Pies footy boss Graham Wright taking extended leave from March 2024

The Pies will be without one of the most vital cogs in their premiership operation for much of 2024, with footy boss Graham Wright stepping away.

Veteran administrator Graham Wright is hoping to set a precedent for AFL staffers by taking a six-month sabbatical next year and he is certain Collingwood has the right people internally to cover for him as football manager.

One of the driving forces behind the remarkable turnaround that saw the Magpies win the premiership this year, Wright will take a break from March to September in 2024 as he and his wife Tracey jet off to the United States.

Club CEO Craig Kelly will work with Wright to fill the gaps before it leaves, with Wright still to answer calls from Collingwood when based in New York.

A former Hawthorn football chief, Wright joined Collingwood in late 2021 and estimated he had spent nearly 35 winters in the game after playing with the Magpies.

He filled in as interim CEO in late 2022 before Kelly’s appointment.

Wright said he didn’t feel burnt out, but the grind of running a football department was heavy, particularly given the growth in demand on player movement post-season.

Wright will miss the Pies’ home and away season.

“When you get to the back-end of the year and you are involved in list management and recruiting and those sort of things, it can be a long year,” he said.

“I am sure with Christmas I would have bounced back OK.

“I think the grind is that the phone is always on and the emails keep coming and there is always something going on in the game you need to be aware of and make sure our club is covered and we are in a strong position.

“We are hopeful of leading the way in this area, where we can give people time out from time to time.”

Kelly said Wright’s departure would let others within the club step up and Collingwood wanted “to ensure that there is opportunity for senior leaders at Collingwood to have a work-life balance and normalise this type of leave for our key people.”

Wright said the strong position of Collingwood’s football department made his call easier after contemplating it since Covid hit footy.

After finishing 17th in 2021 and bringing in Craig McRae to replace Nathan Buckley as coach, Wright said a rise to the top four in 2022 and a premiership a year later “wasn’t what I was expecting”.

“It has been hugely enjoyable and it is great to see good people get rewarded,” he said.