Architect of the Griffith sale deal, CEO Andrew Fagan departs after eight years in the role, and twelve years with the Brumbies in total.

July 2014: The Brumbies moves into the newly-opened HQ and training base after several months’ delay, and after losing a semi-final to the eventual champions, the Waratahs.

December 2014: A record loss of $1.07 Million is announced. Further, the trust fund idea is abandoned, after an additional $2 Million of costs related to the UC move materialised in addition to the initial $5 Million investment. The Brumbies’ cash reserves – just twelve months after the land sale that was going to “secure our future” – are said to be now less than $2 Million.

AGM leads to massive boardroom shake-up, and the shock removal of long-term Chairman Sean Hammond. Among several changes, accountant Rob Kennedy is voted onto the board and surprisingly, straight into the Chairman’s role.

The club also commences looking for its third CEO in 12 months (including an interim) after Doug Edwards resigns, as well as a new major backer after UC elected not to renew its front-of-jersey sponsorship.

January 2015: Michael Jones appointed as Chief Executive.

February 2015: Integrated casino and resort company Aquis announced as Principal Partner and Naming Rights Sponsor of the Brumbies, in a record deal worth more than $8 Million over six years, through to the end of the 2020 season.

September 2015: The Brumbies board, along with the Australian Rugby Union Integrity Unit, agree to refer ‘anomalies’ in sale of Griffith headquarters on to the Australian Federal Police.

“Myself and the board, when we looked at some of the transactions between 2009 and 2013, we sensed that there was something not right there,” Jones said at the time.

“We took that further with the Australian Rugby Union integrity unit, and KPMG’s forensic unit in Queensland to look at a vast number of documents and transactions.

“All those details have been passed on to the Australian Federal Police to assess whether there is any case to answer or any criminality.”

December 2015: First reports emerge of cracks in the working relationship between Jones and UC Vice-Chancellor, Stephen Parker. Tensions around the police investigation of the Griffith land sale and the move to UC are reported as being at the heart of the matter, and that Parker sent a letter to Jones about potential defamation proceedings over an unknown incident.

(It would later emerge Jones sent to former Brumbies winger and Uni of Canberra Union CEO, Joe Roff an email, in which allegedly defamatory comments about Parker were made).

The Brumbies announce a further record operating loss of $1.68 Million.

The same week, Brumbies and Wallabies captain, Stephen Moore, announces a shock post-2016 departure from the club he joined in 2009 for the Queensland Reds, a move heavily criticised by Jones in one of most aggressively-worded press releases I can ever recall.

“The discussions with myself and coaching staff left us in no doubt and with a clear impression that [Moore’s] long-term future would be with the Brumbies if we met the demands we were given. We met every one of those demands. So we were surprised and disappointed to find out he has agreed to join the Reds late last night,” Jones said in the explosive club statement.

Early 2016: Murmurs and innuendo continue to swell of disharmony between Jones and the Brumbies board.

The new Super Rugby season starts with the Brumbies quick to the top of the Australian conference, and attract a crowd of 20,142 people for the Round 2 Waratahs derby – the biggest crowd for this clash since 2009.

Saturday 19 March: Jones launches into the now infamous interview with Tim Gavel on 666 ABC Canberra. The full twenty-minute interview can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/abc_grandstand/michael-jones-tim-gavel

Chairman Rob Kennedy contacts ARU CEO Bill Pulver, who is said to be ‘filthy’ at Jones’ extraordinary comments.

Monday 21 March: Pulver arrives in Canberra at the request of Kennedy, and goes into crisis meetings with the Brumbies board, and ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.

At 8pm, the Brumbies announce Jones had been stood down as CEO of the ACT & Southern NSW Rugby Union.

Tuesday 22 March: Reports emerge that the major reason Jones was stood down and not sacked is that the Brumbies would not be able to afford to pay out Jones’ contract through to the end of 2017. The Brumbies were said to be on track for a $2.5 Million turnaround and to post a profit upwards of $1 Million, but that any payout would put that in grave doubt.

The ARU and ACT Government confirm their support for the club, with indications that funding would be found for any pay out, if necessary. Key sponsors also announce their backing on Jones, with an Aquis spokesperson describing the embattled CEO as a “reformist”.

Around 4pm, ACT Supreme Court Justice Richard Refshauge​ grants a temporary injunction, with Jones citing whistle-blower laws and an alleged breach of contract to prevent the Brumbies’ board from standing him down.

Jones told reporters outside the court, “I’m happy to be going back to work. “This shouldn’t have happened and I want to focus on the footy and beating the Cheetahs this weekend.”

Wednesday 23 March: Jones reportedly does return to work, but the Brumbies go into a state of lockdown, with all staff at HQ and the playing squad and staff on tour in South Africa put into media silence.

Tuesday 29 March: Jones will return to court, vowing to continue fighting to keep his job…