AFL 2023: Richmond CEO Brendon Gale could accept new role at league HQ

Richmond CEO Brendon Gale was overlooked to replace Gillon McLachlan – but a new, beefed-up role has him in line to join the league in a AFL HQ shake-up.

Brendon Gale would be footy’s second-most powerful man if he accepted a role that would effectively make him the AFL’s chief operating officer.

Chief financial officer Travis Auld’s official announcement as the Grand Prix’s new chief executive clears the path for the Richmond chief executive to be handed a new super portfolio running many of footy’s most important departments.

But with Auld and Gillon McLachlan leaving the league this year, Gale’s responsibilities could be separate to the football portfolio, which would be taken in by an executive general manager of football.

Gale, who is well aware of the league’s interest, could take in an operating portfolio including the implementation of Tasmania, stadiums, infrastructure, total player payments and salary cap.

It would mean his day-to-day portfolio did not include football, umpires and the tribunal.

Brendon Gale might become footy’s second-most powerful man. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

AFL clubs continue to urge the league to find more staffers with football experience, so the league could then hand the executive general manager role to another senior club staffer.

The league is increasingly confident Gale is considering the beefed-up role, despite his significant reservations about the AFL overlooking him in a bruising, and prolonged search, for Gillon McLachlan’s replacement.

The league could also farm off Auld’s broadcast responsibilities to another AFL executive member, given a deal has been struck with Seven and Fox Footy through to 2035.

Auld will leave AFL headquarters on August 4 and take up his new Grand Prix role on August 14.

This masthead reported on the day McLachlan announced his departure Gale was the preferred candidate for a new AFL role, followed by Sydney’s Tom Harley and Fremantle’s Simon Garlick.

The league is increasingly confident Gale is considering the beefed-up role. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

The league could appoint Gale, as well as an executive general manager of football and still have space for a football boss to fill the role vacated last year by Brad Scott.

Clubs are incredulous that the league has not given more support to its football department, with competition management GM Laura Kane now the acting executive general manager of football.

If Kane was overlooked for that role, she could still take up the football operations role which Scott was in before leaving to coach Essendon.

The league paid tribute to Auld on Wednesday as he continues to work on the new AFL collective bargaining agreement before his departure.

The league said on Wednesday, Dillon continues to work on his “future structure, with a process of appointing an EGM Football in its final stages and to be announced shortly thereafter”.