AFL chasing Greg Swann to partner Laura Kane in revamped football role
Brisbane chief executive Greg Swann has been identified as the AFL’s preferred candidate to partner Laura Kane in a new football role on the under-pressure AFL executive.
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Brisbane Lions chief executive Greg Swann is the primary target to lead a revamped AFL football operations department.
The Herald Sun can reveal Swann, 63, is strongly considering leaving the Lions to fill the newly-created position of executive general manager of football performance at AFL headquarters.
The highly-respected Lions CEO took charge of the stricken Queensland club in July 2014, overseeing a remarkable rebuild that culminated in last year’s premiership.
He has previously been CEO at Collingwood and Carlton.
Swann would run the AFL’s football department in partnership with Laura Kane, whose role was split in half on Thursday under a major shake-up of Andrew Dillon’s struggling executive team.
Swann would be responsible for match reviews, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement, while Kane will oversee the operations of the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, Coates Talent League and the game’s response to health and concussion.
It was Swann who made the bold but spectacular decision to seek out former Hawthorn football operations boss Chris Fagan to coach the Lions in October 2016.
Dillon has moved quickly to shore up his executive ranks after months of turmoil and controversy.
Dillon is also in the market for a chief operating officer to bolster his front bench.
Western Bulldogs chief Ameet Bains, Swans boss Tom Harley and Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick have been linked to the 2IC role.
Clubs are also busy canvassing options to replace AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder.
Former Collingwood president Jeff Browne, Swans chairman Andrew Pridham and ex-Bulldogs premiership president Peter Gordon are all being urged to make a run.
Another faction of club bosses and current commissioners want former Geelong president Craig Drummond to replace Goyder.
One plan would see Goyder’s anointed successor serve the 2026 season as a chairman-elect, but others believe he needs to move on this year.
Originally published as AFL chasing Greg Swann to partner Laura Kane in revamped football role
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