TV wrap: Tasmanian team in jeopardy, Tom Harley appointment nears as Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell responds to slump
Tasmania’s AFL team is in danger of falling over without a ball being kicked, while Hawthorn and Sydney were in the gun on Tuesday’s football TV shows. See what you missed.
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The appointment of Sydney chief executive Tom Harley as Andrew Dillon’s new right-hand is all but confirmed, and several of football’s television panellists are lauding it as a major win for the AFL.
But where does that leave the struggling Swans and their first-year coach?
Sydney was not the only club in the spotlight on Tuesday night, with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell joining his old mate Luke Hodge for a full hour on The Agenda Setters.
There was plenty to take in, but keen viewers had ample time to process it all thanks to Footy Classified’s selfless decision to go to air at 9.55pm.
If for some bizarre reason you were unable to sit in front of the TV for four hours (perhaps you were underperforming at work and your boss called for a beach punishment session), this is where you can catch up on the action.
Footy Classified
Nine’s program had a more Tasmanian flavour to it as Eddie McGuire kicked off proceedings with a cross to Hobart journalist Brent Costelloe.
Costelloe said an open-ended no-confidence motion tabled in parliament by Tasmanian Opposition leader Dean Winter could threaten the Macquarie Point stadium (and, if the AFL were to follow through on its threat, the Tasmania Devils team itself).
Tasmanian Labor supports the construction of a stadium, but Costelloe said the issue lay with the politicians they would need on board to topple Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberal government – a group of anti-stadium Greens and independent MPs.
“OK Brent, now that’s great for Tasmanian politics, but we’re interested in the AFL, OK?,” McGuire interjected at one point during the cross.
The Agenda Setters
Swans boss Tom Harley will shortly be announced as the AFL’s new chief operating officer, according to Caroline Wilson’s opening item on Seven’s flagship football program.
The Herald Sun first reported on Monday that Harley had emerged as the frontrunner for the position, which is considered to be second-in-charge to league chief executive Andrew Dillon.
“The details are yet to be nutted out, the official offer has not been signed, but my firm understanding is Tom Harley will become Andrew Dillon’s chief operating officer,” Wilson said.
If successful, Harley will be the second club boss poached by AFL House this week after Brisbane Lions boss Greg Swann came aboard as football performance boss – a new role carved out from a division of Laura Kane’s responsibilities.
Co-host Craig Hutchison – who like Wilson was backing up for a second consecutive night as a fill-in for the absent Kane Cornes – said it would be a huge blow for the Swans, who were already struggling in the wake of veteran premiership coach John Longmire’s departure and will now need to replace another senior figure.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell – facing his own on-field challenges at the moment – was on the panel for the full show and gave the mooted Harley appointment his tick of approval.
He was asked by Wilson to explain his stern reaction to a reporter over questions about James Sicily’s fitness before Friday’s loss to Collingwood, as it emerged on Tuesday that the Hawthorn captain would miss the next two weeks with a hip and abdominal injury.
Mitchell said there were no concerns over Sicily’s availability leading into the Magpies clash, and the skipper had experienced a “genuine flare” of his issue.
“He has no groin issues, it’s not osteitis pubis and all the other things,” Mitchell said.
The coach played down reports of a Will Day-led meeting demanding higher standards from his teammates, but said the Hawks had plenty of areas for improvement – including whether they could generate more dash out of defence to create a different avenue to goal.
Mitchell said he was thrilled to see a smile on the face of a resurgent Oscar Allen as he again stated his regret that his meeting with the free agent in Perth had led to a media storm that affected the West Coast co-captain.
“That’s a bloke who I look at going ‘he’s actually enjoying his football’,” Mitchell said.
“Do you feel bad?” asked Wilson.
“I didn’t see it playing out the way we though it would, or we would have liked to … it was not my intention to put pressure on him.”
Mitchell said the Hawks had plenty of other players on their 2026 wishlist, but hinted they would be more secretive with coming meetings due to the episode.
AFL 360
Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon endorsed the unconfirmed appointment of Harley, which they discussed first-up on 360.
“He’s a modern thinker, he’s whip-smart, and he is absolutely the successor when that time comes,” Whateley said, casting ahead to when Andrew Dillon might depart as AFL boss.
Lyon praised Harley as a “really strong media performer” and said he would address a need given it has been a weaker spot for Dillon.
Collingwood skipper Darcy Moore and Carlton forward Harry McKay were the players on the program, and Lyon immediately tried to recruit Moore, the president of the AFLPA, to his mission to shorten games.
Moore suggested he also swam against the tide with Lyon and his AFLPA predecessor Patrick Dangerfield, but the vast majority of players opposed cuts to game time just like the fans.
“In this world of shorter attention spans, how do we captivate a younger audience? Because we’re asking for three hours on game day, really,” Moore said.
“It’s pretty strong that the players don’t want it shortened … they’re happy with it.
“There’s enough arguments there, but I don’t think it’s going to be happening any time soon.”
Moore spoke about his international relations degree, and McKay opened up about how his psychology studies had helped him frame his personal battles – but almost completely ruled out becoming a psychologist after his football career.
One of the most popular men in football, GWS veteran Callan Ward, called in via video link to thank the community for the “amazing outpouring” of support following his devastating ACL injury against Richmond on Saturday.
Ward said he was booked in for knee surgery on June 17, but would not rush to make a decision on his future after entering the year planning for this to be his last season.
“Going on (in 2025), the plan was to play one more (season) and give myself the best chance for a premiership, and that hasn’t happened,” Ward said.
“I haven’t really had much time to think about what my next move will be … I just want to have the surgery and have some time with the family, and start to think about things after that.
“The outpouring has been absolutely amazing … they’ve made me feel very special and very proud over the last few days, so thank you to everyone that’s been there for me.”
Midweek Tackle
The Herald Sun team of Lauren Wood, Jon Ralph and Glenn McFarlane had been working the phones hard before they went to air to see whether Harley’s appointment had got over the line.
“As we speak tonight, (Harley) has still not been told that he has that job,” Ralph told the panel.
The trio discussed what the confirmed new executive member, Greg Swann, would bring to the table.
“He’s the fire blanket,” McFarlane said in reference to his successful history of crisis management.
“The important point is that he’s got great network connections with the media as well – this hasn’t been a strong suit at AFL headquarters.”
McFarlane said Swann was a prolific innovator, having made the left-field decision to go after Hawthorn’s director of coaching Chris Fagan to be senior coach, introducing goal songs at the Gabba and pouring resources into the club’s AFLW program from the start to make the Lions a powerhouse.
The journos said ball-tracking, the goal review system and the use of AI would all be high on Swann’s agenda as AFL football performance boss.
It sounds like Swann will be spending plenty of time in the “Ideation Room” once he arrives at AFL House (yes, that is a real room in there).
Originally published as TV wrap: Tasmanian team in jeopardy, Tom Harley appointment nears as Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell responds to slump
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