AFL 2024: St Kilda and CEO Simon Lethlean come to mutual agreement to part ways

Simon Lethlean is no longer CEO of St Kilda in a move the club described as mutual despite lingering reports of a split between the former AFL senior staffer and Saints coach Ross Lyon.

Former St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean pictured with coach Ross Lyon at the announcement of Lyon’s return as Saints coach. Picture by Michael Klein

Simon Lethlean has left his post as CEO of St Kilda, in a decision described by the club as mutual.

The former AFL footy boss replaced Matt Finnis as chief executive in late 2022, after previously being St Kilda’s general manager of football.

The split was announced on Thursday with chief operating officer Carl Dilena to step in as interim CEO.

“Simon and the board share the view that a new CEO would be best placed to take the club forward,” Saints president Andrew Bassat said.

Lethlean oversaw the surprise sacking of Brett Ratten months after he signed a contract extension and the installation of his replacement, Ross Lyon.

Former St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean. Picture: David Crosling

Lyon led the Saints to the finals in his first year in charge in 2023 but reports emerged mid year about a split between Lyon and Lethlean.

The returning coach brought in virtually a brand new regime into the football department and while both the coach and CEO denied any rift, Lethlean acknowledged the new direction at St Kilda was part of his reason for stepping away.

“The club has a new coach and a new strategy and I have agreed with the president that it is time for the club to seek a new CEO,” Lethlean said on Thursday.

Lyon said in July the pair had worked amicably to that point.

“Clearly when I’ve been transitioning into the club, there has been a new regime in football,” Lyon said then.

“Things are done differently and there are changes, teams are disbanded.

“There has been some change and with change, I wouldn’t say there is unhappiness but sometimes not everyone is comfortable with change.

Former St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean pictured with coach Ross Lyon at the announcement of Lyon’s return as Saints coach. Picture by Michael Klein

“From my end and Simon’s end, we are fine. We have common friends and people professionally we have worked with.”

The Saints boasted a record membership tally of 60,239 in 2023 and a statutory profit of just over $1.7 million.

But the club remains reliant on AFL distributions, having received just over $13 million from the league in 2023.

Lethlean was forced to resign from his role at the AFL in 2017 after what then league CEO Gillon McLachlan described as an “inappropriate” relationship with a younger staffer.

Originally published as AFL 2024: St Kilda and CEO Simon Lethlean come to mutual agreement to part ways