Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson says one of Gillon McLachlan’s biggest failures has been his inability to find a clear successor.
McLachlan announced earlier this year that he would depart AFL House at the end of the season, yet in December, finds himself still in the role for several months to come.
The league boss won’t depart until after Round 5 next year. He’s stayed on given there remain significant unsolved issues in the game, including the Hawthorn racism investigation and Tasmania’s 19th AFL license.
But McLachlan’s successor is still as unclear as it was in April earlier this year. Wilson says it’s one area where McLachlan has “let the side down”.
“Failing to promote a successor (has been his biggest failure aside from the Adam Goodes chapter),” Wilson replied when questioned on the Don’t Shoot The Messenger podcast.
“What we’re seeing now is there’s a few different people going for the job… Andrew Dillon, Travis Auld, Brendon Gale, Tom Harley may be a bit young, maybe not.
“I think it’s really disappointing. Andrew Demetriou didn’t really have to promote Gillon McLachlan, he was so brilliant as a no.2 that he promoted himself, but I think it is one area where Gillon has really let the side down.
“He hasn’t managed to do that, he had a few ideas along the way that haven’t really worked out.
“It’s endemic across the whole industry that there’s so few up and coming CEOs at club level.
“They started this young executive program at the AFL… I don’t know where it went.”
Essendon appointed its new CEO on Thursday after a lengthy process, while North Melbourne’s new boss came two days before.
Collingwood is the last club left without a CEO after Mark Anderson’s resignation, joining the AFL in a degree of uncertainty.
While Wilson lamented the lack of prospects coming through, she expects new Roos CEO Jennifer Watt – who’s never before been a club CEO – to do a fine job.
“Full disclosure, she’s a good acquaintance of mine… I always thought she would get the job,” Wilson stated
“She’s a gun and I am so glad North Melbourne – who have a woman president – now have the AFL’s second woman CEO.
“Usually if you come from outside (club land) it doesn’t really work, Tracy Gaudry was the first woman CEO at Hawthorn… it didn’t work out. Jen Wat, I believe it will and I think she’s going to do a brilliant job.”