Time On: Brendon Gale treated with ‘disrespect’ during AFL’s hunt for new CEO

Veteran AFL journalist Mike Sheahan has lifted the lid on how Richmond boss Brendon Gale was “snubbed” during the league’s search for their next top dog.

Mike Sheahan has lifted the lid on how Brendon Gale felt “angry” during the AFL’s search for their next CEO. Picture: Michael Klein

Time On is your daily wrap-up of all the footy gossip and banter.

Legendary footy journo Mike Sheahan has lifted the lid on how Brendon Gale felt “angry” during the AFL’s search for their next top dog.

The former Herald Sun writer, who had a plethora of fans calling SEN on Tuesday morning thanking him for his contribution to the game, took aim at the league for snubbing Gale.

“They do shoot themselves in the foot when they don’t have to,” Sheahan said of the AFL on SEN Breakfast.

“I think Brendon’s angry about the way they treated him in the search for the new CEO.

“He was just snubbed, he seemed to be publicly snubbed for about nine months.

“There was no question he should have been at the top of the list.”

Sheahan, who became this masthead’s chief footy writer in 1993, said there was “no question” someone at AFL house “put a line through his name”.

“Someone, or some group at the AFL just had put a line through his name, which was wrong,” Sheahan added.

“No question it happened.

“I think that Brendon Gale was treated with disrespect in the process.

“Brendon Gale had to be a contender, a leading contender, and he wasn’t.”

Greatest Grand Final mark debate

Footy legend Alex Jesaulenko was having none of an argument about great Grand Final marks.

Trent Croad, Alex Jesaulenko and Russell Robertson.

Jesaulenko had to intervene when Russell Robertson and Trent Croad got together to film for Ladbrokes.

Former Melbourne high-flyer Robertson made a case that former Saint Brendon Goddard’s was the greatest Grand Final mark — but Jezza naturally disagreed.

In the 1970 grand final Jesaulenko soared above Graeme Jenkin to take an iconic screamer that was enhanced by Mike Williamson’s commentary: “Jesaulenko, you beauty!”.

It’s long been considered to be the greatest grand final mark ever.