Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane takes top spot in our sport Power 50

TONY Cochrane has never been afraid to speak his mind, whether it is to your average Joe or Eddie McGuire.

TONY Cochrane has never been afraid to speak his mind, whether it is to your average Joe or Eddie McGuire.

The AFL world is filled with big personalities such as McGuire and David Koch and going toe-to-toe with them in sticking up for the Gold Coast is a challenge the Suns chairman takes in his stride.

“AFL is the No.1 sport in the country so it attracts a lot of very heavy hitters from all walks of industry and life and yeah there is no question the presidents’ group is a fairly powerful group,” Cochrane said.

“A lot of larger than life characters and a lot of guys who have made tremendous successes out of their lives generally … I enjoy the cut and thrust of that to be perfectly honest and I have got a lot of good mates amongst that group.”

Tony Cochrane. Picture: Jerad Williams

Cochrane previously made his mark in an extensive tenure as Supercars executive chairman before switching to the Aussie rules code he holds dear – but not before an 18-month sports management sabbatical that allowed him to catch his breath.

“I don’t think you could be successful in sports administration unless you have got an absolute passion for sport generally,” he said.

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“I guess being honest, V8s was more of a business relationship for me than a sporting relationship because I clearly didn’t have any background as a driver or a team owner or anything like that.

“AFL has been much more of a passion because I have played it as a kid and followed it since I can remember and came from a very passionate AFL family.

Cochrane (left) at Suns headquarters with club chief executive Mark Evans. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“As a kid I played everything. I absolutely tried my hand at any sport that was going. I could have been a fantastic sportsman, I only lacked two things really: Talent and ability.”

The rising presence of AFL through Queensland is not lost on Cochrane, who is eager to capitalise on that trend in the nation’s sixth biggest city.

“There’s no question if you look at the raw statistics, AFL is on the march throughout Australia and it’s on the march in Queensland,” he said.

“There is something like 250,000 registered participants now in Queensland across males and females, where if you go back 10 years ago, to see a set of goal and behind posts on ovals throughout Queensland was pretty rare.

“Now, pretty much every country town that has an oval has got a set of goalposts and behind posts on it.

Cochrane at a press conference. Picture: AAP Image

“It has been a tremendous grassroots build of AFL in Queensland which ultimately in time will result in very solid support for both the Queensland AFL sides.

“These things are generational. Rugby league is always going to be a very major game in the state of Queensland – no one is denying that – but I think AFL has made major inroads and it has clearly driven past rugby union and soccer.”

Cochrane’s pulling power and role in making the Suns work will be pivotal to the long-term status of Aussie rules on the Coast.

In just pipping friend, neighbour and fellow footy powerbroker Rebecca Frizelle to the No.1 spot, Cochrane will no doubt relish the chance to fire back in their regular banter.

“She is as good at giving what she gets as I am so it usually makes for an interesting dialogue,” Cochrane laughed.

Frizelle added with a smile: “We’re fiercely competitive … I run a bet with him every year that whoever finishes lower on the ladder has to go to the other side’s legion and wear their Suns or Titans jersey but he has lost every time and still hasn’t turned up.”