By Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Sam McClure
Improving relationships with clubs will be the first priority of new football boss Greg Swann, who was headhunted by AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon to fill the new key football role created in his overhauled executive team.
Under pressure from clubs for being out of touch, Dillon made the politically savvy move to swiftly poach respected veteran Brisbane Lions chief executive Swann to fill the newly created position of head of football performance within days of announcing his restructure of the league’s football positions and executive team.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon (left) and Greg Swann, pictured last month attending Robert Walls’ memorial service.Credit: Justin McManus
The role was created last week when Dillon split football manager Laura Kane’s position in half. Swann will take the new position of football performance alongside Kane as head of football operations on Dillon’s executive team.
Seeking to minimise disruption in a premiership year, Brisbane have already elevated Swann’s deputy Sam Graham into the role of CEO, fast-tracking an existing succession plan at the club.
Dillon announced last week the new executive head of football performance would be responsible for the match review officer, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement within football.
“I’m excited by the challenge,” Swann said. “The priority for me is to get in there and find out how it all functions.”
Swann nominated consulting with the clubs as a priority in the new role, when asked about his first objectives.
“I am really interested in the clubs’ views and will take them into account when we make some decisions,” he said.
Swann has a record of making decisions relatively quickly after consulting with the relevant parties, rather than long deliberations, a method that is likely at the AFL.
The AFL view of his appointment is that it will improve club relations and the confidence that clubs have in the head office after a difficult half-season replete with challenges and controversy over various issues, including the sanctioning of players for off-field indiscretions and match review cases and the handling of umpiring.
While the news was broadly welcomed at club level, some clubs – St Kilda being the most vocal – have been agitating for changes to the talent academies in the northern states. Those arguing for change might find that Swann, given his experience as Lions chief executive, is unpersuaded by their academy concerns.
Swann has extensive media relationships and is expected to be encouraged to be a more public and open communicator for the league on football matters.
Swann will start at the AFL next month.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“Greg has a deep love and understanding of the game, he respects its heritage and has a great instinct on the future direction of footy. He understands how much it means for so many people,” Dillon said.
“As I said last week, the game is the reason we exist; it is as big and as good as it has ever been, and the AFL football department must continue to evolve.
“I have great confidence in Laura and Greg to lead our newly announced football department and continue to work with our clubs, players, coaches, umpires, venues and officials to keep our game strong, and to ensure footy remains the number one sport in the country — by every measure.”
Swann, 63, was chief executive of Carlton and Collingwood, before taking the top job at the Lions in 2014.
He took over at a time when the Lions were struggling financially and performing poorly on the field, and he was responsible for the appointment of Chris Fagan as coach at the end of 2016.
Swann leaves the Lions in robust health being debt free, operating out of a new $80 million high-performance centre, having just won a men’s premiership and likely to have $10 million in cash reserves at the end of the year.
Lightheartedly describing the AFL as the “mothership” when announcing his move to Lions players and staff on Monday, Swann noted Brisbane’s enviable record of playing in the past five grand finals for which they have competed – three AFLW grand finals (premiership in 2023) and the past two AFL deciders (premiership in 2024.
Swann will finish at the Lions on Friday, July 18 and start at AFL House on Monday, July 21.
The AFL is still searching for a new chief operating officer, who would be second in charge and a possible successor to Dillon. Three club CEOs – Tom Harley from Sydney, Simon Garlick from Fremantle and Ameet Bains from the Western Bulldogs – are on the shortlist.
A source close to Garlick, who do not want to be named, said he was doubtful of pursuing the position.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.