One Nation MLC Sarah Game pushes for member-elected Crows and Power boards

The AFL has long had a major say in the running of SA’s two footy teams. But critics say that needs to change.

All Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide board members should be elected rather than appointed by the AFL, critics of the league’s control over South Australian clubs say, with calls for an independent inquiry into the teams’ lack of autonomy.

One Nation MLC Sarah Game has called on the state government to investigate the AFL’s influence over the Crows and Power, each of which has had seven of nine board members appointed by the league, leaving members with a say in only two appointments.

Since 2014, the Crows’ constitution dictates that the AFL appoints the majority of the club’s directors and has sole voting rights of all matters at annual general meetings other than the election of the two remaining board members.

The same terms apply in the Power’s constitution, effectively leaving control of both SA clubs in the AFL’s hands.

Critics of the AFL’s governance deal with the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide say the clubs’ entire boards should be elected by members rather than appointed by the AFL. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Interstate clubs Sydney, Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast have similar governance deals with the AFL.

Ms Game this week introduced a motion in parliament calling for an inquiry to “investigate how the AFL has taken control of both AFL clubs in South Australia and to adopt measures to ensure that members of both clubs are given control of the club including the right to democratically appoint all board members”.

“Why is the governance of the AFL teams in South Australia so different from the governance structure adopted by the AFL to apply to the Victorian based teams?” Ms Game said.

Ms Game said given the significant cost to taxpayers for the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval, which benefited both the Crows and Power, South Australians should have in turn benefited from the clubs’ autonomy.

“I’m calling for a change in the constitution to restore power to club members in electing the board and thereby making the board accountable to the members and the South Australian taxpayer that has funded these facilities,” she said.

Top Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin says ‘there’s no right for the membership to replace a mediocre board’. Picture: Ben Clark

Ms Game said any state government funding for the clubs should be ceased until members can elect all directors of each.

“Publicly funded clubs in any sport need to be run democratically and most certainly not controlled by interstate entities such as the AFL,” Ms Game said.

Ms Game has also called for the release of the SafeWork SA report into the Crows’ infamous 2018 pre-season camp.

Top Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin, who is leading a concussion class action lawsuit against the AFL, said clubs should operate independently of the league.

“They shouldn’t have any influence,” he said.

Mr Griffin said the AFL’s governance of the clubs meant fans could do little to force change if they were unsatisfied with their clubs’ performance.

“There’s no route for the membership to replace a mediocre board,” he said.