AFL news 2024: Melbourne power brokers keen on orderly transition of presidency
Melbourne could be making a change to the club’s presidency, but want to avoid the process getting ugly. Plus the latest on Kysaiah Pickett.
Melbourne power brokers are hopeful former MCC boss Steven Smith will complete an orderly transition to become the club’s next president by the end of next year at the latest after he was directly approached by the board to become a club director.
Smith is assessing his options to fill a vacant board position to be created by the retiring David Robb, which would put him in perfect position to eventually replace Kate Roffey as Melbourne president.
Factions who have been massing their forces for some time believe an orderly transition is much preferable to any attempt to bring about an extraordinary general meeting that would see Roffey thrown out.
Roffey has one more year on her term and would need to be re-elected next year anyway, which would be problematic given Demons fans believe she has not been a strong presence in an extraordinarily turbulent period for the club.
Former MCC boss Smith, a 203-game Demon and former best-and-fairest winner, has only just finished his decorated law career but is understood to have been frustrated with elements of the club for some time.
It is not the first time he has been approached to join the board, but he is seen as the perfect figure to unite the club and all of its key stakeholders.
The Herald Sun revealed on Sunday he had emerged as a candidate to join the board and be its next president.
Former Demons defender Paul Hopgood is another prominent name that has been mentioned as a potential president but he is believed to be reluctant to throw his hat into the ring.
Roffey would be reluctant to step aside for Smith and is believed to want to serve out her term as president after taking over from Glen Bartlett in mid-2021.
Roffey did bungle her radio interview as she said she had not spoken with Petracca about any of his issues as she suggested the controversy was confected by the media.
But in a club interview in July Petracca did suggest he had been well supported by the club from “Roffey” down after the episode where he broke four ribs and suffered a lacerated spleen.
He said in that interview he and partner Bella had disconnected from technology while he was in isolation as he recovered and had several vaccinations to regain his immunity.
It is another complicated chapter in the saga that saw him complaining to club figures in recent weeks that he had not been well supported despite his public statements.
On Saturday he recommitted to the club and said he would play for Melbourne next year.
Kysaiah Pickett, this week driving to Darwin for his off-season holiday, will also play for Melbourne next year.
He told coach Simon Goodwin after his exit interview he was homesick but has not asked for a trade and will not be granted one.
He is well supported in Melbourne where he lives with his partner and child, with his youngest sister also living near him.
His partner is also keen to remain in Melbourne.
He has little close family in Adelaide and his mother lives more than three hours east of Perth so the club will surround him with care in indigenous welfare boss Matt Whelan, Goodwin and assistant coach Mark Williams.
There are only three indigenous players on Melbourne’s list - Steven May and Shane McAdam are also indigenous - while Port Adelaide has seven and West Coast six.
BOARD SHAKE-UP? FORMER DEES’ GREAT EMERGES TO FILL SEAT
Former Melbourne great and ex-Melbourne Cricket Club president Steven Smith has emerged as a leading candidate to join the Demons’ board and potentially become their next president.
Smith, who is highly respected for his four-year reign as president of the MCC, has strong support within AFL circles to nominate for a board position.
Current president Kate Roffey is under significant pressure after a heavily-criticised radio interview about Christian Petracca’s future on Thursday.
A successful lawyer, Smith played 203 games and kicked 144 goals for Melbourne and won a best and fairest for the club in 1981.
The 68-year-old was previously a Melbourne director between 1990 and 1992 and rose through the ranks at the Melbourne Cricket Club as part of a decorated stint between 1998 and 2019.
One of Smith’s proudest achievements was helping the MCG secure the AFL Grand Final until 2057 as part of a landmark deal with the AFL in 2018.
Smith continues to have close links to the Demons who are under siege for their on and field struggles since the 2021 premiership.
Petracca recommitted to the Demons on Saturday, ensuring he will play at the club next year despite his concerns about the Demons’ culture and standards.
Melbourne has been stalled over the past decade trying to establish a new training base, but has zeroed in recently on a site inside Caulfield Racecourse.
Any changes to Melbourne’s board would occur before the end of the year at the annual general meeting.
Director David Robb will retire at the end of the year, opening up one vacancy on the board.
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