Kylie Watson-Wheeler surges into contention to replace Gillon McLachlan as AFL CEO

As the search to replace Gillon McLachlan continues, Western Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler has surged into contention for the top job.

Western Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler has surged into contention as a key contender to replace Gillon McLachlan as the AFL Commission’s search is whittled down to a handful of candidates.

AFL legal and football boss Andrew Dillon and Watson-Wheeler are believed to be the favourites for the role even as AFL chairman Richard Goyder told presidents this week McLachlan would remain in the chair for the next few weeks.

Watson-Wheeler has impressed the AFL Commission with her commercial nous in their recent interviews with her as the senior vice president and managing director of The Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand.

Watson Wheeler is understood to have been a late acceptance to the AFL’s gala Gather Round dinner this week, potentially as late as Wednesday.

Every AFL president and chief executive was invited to that Gather Round dinner on Wednesday at the prestigious Magill Estate winery, home to wine producer Penfolds.

But Watson-Wheeler was instead advertised as the guest speaker for the $125 per head VAFA season launch at the Park Melbourne.

She was advertised at that function as the “special guest” in a night which would launch the season and see VAFA life membership recipients presented.

It is understood she decided late this week to attend, with the Western Bulldogs not playing in Adelaide until Saturday.

Kyle Watson-Wheeler has surged into contention for the top job at the AFL. Picture: Richard Dobson

Other candidates including AFL executive Travis Auld and Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale have not been told they are out of the running.

Watson-Wheeler had denied interest in the AFL’s top role last year, but industry insiders believe she and Dillon are the top two choices for the AFL commission.

She was reluctant to throw her hat into the ring but has strong support given her commercial background and football experience as a Dogs board member since 2013.

McLachlan said on Wednesday Goyder’s discussion with the AFL’s presidents was to provide clarity and clear air so there was no speculation about his future across the Gather Round weekend.

“On that I think Richard was talking to the fact that Gather Round is about the footy. I think it will play out in the coming weeks, I think everyone’s okay with that. He just is giving an update and I think it’s coming down to his last pieces (of the process). Footy is going really well. The Commission’s got a big decision to make, and they’re working through it,” he said.

McLachlan spent time with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week and remains hopeful but not certain the federal government will provide funding for the Tasmanian stadium.

That 19th licence is McLachlan’s key reason for remaining in the role and he said the Adelaide Oval development that he shepherded through was another reminder of why Tasmania needed a new stadium.

“I feel the federal government understands how we believe this as an incredible opportunity for Tasmania. It would be a facility that goes well beyond sport, it would be a community asset, it would be a precinct asset, it would be about urban renewal and it would be an asset that actually stimulated Tasmania and their sense of pride and had a benefit beyond football, beyond sport.

Andrew Dillon is also in contention for the top job. Picture: Getty Images

“So I feel we’ve had a really good hearing from the federal government and continue to prosecute our case.

“Adelaide Oval, which has a sense of pride and is an economic driver for South Australia, was opposed by pretty much everyone. It has opposition until the point it goes ahead. And then it has a lot of mothers and fathers. These assets have proved to be things that change cities and change states.”

GILLON McLACHLAN SPOKE ABOUT FOOTY’S BIG ISSUES ON WEDNESDAY

North Melbourne Tarryn Thomas, who posted a social media shot of him driving in an unsafe manner:

“I think it’s pretty clear from North Melbourne. I would echo it that Tarryn has got to make a decision about what he wants to do with his future. He either comes back into the community in the fold and delivers on AFL and club standards as well as community expectations or he won’t participate. I think North has said that. And I certainly agree with what their position is.”

Why Collingwood midfielder Jack Crisp was not suspended for a historical social media post that showed him talking about drug references:

“I think he’s apologised, I think the context of the lack of a complainant, the history of it, his contrition all played out. And he’s clearly remorseful for his actions. And I think the team felt that the apology was appropriate.”

Jack Crisp was not suspended over his Snap Chat saga. Picture: Getty Images

Sydney key defender Paddy McCartin, who will have his future decided by a panel of AFL experts:

“There is a panel of professionals who will be looking at this in the same way they did over an 18 month period as he committed to coming back into the game. I just want to be really clear about independent experts. These are medical professionals whose whole lives have been around the health, wellbeing and care for individuals.

And so I feel very confident with the people involved. They will work through the process to make that decision.

“It is jarring when you see anyone knocked out but given his history and the fact it was relatively innocuous that is the big point of conjecture.”

His belief that mediation could be a way forward to help resolve aspects of the Hawthorn First Nations investigation:

“I can’t talk about it other than there is a path for mediation through the terms of reference. It’s been raised publicly so I can say there are parties willing to go to mediation and we would support that as a way to expedite this for specific pieces.

If that is the way forward we fully support it.

“I certainly feel it’s gone a long time. And I think that’s been difficult for everyone involved - complainants and the defendants. So if mediation is a path for bringing this to a head they have certainly got our support.”

Racism that has been levelled at indigenous players across the competition on social media this weekend:

“I don’t understand it. I was driving here with my team saying the set of words I have, I am sick of saying them.

“It has no place in our game. It’s got no place in their community. Frankly it’s just a disgrace. It is abhorrent. It causes so much hurt throughout the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Frankly I think it offends 99.99% of all football followers, all Australians.

I am out of words. We are taking the action we can, we work hard to track them down but we know they disappear and I am exasperated.”

Gillon McLachlan with South Australian premiers Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Brenton Edwards

AFL DROPS HINT ON GILL END DATE AS SEARCH DRAGS ON

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is expected to stay on through to the May federal budget, as the league’s search for his replacement drags on for another month.

AFL chairman Richard Goyder spoke to club presidents on Tuesday and told them McLachlan would remain in the chair at least for the next few weeks.

McLachlan and Goyder last year agreed he would step away “after” Gather Round, but were not specific about how long after round 5 that date would be.

Goyder and the AFL Commission have now had multiple interviews with a list of replacement candidates that include AFL legal boss Andrew Dillon, fixture boss Travis Auld, commercial boss Kylie Rogers and club chief executives including Richmond’s Brendon Gale.

Goyder told the club presidents on Tuesday the league’s search for McLachlan’s replacement still had several more weeks to run.

The AFL will find out at the May budget in the second week of next month whether the Albanese federal government will help fund the new Macquarie place urban development in Tasmania.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese speaks with Gillon McLachlan, WA Premier Mark McGowan, and Richard Goyder last week. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Goyder and McLachlan were with Albanese last week in Perth and would have lobbied the Australian prime minister on that funding.

Albanese is understood to want to tie in affordable housing in that precinct along with the new Macquarie Place stadium on the edge of Hobart if he green-lights the project.

McLachan is expected to address his future and other topics including Gather Round at a press conference in Adelaide on Wednesday.

AFL commercial boss Rogers revealed to the Herald Sun for the first time on Monday that the league had already decided Gather Round would be an annual event.

But the success of the Adelaide event will decide if it gets another chance to reprise Gather Round or it shifts to another state as part of an annual road show in different parts of Australia.

Originally published as Kylie Watson-Wheeler surges into contention to replace Gillon McLachlan as AFL CEO