Emails reveal rapport between Gillon McLachlan and Craig Kelly

LEAKED AFL emails shed light on league boss Gillon McLachlan’s close relationship with powerful player agent Craig Kelly.

LEAKED AFL emails shed light on league boss Gillon McLachlan’s close relationship with powerful player agent Craig Kelly.

The Herald Sun has obtained emails sent to multiple AFL executives by Kelly’s personal assistant Bridget McNamara seeking cash contributions for McLachlan’s 40th birthday present.

The money went towards dozens of expensive London plane trees that line the drive to McLachlan’s rural retreat at Birregurra, 40km northwest of Lorne.

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League executives Darren Birch, Andrew Dillon, Simon Lethlean, Richard Simkiss and Sam Graham were among those Kelly hit up for the $255 trees.

Kelly also asked a who’s who of the Melbourne football establishment to chip in before a cowboys-and-Indians theme party at the McLachlan farm in late 2013.

The emergence of the emails comes amid conflict of interest accusations from rival AFL player agents over plans by Kelly’s management agency, TLA, to revolutionise the elite under-18 TAC Cup competition.

Powerful player agent Craig Kelly. Picture: Blair Hamish

Agents have complained about the “special relationship” Kelly enjoys with the AFL and asked have the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate.

A second complaint signed by multiple agents was sent to the ACCC on Friday.

In an email McLachlan sent to the birthday gift group on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, the then deputy league boss said: “Everyone, thank you so much, outstanding and unnecessary present.

“Have been furiously treeing (address deleted) and these will be a huge addition.

“They look great.

“Thanks for organising Ned (Kelly’s nickname) and moo (Kelly’s wife, Meredith).”

Then-AFL boss Andrew Demetriou enjoys a day at the Warrnambool races with Gillon McLachlan.

Gavin Brown and Craig Kelly in their playing days in 1996.

In another email with the subject line “Gill’s 40th birthday present” sent the previous month, McNamara wrote: “Ned, Hame (Hamish McLachlan), Pauli (TLA executive Paul Roberts) etc. are going to buy a number of London Plane trees at $255 each for Gill and Laura’s farm.

“Please come back to me if you’d like to be included in this gift.”

Kelly’s company has numerous merchandise, licensing and events contracts with the AFL, including the Grand Final day VIP September Club, the Grand Final eve lunch at Crown Casino, the Brownlow Medal after-party and the Grand Final week live site at Yarra Park.

Gary Ablett’s manager, Liam Pickering, last month lashed Kelly’s TAC Cup plan as a “diabolical conflict of interest” amid fears it would influence the game’s best young talent to sign with TLA.

Veteran agent Peter Jess said the move “smacked of nepotism” and has called on AFL commission chairman Richard Goyder to investigate.

Another senior industry figure said of Kelly’s role in arranging McLachlan’s 40th birthday present: “Those plane trees are a testament to the boys club that rule our game.”

An ACCC spokesman said it could not discuss a complaint lodged by agents last week about Kelly’s dealings with the AFL.

League spin doctor Elizabeth Lukin did not respond to questions about the AFL’s tendering processes.

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