Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane steps down after seven years

Tony Cochrane will step down from his role as chairman of the Suns after seven years in March, and the outspoken CEO had one final jab at some rivals in his announcement.

Tony Cochrane has stepped down as chairman. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Long-time Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane is stepping down from the role after seven years.

Known as one of the most outspoken voices in the AFL and a fierce defender of football on the Gold Coast, Cochrane will hand over the reins at the end of Round 1.

Cochrane’s deputy Bob East will be chairman-elect.

The colourful and controversial Cochrane has been in the role since taking over in March 2016, having joined the Suns’ board two years earlier, and he oversaw a stabilisation of the club after a troubled first few years.

He told the players and staff of his decision on Wednesday morning and penned an emotional letter to members, saying he was proud to have made a stand for his club.

“I have enjoyed communicating and bringing the Gold Coast Suns a voice; making a stand for our young Club when many only had an agenda to see us off. Some, no doubt, would argue my voice was too strong, Ok and your problem is!” Cochrane said.

Tony Cochrane (right) has been one of the most outspoken voices in the AFL. Picture: Getty Images

“But now to a large degree we have those difficult times behind us and we need to focus on the growth and opportunities that we have all worked so hard to create over the past five (or) six years. The sense of stability and optimism around the club is immense. I like to think I played a small part in building that direction, stability and foundation.”

Cochrane conceded late last year that he felt his time in the role was coming to an end, saying on SEN: “There will probably be a lot of people I suspect in the media very happy to see my arse walk out the door.”

But he made no apologies for the passion for his club and the code on the Gold Coast, which frequently put him in conflict with Victorian-based clubs.

At times he even held the AFL to account, particularly for the mistakes they made in first setting up the foundations of the Gold Coast franchise, which he said set the club back.

“From the days of living in portable huts and players who seemed at times just as portable as the buildings we lived in, we have had a challenging and at times majestic ride,” he said.

“Others get to play judgement - but for my part it’s been both fascinating and gruelling, demanding and demonstratively difficult but always a true labour of love laying a strong foundation for our Gold Coast club.”

Cochrane made his name as the promoter who brought Frank Sinatra back to Australia and who turned V8 Supercars into one of Australian sport’s biggest success stories, but his tireless work in guiding the Gold Coast Suns will also stand as one of his great legacies.

He played a key role in facilitating the club’s $20m-plus training and administration base at Carrara, he recruited chief executive Mark Evans from the AFL, and helped to secure Stuart Dew as coach after the sacking of Rodney Eade.

He also played a key behind-the-scenes role in helping Queensland to secure the historic 2020 AFL Grand Final - the first played outside of Victoria - during the first year of the Covid pandemic.

Cochrane fought hard to try and stop the exodus of players out of the Suns, and wasn’t afraid to give any departing players a spray, including Izak Rankine at the end of last year when he said: “Money talks, huh? Someone else with a big wallet comes along, it makes it pretty hard.”

Cochrane gave Izak Rankine a spray. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

He questioned the AFL’s desire to have a 19th franchise in Tasmania and has long pushed the league to switch the grand final to a prime-time night game.

“Being absolutely honest, one part of me does not want to leave. My love and passion for the SUNS, its people and its members and supporters are as strong as ever!” he said.

“We have great stability, a strong administration and an outstanding playing list and football department, whom I firmly believe are on the road to finals in 2023.”

Why Giants rookie didn’t drink water ‘for five or six days’

— Rebecca Williams

Greater Western Sydney rookie Jason Gillbee has lifted the lid on his milk obsession after his stunning intake of the dairy drink was revealed.

Gillbee sent the internet into a spin this week after it emerged during a pre-season bonding exercise that the first-year Giant had swapped his water intake with milk three years ago.

Always a lover of the cold white beverage, Gillbee revealed he made the switch to drinking dairy almost exclusively after his milk cravings got the better of him.

“Me and my younger brother, we have always drunk a lot of milk but it was probably about three years ago that I just (decided I) preferred it over water and I would get thirsty and I would just crave milk instead of water to rehydrate me,” Gillbee said.

“It’s just a really weird thing. Then at the start of Year 10 I moved in with a family in Bendigo but they only had light milk, so I had to switch to light milk for a year.

“I don’t know. I just preferred the taste, I feel like water is pretty boring so I just preferred the taste of milk instead of water.

“I used to be at school sometimes and I would think ‘Geez, I haven’t drunk any water for five or six days, I better go to the bubbler for a sip’.”

Introducing Jason Gillbee aka the ‘Milk Man’ 🥛 #BigBigSoundpic.twitter.com/HIFhFY8ToR

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) February 1, 2023

The 18-year-old continues to drink milk all day long – the only exception now being when he is on the training track over summer.

But as soon as Gillbee comes off the track – and when he is working out in the gym – the first thing he reaches for is a glass of milk.

“On the track and during training, I still drink water, but I could easily stomach milk out there,” Gillbee said.

“If it could stay cold out there I would probably drink milk, but just because it gets a bit warm, I have to drink water.

“But I will come off the track and then I will have a glass of milk or during gym I will have a glass of milk …. and I don’t drink water at home.”

Gillbee’s level of milk consumption initially shocked Giants’ nutritionist Melissa Juergens, but he has been encouraged to increase his water intake.

“She didn’t really believe it at the start,” Gillbee said.

“They are very big on the hydration thing and drinking water and carrying water bottles around. At training I sort of have to drink a little bit of water at training and carry a water bottle around, but when I’m at home I can sort of sneak around it and have my milk.

“It’s a really weird thing, but I seem to be hydrated enough just with the milk I drink.”

Gillbee shares a house with Giants’ teammates Aaron Cadman and Max Gruzewski and the midfielder estimated the household milk consumption – the bulk of which was his own – was upwards of 10L a week

Young Giant Jason Gillbee, left, has lifted the lid on his milk obsession. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But he admitted his milk guzzling was sometimes an annoyance to his housemates.

“The boys just have their cereal and I have the rest of it,” Gillbee said.

“There have been a few complaints. I wake up a little bit earlier and they wake up and have their cereal in the bowl and there will be no milk left so that’s a little bit of an annoying one.

“I sort of get to it first.”

GWS ruck coach Shane Mumford has already nicknamed Gillbee ‘Milky’ and the rookie was certain a milk-themed moniker would stick.

“‘Milky’ has been (used) a little bit, Shane Mumford has started that and then Finn Callaghan carried that on,” Gillbee said.

“I have been getting ‘Milky’ a little bit but I feel like there is going to be something that will stick around it.

“When I took it into the meeting, it sort of just blew up around the club, it was pretty funny.

“They thought it was pretty strange. But there are actually a few boys that will have a glass with me now, so hopefully we can start something.”

Originally published as Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane steps down after seven years