Top AFL executive’s job cut in half in major shake-up

After heavy criticism for the AFL’s handling of several recent issues, the league’s chief executive has made some major changes.

The AFL has announced a major shake-up of its executive team following months of turmoil and fan unrest.

The most significant change will see Laura Kane’s role as executive general manager of football operations split in half.

A second general manager of football performance is set to be appointed within weeks to help Kane with the key portfolio.

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The new ‘football performance’ boss will be responsible for the Match Review Officer (MRO) umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation.

Footy operations, under Kane, will be responsible for operations for the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, as well as a newly formed AFL healthcare and medical team, including the league’s mental health response and ongoing concussion management.

Despite the shift, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon is adamant Kane maintains a “major leadership role”.

“Laura will continue to play a major leadership role within the AFL.” Dillon said.

Kane was the first woman to be appointed as the AFL’s head of footy in August 2023, months after Dillon was unveiled as Gillon McLachlan’s successor as CEO.

Laura Kane’s role as GM of footy under Andrew Dillon has been split. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

The league has come under fire for its handling of multiple sagas involving Port Adelaide’s Willie Rioli and an umpiring cover-up over Collingwood Lachie Schultz’s concussion.

Earlier this month Dillon and Kane met with a handful of AFL coaches at a pub in Melbourne to address tension from clubs, including pleas to increase the soft cap for coaching staff.

The AFL is also looking for a new chief operating officer to support Dillon.

Dillon has reportedly been on the lookout for a second-in-charge with Fremantle’s Simon Garlick, Sydney’s Tom Harley and Western Bulldogs’ Ameet Bains been linked to the position.

Umpiring, rule interpretations and suspensions remain a bone of contention for many fans.

The AFL said in a statement: “Following the decision to appoint a Chief Operating Officer and the recent resignation of Executive General Manager Corporate Affairs, Government and Communications Brian Walsh, Mr Dillon has taken the opportunity to restructure his Executive team.

The search process for both the COO and EGM Corporate Affairs is underway.

The AFL has come under fire for its handling of several recent crises. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The AFL also confirmed the departure of Inclusion and Social Policy manager Tanya Hosch after almost nine years as a member of the AFL’s executive team.

Joining the AFL in 2016, Hosch was the first Indigenous person and second woman to join the League’s executive ranks.

“Tanya has been tireless in her work to ensure that inclusion has been a part of everything we have done, from encouraging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into the AFL industry, to supporting clubs at all levels of our game to navigate complex social issues and create policies to reduce vilification,” Dillon said.

“We have seen the benefit of Tanya’s work this year as she was a consistent advocate for and a driving force behind the Indigenous All-Stars game in Perth and her leadership resulted in the AFL attaining Gold Status in the Pride in Sport awards for the first time – both achieved after years of hard work and advocacy.

Inclusion and Social Policy executive Tanya Hosch is leaving the AFL. Picture: Michael Klein

“As an industry we are indebted to Tanya for making us better.”

Hosch oversaw the appointment of the first Indigenous Tribunal Member Peter Matera in 2019, and also championed the first Indigenous player statue of Nicky Winmar.

She also instigated and completed a review of anti-vilification policy within the code, which was then updated and renamed the Peek Rule and advocated for the adoption of the social inclusion clause in the current broadcast deal.

It comes as longtime AFL commissioner Richard Goyder reportedly seeks a three-year extension, with Collingwood president Jeff Browne and Swans chairman Andrew Pridham among the contenders for the league’s top job.

Originally published as Top AFL executive’s job cut in half in major shake-up