Who’s in the race to replace Eddie McGuire at Collingwood

Collingwood will cast the net wide in its search for Eddie McGuire’s successor.

Eddie McGuire will step down after 23 years as president of Collingwood Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood will cast the net wide in its search for Eddie McGuire’s successor.

Former Victorian premier John Brumby, prominent businessman John Wylie, top player agent and 1990 Magpie premiership player Craig Kelly, president of Warner Music Australasia Dan Rosen, and former Collingwood player and now property developer Paul Tuddenham - son of Magpie great Des - have all been touted as potential replacements.

Long-time vice-president Mark Korda also has support, but some say he is too connected to the McGuire era after serving the past 13 seasons as a board member.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Collingwood’s first female director, who no longer serves on the board, has also been floated as a future president.

But the timing is not right for Capp as she was recently re-elected for four years to the city’s top job.

Kelly has previously spoken publicly about his desire to one day take on the Collingwood presidency, but his business interests and the fact that his son, Will, is an emerging Magpies player complicates his ability to fill the role.

While McGuire’s decision to walk at the end of 2021 after 23 seasons at the helm took many by surprise, it gives the club time and scope to identify and approach prospective candidates.

McGuire himself was a left-field choice when he swept to power on his 34th birthday in October 1998.

Long-time Collingwood lawyer Francis Galbally, who last month called on McGuire to put a succession plan in place by Round 1 next year and publicly declare his intention to vacate the presidency, said the Magpies’ boss had made the right decision.

“I was surprised, but it was clear that momentum was building,” Galbally said.

“When I spoke to many people, they all had the same view. They didn’t want to go public, which I respected, because they had children coming through and they had other occupations - but they also wanted Eddie to make the decision himself.

“It’s obvious that friends of Eddie’s would have discussed this with him. He’s made the right decision.

“He’s the best president Collingwood’s ever had - no doubt - but there had to be a transition period, I said that, and they’ve now got the transition period and they are going to look for a good leader, and there many people out there who are good leaders.”

But Galbally said McGuire was not the only Collingwood board member who needed to go.

“Renewal of the board is important as well,” he said.

“There are people who have been on the board for many years that need to consider their own positions. The club moves on. The club is bigger than any individual and Eddie made a fabulous emotional speech last night and any person who is a Collingwood fan through and through would be very proud of him.

“He did the thing that you have to do at the right time - and although a few of us called it a bit early, it was still his calling, and that was a good thing.”

Galbally was the Magpies’ honorary solicitor from 1976-94 and is a prominent Melbourne businessman.

His brother, David Galbally, AM QC – a former Magpies director – had also called for McGuire to walk as part of a major “clean out” of the club.

“In terms of growing the club, no-one has done it better than Eddie,” he said on Tuesday.

“The foundations of Collingwood are very solid thanks to him. He’ll go out now in the way in which he should go out.”

But David Galbally has backed Korda to take charge at the Holden Centre.

“I think Mark should take the reins,” he said.

“He’s been there, he knows the history of the club, he knows the finances and we need somebody who knows where the club has come from - not someone brand spanking new.”

Their father, the legendary lawyer Frank Galbally CBE, played six games for Collingwood and served on the club committee, while uncles Jack and Bob also pulled on the famous black and white strip.

Jack was vice president between 1951-62.

McGuire, 56, is Collingwood’s second longest-serving president in terms of seasons - and the third longest serving of all club presidents.

He has been president for a total of 513 games and in Round 3 next season will overtake Harry Curtis’ long-standing VFL-AFL record of having been president for a total of 515 games.

Herald Sun