Brendon Gale returns home for role of a lifetime leading Tasmania Devils as chief executive
On his first day in the job, homecoming AFL hero Brendon Gale admitted he was under no illusion about the task confronting him as the inaugural chief executive of the Tasmania Devils.
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Homecoming AFL hero Brendon Gale is under no illusion about the task confronting him as the inaugural chief executive of the Tasmania Devils.
Ahead of his first official day in the job on Thursday, the former Richmond player and administrator spoke exclusively to The Mercury about the challenges of building an on-field team from scratch, establishing a financially robust organisation, and creating a club worthy of an entire state.
Top of the to-do list
Although brimming with passion, enthusiasm, and ideas as he returns to Tasmania with more than three decades’ experience in top-flight sport, 56-year-old Gale said his first order of business as Devils boss was simply to listen.
“This is an extraordinary football club, because it represents a whole state,” Gale said.
“So I want to get to every corner of Tasmania and understand how people think and feel about their sport, about their communities, and about this team.
“I want to know their aspirations and their anxieties, and build on the incredible levels of engagement begun by Devils board members Grant O’Brien and Kath McCann.
“But this is probably for my benefit as well – Tasmania has always been my home, but I’ve been away for a long time.
“So there’s a really rich learning opportunity for me in listening, immersing myself in the community, and getting the lay of the land.”
The long road home via Tigerland
Gale’s AFL career is the stuff of legend.
Drafted by Richmond from the Burnie Hawks in 1987, the ruckman and forward played 244 games with the Tigers, before pursuing a career in commercial law, and then heading up the AFL Players Association.
But it was his return to Punt Road as chief executive in 2010 that would ultimately change the destiny of two clubs – by successfully resurrecting the financial and premiership fortunes of the once-proud Tigers, the Tasmanian made himself the ultimate recruiting target when the Devils came knocking last year.
“After 15 years in the role at Richmond, and I just felt it was the right time to go,” Gale said of his unrelated decision to leave the top job at Tigerland.
“And once I arrived at that point, the Tasmanian opportunity grew pretty large, and I began to give it really serious consideration.
“I have always dreamed of this, because I believed it was Tasmania’s destiny to have a place in the top football competition in Australia.
“And in the end, the chance to lead the Devils just became irresistible.”
Stadium for the fans
If a lifetime in football has taught Gale anything, it’s that fans are the reason the game exists.
With 200,000 Devils members already on the books, the new CEO appreciates just how fortunate the club is as it begins building the commercial structure required to compete in the increasingly expensive AFL environment.
And while political debate continues over the finer points of a new stadium for the Devils, Gale said establishing a home base for fans and players was vital for the club’s sustained success.
“We want to be an extraordinary, hyper-competitive football team, and financial strength is a really important contributor to that,” he said.
“And nothing determines that strength more than stadium finances.
“It’s getting harder to attract people to live sport, with everyone having big flat screen TVs, and all these other options.
“We think live sport is a good social thing, and great for community building.
“And a quality stadium underwrites the performance of a footy club, and can change the fortunes of a city.
“Just look at Port Adelaide, Fremantle, and Geelong.”
Countdown to 2028
Despite the many unknowns on the road towards the Devils’ first season in three years, Gale remains optimistic and excited about the unique opportunity that lies before him.
The industry veteran said he was most looking forward to creating a club culture that nurtured and developed Tasmanian talent, both on and off the field.
“The Devils are only just starting out, but we have some incredible tailwinds,” he said.
“There is profound support and goodwill for the team right across Tasmania, backed by 160 years of passion and history.
“Football really matters to Tasmanians, and I think the Devils are just going to be such a transformative opportunity for the state.”
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