Carlton has named Rob Priestley to replace Luke Sayers as the club’s new president

Rob Priestley is confident the Blues are well-placed in pursuit of that elusive 17th VFL-AFL premiership – Glenn McFarlane spoke to the new Carlton president about his vision.

New Carlton president Rob Priestley is confident the Blues are well-placed in pursuit of that elusive 17th VFL-AFL flag, saying the club is building for sustained success.

Priestley was announced as the club’s 32nd president on Friday, replacing Luke Sayers, who stepped down from the role in January, despite being cleared of wrongdoing in an AFL probe after a lewd image was posted from his social media account.

In an expansive interview, the chairman of J.P. Morgan Australia and New Zealand revealed he would “flip” his main base from Sydney back to Melbourne after taking on the presidency, and acknowledged the club would recognise Sayers’ contribution to Carlton “at the right time”.

Patty Kinnersly will stay on as the Blues’ vice-president.

Carlton’s new president Rob Priestley. Picture: Carlton FC

“We don’t shy away from that,” Priestley said when asked about the Blues’ quest to win a first flag in 30 years, insisting there would be “no short cuts”.

“If you look at our strategic plan (United by Navy Blue) … our No.1 key performance (indicator) is to win premierships across the men’s and women’s programs.

“We are excited about 2025. We haven’t played a game yet. All the players and coaches can do at this time of the year is to put themselves in the best possible position to succeed.

“But we want to take the long-term view where we want to be in contention every year.

“That’s what would bring great joy to our members and the broader community.”

Having witnessed every Carlton flag since 1968, Priestley would love the modern generation of fans to experience the ultimate prize.

He said the club’s stability, strategic planning and quality personnel, including coach Michael Voss and executives Brian Cook and Graham Wright, gave it the best pathway towards success.

“I have seen every flag since 1968 … I was really young at the time and couldn’t really work out why my father was so nervous,” he said. “But the Blues hadn’t won a flag since 1947 and I always remember the joy of my father and grandfather after it.

“It is a great football club with a great history. I feel privileged and excited (to become president).

Priestley is excited to lead the Blues. Picture: Carlton FC

“We are halfway through a five-year strategic plan that Brian (Cook) and the exec team put together and the board had a lot of input into it.”

Priestley has a home base in Sydney and Melbourne, but for business reasons has spent more time in recent years in New South Wales than Victoria.

He says that will change now.

“Since I have joined the board (in 2022) I would have said I was based in Sydney but I am in Melbourne most weeks,” he said. “Now, stepping up to this role, I would look to flip that where the main base is down here (in Melbourne).

“I was brought up in Melbourne and my whole family still lives here.”

He described Sayers as a tireless contributor for the Blues, detailing he had spoken to the former president during the transition.

“Luke and I have spoken,” he said. “He has done a wonderful job for this club.

“He has given up an enormous amount of time to make sure we are on this path of being unified. As a club, we will recognise that in the right way publicly at the right time.

“The AFL came out with their statement (about Sayers’ departure) and we came out with our statement. It didn’t have an enormous impact across the club. What is important now is that we focus on moving forward and I think it is really important that we respect the privacy of him and his family and everybody else who has been touched by the matter.”

Originally published as Carlton has named Rob Priestley to replace Luke Sayers as the club’s new president