In an increasingly professional league with million-dollar salaries, the biggest seats at AFL clubs remain filled by volunteers

WHILE the AFL prefers its clubs to be member-driven rather than privately owned, the board rooms are filled with volunteers — and presidents working for love rather than money.

• Footy Park’s best nights under lights
• Bickley: Why Crows, Power have no time to waste
• Goodwin survives summer heat to rise above pack
• Everyone can always improve: Dixon looks to 2019

WHO would be the president at an AFL club?

Of all the high-profile positions in the limelight league, the presidency — and directorships — are the only ones without six-figure salaries. In the professional league, the most powerful room at 17 of the 18 league clubs is still filled with volunteers (West Coast being the exception).

As Collingwood president Eddie McGuire noted as he felt the pressure this time last season: “I don’t get paid to do this; I’ve got lots of things in my life.”

Same applies with Rob Chapman at Adelaide and David Koch at Port Adelaide. And now the wheel of finger pointing — after a season of disappointment for the Crows and Power — turns to the top office at each of the SA-based AFL clubs.

Eleven months ago, after his famous post-match speech when Port Adelaide was bundled out of the finals in extra time, Koch was under fire from the media for putting the heat on coach Ken Hinkley.

Today, Koch is dealing with the backlash from a frustrated Power fan base that is taking exception to his extending Hinkley’s contract to the end of 2021.

Eleven months ago, Chapman was on the verge of delivering the Crows their long-awaited third AFL premiership. He had an eager successor in Bob Foord.

Today, Chapman is the target of an agitated fan base that questions if he has been there too long (club chairman since 2009), where his succession plan is and why he will not have a significant external voice be part of a review of Adelaide’s collapse from grand finalists to also ran.

Adelaide’s Rob Chapman and Port Adelaide’s David Koch. Picture: Calum Robertson

Even the most-devoted and dedicated Crows advocates wish there was an external view, if only to avoid the current internal review being labelled a “whitewash” to protect what is dubbed as the “boys’ club” or privileged network at West Lakes.

How quickly fortunes change. McGuire, who has served as Collingwood president since October 1998, will have his image recast again by the Magpies emerging as a serious threat to Richmond’s AFL premiership defence.

At Adelaide, there could be — after the lessons of this season are digested — a quick rebound and the pressure will fall off Chapman and the other current punching bag, football boss Brett Burton.

Adelaide coach Don Pyke and football department boss Brett Burton. Picture: Sarah Reed

As Brownlow Medallist James Bartel noted this week, Adelaide’s fall is the greatest disappointment of this AFL season. The Crows should have contended for the premiership again. Instead, it is a wasted season.

But the Crows are most capable of re-establishing themselves as an AFL pacesetter in season 2019.

At Port Adelaide, there are more doubts. The internal view is the list at Alberton will be in better shape next year. Externally, as former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon says: “I’m reading the names at Port Adelaide, assigning them levels of excellence — and then reality says we have come to think they’re a hell of a lot better than they really are.”

There are many well-paid employees at these AFL clubs to put together teams for the one-in-18 chance for a flag each year. But, except at West Coast, the boardroom still remains filled with volunteers — and presidents who carry enormous responsibility for the love of their club.

Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
SIGN UP NOW >