The 2023 AFL season launch and annual meeting on Thursday presents the perfect time for chairman Richard Goyder to announce who will replace Gill McLachlan as chief executive.
But nearly 12 months after McLachlan first flagged his proposed departure, more delays seem likely in picking his successor.
Speculation on the replacement centres on Andrew Dillon, a long-time AFL executive, who presently serves as general manager football operations and general counsel.
Other names mentioned include Richmond chief Brendon Gale and AFL finance boss Travis Auld, but it seems the anointed one will have some time to wait, with the AFL scheduling more interviews for next week.
The close to 12-month process will raise some comment externally, and both within the commission and in Thursday’s meeting with club presidents and chief executives.
Some will argue its high time a decision was made.
McLachlan has said the weekend of April 15-16 will be his final one in charge after a successor was first mooted by the end of last year, and to be fair it is best ultimately to make the right decision. But the delays threaten to unsettle the organisation and the individuals involved and raise questions over the ultimate decision-maker, former Wesfarmers boss Richard Goyder.
The AFL has cited the Hawthorn racism allegations and a Tasmanian team as reasons for the delay but these seem more like excuses.
On paper, Goyder has one of the best job portfolios in corporate Australia – as chair of the AFL, Qantas and Woodside – but the most important decision for a chair is to select a chief executive and this presents a challenge.
CEO selection is often a tough decision with short and long-term consequences for individuals and the organisation.
Goyder has opened the decision to the entire board in all three roles instead of the common ploy of naming a board subcommittee, which makes the decision more inclusive and potentially more difficult.
From the outside, the Woodside process looked messy even if the right decision was made in the end. The timing was complicated by the conclusion of the $63bn BHP Petroleum deal, which went to the board at the same time.
Still, the slow process at the AFL mirrors that at Woodside where incumbent Meg O’Neill was appointed in an acting capacity before finally being anointed in April 2021 to replace her former ExxonMobil colleague Peter Coleman.
It also comes ahead of this year’s decision on who will replace 15-year veteran Alan Joyce as head of Qantas.
The internal favourite is chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson over Loyalty boss Olivia Wirth, but as with McLachlan’s successor it could be an outsider.
Joyce was just 42 when chosen to run Qantas in 2008. But his term is double what most consider best practice as CEO which has again shone the spotlight on Goyder’s decision-making.
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