AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to step down from his role at the end of the season
Gillon McLachlan has revealed when he told the AFL Commission of his decision to move on from the biggest job in the game and what he still wants to achieve.
AFL
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AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan says he feels the game is “in better shape” now than when he took over after announcing his decision to step down from the top job at the end of the season.
McLachlan advised AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder of his decision on a flight to Adelaide for last weekend’s AFLW Grand Final, before publicly announcing the news on Tuesday.
McLachlan fought back tears during an emotional press conference, with his wife Laura and their four children seated in the front row.
The 49-year-old said he was looking forward to more family time after serving in the top job since 2014, part of a 22-year career at league headquarters.
“I’m leaving now because it feels right – right for the AFL, right for me, right for my family,” he said.
“The AFL’s in incredible shape on whatever metric you assess it. Footy’s back pumping with a clear plan for continued growth and I feel good about that. I feel it’s the right time if we close out the stuff we need to do this year.”
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Key projects still on the agenda include a new broadcast rights deal, new collective bargaining agreements for the men’s and women’s players, a new club funding model and putting forward a proposal to clubs on the introduction of a 19th Tasmanian team.
“The reality is there’s four or five huge things still to get done this year,” McLachlan said.
“This timeline gives Richard and the Commission the right runway to run through the recruitment process and allows us – me and the team – to close out what we need to do.”
The AFL Commission will engage an external recruiting firm to lead the search for McLachlan’s successor.
McLachlan said multiple times that he had loved working for the “best game in the world” and he was proud to have steered the game through its greatest challenge with the Covid pandemic.
“What was clear was once that started I would never have felt comfortable leaving until everything, I thought, was in order,” he said.
“Everyone will have their own views. I just feel good leaving this year, if we do what we’re going to do.
“With where the game is, it’s the right time for the game and the right time for me.”
McLachlan said he had no plans locked in beyond his tenure with the AFL and his focus for now remained on seeing out the year.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do,” he said.
“I’ve had, obviously, some thoughts. But I haven’t had a conversation with anyone.
“That’s terrifying, but exhilarating.”
GILL TO LEAVE SIGNIFICANT LEGACY IN FOOTY
McLachlan had made clear in recent months he was happy in the role and keen to get the league back on track as it exited two painful seasons of Covid-interrupted football.
But McLachlan will move on after taking over the role in April 2014, having secured a significant legacy in his time in charge.
McLachlan fast-tracked the AFLW competition which will grow to 18 teams by August as well as navigated the Covid storm while ensuring games were played in 2020 and 2021.
He also helped underpin the game’s finances as the league borrowed against their investment in Marvel Stadium to ensure no club went under despite the disastrous first season of Covid.
He told the Herald Sun earlier this year he would know when it was time to move on.
“One day I will wake up and feel it’s time and who knows when that is?’’
“Our finances are going to be fine, we’ve got no debt, and we’ll make a good profit this year, so we’ve got through the financial element. Now it’s investment decisions to make around players, clubs, game development, infrastructure, and they will be made.
“And it’s just getting the confidence back in the game. We’ve got to get people going again and we’ve got to get people playing again. We’ll have a good indication next week. We have to get out of our 5km bubbles and get back to the things that make this city, this country, our game great.’’
WHO COULD STEP IN TO REPLACE HIM?
Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale would be the early favourite from club ranks to take over from McLachlan, with AFL executive Travis Auld also a contender for the job.
Clubs would be keen to see someone from clubland to succeed McLachlan, though three members of the current AFL Commission - Goyder (Fremantle), Andrew Newbold (Hawthorn) and Gabrielle Trainor (GWS) - previously served at the clubs.
McLachlan’s impeccable resume and strong moral compass were seen to be his chief virtues.
The general manager of commercial operations (2003) and then chief commercial officer (2008) became deputy chief executive in 2012.
Playing a key role delivering the stadia for the two expansion teams, he was then elevated to chief executive in 2014 when AFL boss Andrew Demetriou stepped aside.
McLachlan will still be in charge when the AFL makes a seismic decision on whether to grant a 19th licence to Tasmania.
But he has made clear it will not be the AFL’s decision alone, with the league to widely consult with AFL clubs before coming to a consensus decision on the 19th licence.
Under McLachlan’s watch the league delivered a series of bumper TV rights deals as well as breaking new ground to play football on Good Friday and delivering a night and twilight Grand final through the pandemic.
McLachlan aggressively drove the AFLW competition when it was only a thought bubble for the AFL, pushing to speed up the timeline which started with a league in 2017.
Women’s football is now a massive driver of growth for the league as the AFLW kickstarts its 18-team competition in August.
Under McLachlan’s watch this year the league must still strike a collective bargaining agreement for both the men’s and women’s codes, with both pay deals expiring this year.
But the league hopes to have a fully professional women’s game within four or five seasons.
McLachlan had been rumoured to want an internal candidate to succeed him but he told the Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson he had no issues with Gale despite tensions between the AFL and Richmond over recent seasons.
“Zero issues,’’ McLachlan said.
On the highly-respected Gale, he said: “From my perspective he’s an excellent chief executive and he and I have a great relationship and we’re friends. I think we’re friends.’’
Could he do your job? “Yes. Clearly it has to be the best person, but I think being a club chief executive means you’re more qualified than less qualified.’’
Gordon: How the best chief I’ve seen saved the game
Former Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon on Tuesday hailed McLachlan as the greatest AFL chief executive he had witnessed in over three decades in the game.
Gordon was part of the Covid cabinet that helped the AFL survive through that rocky period, and said McLachlan’s decision-making saved the game.
“With all due respect to all the others in the 32 years I was involved, he was far and away the best. I don’t think there is anyone in football that I have admired more than Gill.
“Some of the decisions he made through that period were quite extraordinary.
“I remember a weekend where there was a relaxation of lockdown and my wife and I had gone down to Red Hill for the weekend. I got in my car and the engine came on and his name came up (on the phone). It was a Sunday lunchtime and he said we have got a bit of a heads-up that things could go bad in Victoria in the next few days and we have two or three hours to decide to relocate every (Victorian) club to Queensland.
“But we have to make a decision in the next couple of hours. It was a decision that would affect the lives of hundreds of players and hundreds of millions of dollars and the whole future of the 2020 competition was on the line.
“His capacity to compute what everything meant, how it fell into place and what decisions needed to be made was extraordinary.
“He ended up saying when you analyse all the factors it is a big decision but it is not a hard decision.
“I found he was also an incredibly compassionate and emphatic guy to talk to. He was a great support to me during difficult moments but for people who lost their jobs, coaches or AFL staff or presidents thrown out or players suffering terrible injuries, there would always be a phone call and support where it was needed.”
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