Elizabeth Gaines becomes West Coast’s first female chairperson

History has been made at West Coast with the appointment of the club’s first female chairperson — and more changes are on the way with several premiership heroes being eyed for key roles.

Coach John Worsfold with footballer Michael Braun. AFL football – West Coast Eagles vs Sydney Swans grand final match at MCG 30 Sep 2006.

West Coast will not only start the 2025 season with a new coach, but also with a female chairperson in place for the first time in club history.

Perth business leader Elizabeth Gaines was unanimously endorsed as Paul Fitzpatrick’s successor on Tuesday afternoon.

The battle to follow Fitzpatrick in the chair had been thought to be a race in two between Gaines and former state treasurer Ben Wyatt.

Gaines was chosen to lead the club through the next phase of a rebuild that has proven challenging since the end of the 2021 season.

New West Coast chairperson Elizabeth Gaines. Picture: Jane Dempster

The Eagles have won just 10 games in the three seasons since, seen off coach Adam Simpson more than a season ahead of schedule and parted ways with longstanding CEO Trevor Nisbett a year out from the end of his contract.

First year CEO Don Pyke is currently spearheading the search for a new coach which the club now expects to be finalised within the next two weeks.

Collingwood’s Hayden Skipworth, Melbourne’s Andrew McQualter and Geelong’s Steven King are thought to be the leading candidates in the coach selection process.

How quickly a final decision is reached will be heavily dependent on whether the Cats, scheduled to play Brisbane in a preliminary final this weekend, go on to make the grand final.

Gaines is a former CEO and COO of the powerful Fortescue Metals Mining Group. She joined the Eagles board in 2022 and has served as Fitzpatrick’s deputy over the past two years. Fitzpatrick will relinquish the chair at the start of next year.

John Worsfold and Matt Priddis are being eyed for board positions. Picture: Stewart Allen

“Elizabeth was elected unopposed and we look forward to her continuing to build on the foundations that have been laid,” Fitzpatrick said in a club statement.

“To have someone of Elizabeth’s calibre stepping into the position of Chair is another exciting step in the evolution of our club.

“Elizabeth has wide ranging respect, not just within the mining industry, but across the business community more broadly. A passionate supporter of our club before joining the Board, she has developed an even stronger connection through her involvement on the Board.”

Ms Gaines said she was looking forward to assisting the club’s push to improve across all aspects of its operations.

“We are acutely aware that we have not performed on the field as we would have liked in the last three years and we are committed to improving in all areas,” she said.

Rowan Jones, a 2006 premiership player and the role player famous for blocking to unleash superstar Chris Judd around stoppages, has been elected as the new deputy chair.

Rowan Jones will serve as deputy chair on the new board.

Meanwhile there is likely to be a push to get more football IQ onto the club board with Jones’ premiership coach John Worsfold and 2014 Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis among those likely to be asked.

The Eagles football department faces overhaul regardless of who wins the coaching post. Matthew Knights has already left, Luke Webster and Drew Petrie are other potential departures.

Jarrad Schofield, the interim coach after Adam Simpson’s departure and a candidate for the senior coaching position, may also choose to leave despite having a year to run on a coaching contract at the club.

Originally published as Elizabeth Gaines becomes West Coast’s first female chairperson