Jeff Kennett: Time to fix the AFL’s serious administrative issues
The AFL has some serious administrative issues that it must fix and finding a new innovative chairperson to support Andrew Dillon should be top of the list.
Opinion
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The federal government has been determined for the next three years, so now is the time for some frank and open discussions about the administration of the Australian Football League.
People at all levels of the AFL have been talking, mostly behind the palm of their hands or in private gatherings. The truth is the AFL has some serious administrative issues that must be addressed.
1. The AFL Commission
Currently the Commission is made up of 10 members, including the Chairman Richard Goyder and the CEO Andrew Dillon.
Of the other eight, five are men, three women. Of the 10, three have been appointed since 2023. The other seven were appointed in 2016 or earlier. The AFL Commission answers to no one except technically the presidents of the 18 clubs. Therefore, in a practical sense, they are not subject to the scrutiny that public companies face. This is exacerbated by the fact that many clubs are owned by or reliant on the financial support of the AFL Commission. The AFL is a big business, and an important one across the country, thus their governance must be seen as beyond reproach.
The Commission should accept unto itself the suggested terms in office for corporate directors. That is a maximum of three terms of three years each, i.e. nine years.
If a commissioner is elevated to Chairman of the Commission within their nine years, they should be allowed to serve another two terms of three years each if supported at the end of the first three years in that role.
Therefore, on that criteria, five of the current commissioners should be preparing to stand down when their current term expires.
The Chairman Richard Goyder who joined the Commission in 2011, and made chairman in 2017, must complete his current term at years end. Fifteen years on the Commission, and nine as chairman, requires him to stand down, and for the commission and presidents to settle on his replacement.
For Mr Goyder to seek a further extension is not appropriate. Regardless of the precise timing others may feel is appropriate for his exit, it is clear that his departure date is approaching, thus there is some urgency in identifying his successor.
Now that the CEO Mr Dillon has been in office for over a year, the time has come for a new chairperson to be appointed to support him and his senior executives.
2. The administration
Mr Dillon has been in office for over a year. Sadly, other senior people that were in the mix to succeed Gill McLachlan have left the AFL and secured CEO roles in other sports and organisations.
The AFL administration is woefully short of suitably experienced or qualified senior staff. This is particularly the case in the football department. Given the experienced personnel who have occupied this role in the past, the lack of qualification today is particularly stark. It is this area that is causing so much angst among administrators, coaches and players.
It requires an experienced football person, and leadership requires a change is made. Sadly, it is a reflection on the leadership of the AFL that they are not attracting the “best in class” to fill these important positions.
Many have been approached, none it seems have accepted.
3. Other Issues
Concussion, mental health issues, AFLW, umpiring and umpires, a Tasmanian team and stadium are among the issues that will take so much of the AFL Commission and Administration’s time.
I believe that the AFL has displayed little evidence of innovative thinking and decisive actions in recent years. It appears to be a plan of more of the same. The lack of feel for the issues, football issues, is widely discussed by those with an instinctive football culture flowing through their veins.
4. Salary Cap
There has been discussion that the salaries of the senior coaches should be outside the salary cap. If that was adopted it would lead to the most competitive environment among the clubs which would discriminate against those clubs that are not as wealthy as others. One argument is that if adopted that would lead to more money for assistant coaches.
The reason many assistant coaches are not properly financially rewarded is that clubs have spent a disproportionate portion of the salary cap on coaches. The concept of the salary cap should remain, lift it if desired, but then the AFL should insist clubs allocate the increase to the assistant coaches. The senior coaches are already very well remunerated. Some almost three times the salary of the Prime Minister!
5. Priorities
Identify the new AFL Chairperson of the Commission.
He or she must have senior and deep club and commercial experience and have the time to discharge the responsibilities of the chair. This is not the time for a bureaucrat. It is time for an innovative thinker with courage to set the game up for decades of future growth.
For the Commission to work out a retirement schedule for those commissioners who have served for more than nine years.
Commission and chair to work with the Administration to attract the best of class to all senior positions at the AFL.
Club presidents are elected not only to represent their clubs as shareholders of the commission, but should insist on best practice by the commission and its administration to ensure the long-term growth of Australian rules football, while resolving the more immediate issues.
For now, AFL football is so important to millions of Australians. The commission and presidents have a great responsibility to govern with courage and compassion.
Go Hawks.
Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria
Originally published as Jeff Kennett: Time to fix the AFL’s serious administrative issues
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