‘It’s not the 1920s’: Jane Gale hits back at rumours that may have damaged Brendon Gale’s AFL bid

Jane Gale, the wife of Richmond boss Brendon, has hit out at the hurtful rumours which may have played against her husband’s bid to replace Gillon McLachlan.

Jane Gale, with Ann Peacock, has hit out at the hurtful rumours which may have played against her husband’s bid to replace Gillon McLachlan.

Jane Gale might be a straight shooter, but she was none too impressed at the hurtful insinuations about her which may have played against her husband Brendon’s bid to replace Gillon McLachlan as AFL boss.

As she says “it’s not the 1920s” but it certainly seems there were some at league headquarters who frowned upon the Richmond CEO’s wife having her own voice.

“I was astonished and a bit upset, because I know it was a dig at Brendon,” Jane says.

“Targeting the females, to disparage, is a little niggle against Brendon. We heard that it had been put around.

“I think it’s because I’m outspoken and I might not have been a lovely little wife.”

Hosting a table at Friday’s Brighton Lunch #saymyname at the Pullman Hotel, shining a light on domestic abuse with guest speakers Sue and Lloyd Clarke and Rosie Batty, Jane said it was important to look at the big picture issues and emphasised the need for women to support women.

Tigers CEO Brendon Gale. Picture: Quinn Rooney.

Looking around the room she said women’s voices must be heard.

In that vein she challenges the rumour mongers to do some research before making up such a hurtful narrative.

“It’s not the 1920s it’s the 2020s and there are a lot of things people at AFL don’t know about me,” she declares.

“I support MITS (Melbourne Indigenous Transition School for students in remote and regional communities in the NT and Victoria), we have had Aboriginal boys come and live with us.

“I’m a feminist and I’m all about women having gender equity and pay parity and I feel like that is something not happening in a lot of workplaces such as ... the AFL,” she trailed off.

Now that is what Page 13 calls AFL first lady material!

The last statement is said with a smile and giggle but there is no hiding the hurt she feels for being dragged into the debate about her husband’s qualifications for football’s top job.

“There was nothing that was really a big thing,” she says. “I think maybe I’m just a bit of a political, socialist person and maybe I would say the wrong thing to the wrong person.

“I thought the AFL might be open to change... but it wasn’t.”

Ironically the AFL is set to throw the kitchen sink at Brendon to try and get him to run the new Tasmanian team which was handed the competition’s 19th licence last month.

It would be a no-brainer given he is a born and bred Tasmanian who still holds the Apple Isle close to his heart. As does his wife.

“I’m a Tasmanian Burnie girl, I’m not a Brighton lady,” Gale laughed.

Other guests inside the heavy hitting room included philanthropist Patricia Ilhan, social campaigner Les Twentyman and politicians Zoe Daniel, her chief of staff Angela Pippos, James Newbury and Tim Wilson. Pippos.

Later at the lunch hosted by Ann Peacock, there was not a dry eye in the house as murdered mum Hannah Clarke’s parents Sue and Lloyd shared their daughter’s story to shine a light on coercive control.