AFL chairman Richard Goyder pushing for Gillon McLachlan to stay in top job

As the search for the next AFL CEO continues, competition chairman Richard Goyder is pushing for Gillon McLachlan to remain in the top job.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has strongly downplayed club anger over the league’s handling of his successor as league chairman Richard Goyder pushes for him to stay.

McLachlan’s legal counsel and football boss Andrew Dillon is believed to be his successor if Goyder cannot convince McLachlan to remain in the job.

That call is unlikely to come until after the Tasmanian decision is bedded down, with Dillon having fought off a strong challenge from Western Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler as the successful replacement.

But despite a retirement decision on April last year McLachlan staying on long-term remains a possible outcome that would see Dillon’s ambitions thwarted.

McLachlan refused to discuss his options on 3AW on Friday as he awaits Saturday’s announcement of federal funding for the Macquarie Place stadium in Tasmania.

But McLachlan was adamant the fury of AFL club officials over the lack of governance and transparency in the CEO decision had been overplayed.

Richard Goyder and Gillon McLachlan. Picture: David Geraghty

“I have never run into one supporter who cares in any way. They are loving the game. Crowds and ratings are in record numbers. I don’t know who all these people are. Anonymous people who are furious but it’s playing out and the football is going well,” he said.

“Footy hasn’t missed a beat. The process is being played out and it will be resolved soon. I think we are a big very public organisation and what happens is every decision plays out in public.

“The game is the only thing that matters and supporters are loving their football in record numbers. I have never seen our supporters so happy. I go to a lot of footy and I have never had one of them talk about any angst about this. I don’t know what people are worried about.”

McLachlan also ruled out any change to the eligibility of the Brownlow Medal despite a spate of one-week suspensions for players who have committed sling tackles which in past years would have been rewarded with free kicks for holding the ball.

“If you had different rules around eligibility of the Brownlow it would get confusing,” he said.

“People react week to week and I think it’s having an impact. You see a lot of players exercising duty of care with the way they tackle. I think people understand why the (crackdown) is there. Once you have accountability and you have a sling tackle and the guy hits his head on the ground you have to be accountable in the same way.

“I understand the argument (about the Brownlow Medal) but I think we are clear where we are at.”

Originally published as AFL chairman Richard Goyder pushing for Gillon McLachlan to stay in top job