Andrew Dillon aims to improve game at grassroots with funding and participation

New AFL CEO Andrew Dillon reveals what the league is doing to make sure Victoria’s local footy is strong for generations to come. He reveals what is going to happen.

AFL CEO-in-waiting Andrew Dillon says there is plenty of work to do in community football but action is underway to resolve some of the issues.

Dillon will start in the role in October, taking over from Gillon McLachlan.

Dillon was part of VAFA’s live stream coverage on Saturday as his former club Old Xaverians took on Old Brighton.

Dillon played 290 games for the team and won six premierships from 1995-2000.

The incoming boss said Victoria made up 50 to 60 per cent of the game’s national participation base and it was vital to maintain those numbers.

“We have a great base which we will continue to move on and make sure we’ve got community clubs and programs that are accessible and open and welcoming to everyone,” Dillon said.

“What we’re looking to do there is work with the regional commissions in those areas to try to pinpoint what the issues are at a particular club.

“Same in metropolitan Melbourne, we work with each of the independent leagues we work with through AFL Victoria and try to pinpoint whether the issues we are talking about is club specific or demographic specific to understand what the issues are and work through it that way.”

Dillon said the AFL was committed to working with the leagues to improve the game.

Andrew Dillon overlooks the ground as he commentates the VAFA match between Old Xaverians and Old Brighton. Picture: Supplied.

This year alone there have been multiple clubs in country and metro football go into recess and others suffer forfeits.

For other clubs they have made moves to change leagues based on the strength of their current competition.

Dillon said the AFL is investing, through the AFL commission, 10 per cent of revenue into the grassroots of the game.

He added the AFL is working to split the country into around 90 areas to create a focus on each part, different to other parts, to solve specific issues in a particular area.

“For what works in the inner eastern suburbs of Melbourne isn’t replicable in Ballarat, Bendigo, or in the north east of Victoria.

“What we want is for all clubs to be successful and be understanding there are demographics shifts away from smaller country town into bigger regional towns.

“We want to have specific plans for each region so we can understand the demographics and issues in each area are.”

Dillon also had goals from a national level he wants to implement in his time as CEO.

He is aiming to get participation in the sport to be number one in the country.

And there’s a focus on New South Wales and Queensland for growth and making sure the women’s game continues to rise.

“A real focus for us is to grow nationally in Sydney and south east Queensland,” he said.

“They are real growth areas for us.

“One of the things we are aiming for is by 2030 to have as many girls playing footy as the men and boys.”

Dillon added Tasmania is still on track and held firm the state needed to build the new stadium at Macquarie Point for it to become a reality.