AFL appoints Steve Hocking as its new football operations manager, replacing Simon Lethlean

A REVIEW of the match review panel and a decision on the future of the bounce will be the first items on the agenda for new AFL football operations manager Steve Hocking.

Steve Hocking will leave Geelong for the AFL. Picture: Peter Ristevski

THE AFL’S new football operations manager Steve Hocking will stay on at Geelong until the end of the finals series, but won’t take part in any discussions on the Cats’ chase of Gary Ablett.

Hocking will start at AFL headquarters in mid-October with many items on the agenda, including a complete review of the match review panel and a decision on whether the bounce stays or goes.

The highly-regarded Cats director of football, whose appointment was announced on Thursday, said he felt it would be a “conflict” if he was involved in any trade talks while he remained at the club.

“I think that would be a conflict, to be quite honest,” Hocking said. “I have been involved in that (trade discussions) to this point in time, and really, there are some great people at Geelong. (With) me stepping out, they will be fine.

“He (Ablett) is a wonderful player, the romantic element of that is exceptional.

“Geelong will make the decision that is best for them and where Gary fits into that will be decided over time.”

Steve Hocking has been appointed the AFL’s new football operations manager. Picture: Getty Images

AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan said 52-year-old Hocking was “the standout” candidate to replace Simon Lethean, who resigned his position in controversial circumstances in July.

McLachlan said Hocking would have “a mandate to review everything ... clearly in the end some things will be decision for the commission, but he has got a mandate to run football in this country and that picks up umpiring, coaching, match review panel, the laws of game, and others.”

He said new head of AFLW would be appointed next week.

Hocking admitted the MRP had formed part of his interview process with the AFL.

Geelong has been involved in high-profile match review issues this year, including the one-week ban incurred by Patrick Dangerfield, which the club would likely have challenged but for fears he would miss another week.

“I’ve got my own views on that, (but) I am not going to enlighten anyone in the room at this point,” Hocking said.

McLachlan said the Cats football director would be “a great custodian who will lead the game into a new era”, stressing he was “a football person ... (who) has high conviction in life and football.”

He expected Hocking, who played 199 games with the Cats and held football and administrative roles during the club’s most successful era, would lead the AFL into a bold new era.

Hocking, who first played as a kid growing up in Cobram, said he wouldn’t forget the fans in his role — “there are 10 million supporters plus ... I’m really excited about how I can actually contribute to their investment in the game.