New AFL boss Andrew Dillon has pledged to put football first in everything the league does, starting with the appointment of veteran administrator Geoff Walsh to a new-look football department.
Walsh has accepted a consultancy position, and the league is also poised to appoint a former senior coach, most likely to the role of general manager of football performance, to liaise directly with AFL coaches.
The AFL’s new chief executive, Andrew Dillon.Credit: Luis Ascui
These moves follow the appointment of respected young administrator Laura Kane as the AFL’s executive general Manager of football.
Kane has set about working with Dillon in establishing a structure within the AFL that reflects that of clubs. Thus, she appointed former Collingwood, Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs player and Melbourne and Essendon football manager, Josh Mahoney as GM of football operations.
Dillon had already overseen the appointment a year ago of the AFL’s own list boss in former Collingwood list manager Ned Guy. That role was to lead the AFL in managing the increasingly complex process of player movement and salary cap management. The league already has its own game analysis department.
Two sources inside the AFL, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said the shift in culture and attitude towards the game itself since Dillon’s appointment, and then his promotion of Kane into her role, had been profound.
AFL Commission chair Richard Goyder, new CEO Andrew Dillon, and former chief executive Gillon McLachlan.Credit: AFL Photos
“Footy is in great shape but we want it to stay that way and we think with key appointments, the restructure of the football department under Laura and making sure the game is kept front and centre to all of what we do is central to that,” Dillon said.
“It’s important to keep good people with strong knowledge of the game and of the people in the game, involved where we can and to utilise their skills, that’s why I am so pleased with Laura’s appointment of Geoff in a part-time consultancy.”
The focus on the game is an acknowledgement that while the league believes the game to be in good shape the league has battled at length without senior leadership positions in football.
The AFL endured an entire men’s season without a full time permanent head of football after Brad Scott departed to coach Essendon.
The league waited for the new CEO to be announced to give them scope to have their choice of appointment and the chance to re-structure the executive team. But the procrastination over appointing Dillon meant a new head of football was also postponed.
The AFL Commission had also had no one with elite football experience on the Richard Goyder-led board for three full seasons despite the embattled commissioner committing to naming a replacement.
The AFL in September finally announced former player and respected long-term administrator Andrew Ireland would join former Fremantle and GWS player Matt De Boer in being added to the commission.
Walsh and Kane worked together at North Melbourne and have deep mutual respect.
Dillon, who had also has a strong relationship with Walsh over more than 20 years, approached the former Magpies football head soon after he left St Kilda for family reasons at the start of this year, about a possible role with the AFL.
“Geoff is one the most respected football administrators in the game and his extensive experience across a number of clubs will bring further insight from clubland into the AFL,” Kane said.
“Our AFL Football Operations department is continuing to take shape. Josh Mahoney has hit the ground running over the AFL finals series and the AFLW home and away season and we are on the eve of what is shaping up to be a highly competitive and entertaining AFLW finals series.
“Over the coming weeks we will make further announcements to finalise the resources across the football performance area.”
Geoff Walsh (right) with Josh Battle and Ross Lyon at St Kilda last year.Credit: Getty Images
Walsh’s part-time consultancy with the AFL will be spread across the AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW competitions and the Coates Talent League.
He will be heavily involved in the review into competitive balance, which was a key commitment as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.
He will also work with Guy in list management and the game development department on how to build the list for the new Tasmanian club.
Walsh will undertake a review of the state leagues and the evolution of the competitions along with the AFL’s talent pathways and draft concession process.
The veteran administrator has worked at Carlton, North Melbourne, Collingwood and St Kilda and so has an intuitive understanding of the needs of clubs but also extensive contacts across the league.
He was recently involved in the North Melbourne and Carlton football reviews.
“I am looking forward to joining the AFL and working with Laura and the team to ensure that we can set up the broader football portfolio for continued success.” Walsh said.
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