West Adelaide Football Club at crossroads as key personnel leave amid financial and facility crisis | Andrew Capel

SANFL club West Adelaide is at the crossroads, but there’s promising signs for development in the future, writes Andrew Capel.

SANFL club West Adelaide is at the crossroads, with its president and chief executive gone, a hefty quarter-of-a-million dollar loss about to be announced to members and doubts over the sustainability of its licensed club facilities at Richmond Oval.

While the Bloods avoided the SANFL wooden spoon for the first time in six seasons last year, finishing eighth, they are financially challenged and needing urgent redevelopment of their ground to keep up with competition tall poppies Norwood, Sturt and Glenelg and remain sustainable.

The mini-crisis has seen West female football director Alison Surjan - wife of North Adelaide coach Jacob Surjan - step in as interim president.

With the support of the SANFL, she is involved in the search for a new CEO following the resignation of the highly-respected Conny Wilson in December.

President Emma Grigson followed six weeks later.

West Adelaide players gather before a SANFL game against Glenelg at Richmond Oval last year. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

SANFL chief executive Darren Chandler, a former Bloods league player, said the league would help West get back on its feet, noting the club is “a very important part of the SANFL competition’’.

“Obviously it’s not ideal when you lose key personnel, however Alison has stepped up as interim president and is doing a really good job of pulling things together,’’ Chandler said.

“We (the SANFL) are working with the club to help them find their next CEO and make sure we get the right person on board to carry on the work that Conny was doing.

“We will help them through this period and, more importantly, try to help them become a sustainable footy club which is here for the long haul.

“It is not easy for a SANFL club, financially some clubs are better off than others, and Westies have been challenged in recent years.

“We are in the business of helping our clubs and we are working really hard with them to try to build a sustainable model.’’

West finished bottom from 2019-23 and hasn’t played finals since its last premiership in 2015.

West Adelaide players run onto Richmond Oval for the Round 11 SANFL game against Glenelg last season. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

It has shown signs of on-field life under coach Adam Hartlett in the past two seasons, finishing eighth last year with a 5-13 win-loss record.

It also has been a big producer of AFL talent, with Adelaide’s Izak Rankine and Riley Thilthorpe and Hawthorn’s Will Day being top-13 selections from 2018-20.

“Adam Hartlett and football manager Paul Streatfield have done a terrific job from a football perspective, focusing on their junior program and bringing young kids through, which is really pleasing, so there is some good, positive stuff happening there,’’ Chandler said.

But the club is struggling financially, having lost $254,164 last year (which will be announced to members at next Tuesday’s AGM) after recording an operating deficit of $360,397 in 2023.

West’s Richmond Oval headquarters are in dire need of an upgrade while its licensed club is not bringing in enough revenue, with the club revealing “the relocation of our gaming machines will be a significant priority for 2025’’.

Chandler said the league and Bloods were working closely with West Torrens Council on a major redevelopment of Richmond Oval, which would ensure the club’s long-term survival.

West Adelaide captain Isaac Johnson is tackled by Port Adelaide’s Hugh Jackson in Round 10 last season. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“That’s really important and it needs to happen in the near future,’’ said Chandler, adding that improvements had already been made to the eastern side of the ground.

“That’s going to take support and significant investment from all levels of government, the SANFL, AFL and West Adelaide itself.

“The master plan looks impressive and includes the redevelopment of the grandstand, changerooms, administration and function areas, along with the surroundings around the oval to make it totally accessible for the community.

“The plan also includes the installation of other sporting facilities, so the community can use the venue as much as possible.’’

Chandler backed West’s desire to find a new “off-site’’ venue for its struggling licensed club and gaming facilities “like Norwood, the Eagles and North Adelaide have done so successfully’’.

“There are a whole range of things that are being looked at and are high priorities for the club, we are behind them and offering the necessary support,’’ he said.