Why has the AFL had so much trouble finding a replacement for AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan?
McLachlan announced he would be stepping down from the role early in the 2022 season, but will now be continuing in the role through to Round 5 of 2023.
No successor has been named and AFL greats Garry Lyon and Tim Watson are both confused by the delays.
Lyon: “What is the hold up? Why has the next CEO not been appointed?” he asked on SEN Breakfast.
Watson: “Well the easy answer to that is because they haven’t been able to identify anybody to fill the role. Which clearly in my mind strikes out Andrew Dillon and Travis Auld because if they were the right person, what is stopping the AFL from appointing them as Gil’s successor right now?”
Lyon: “Yeah that’s my point. So if in February there’s a big announcement and Andrew Dillon is announced as the next AFL CEO, then I’ll be saying why did you wait so long? Surely they’ve done their homework.”
Watson: “It’s a well paying job.”
Lyon: “Yeah. Find a person, appoint them, and then they and Gil can in conjunction guide us through this busy time. I’m not trying to be smart, I just want to know where the hold up is. I know it’s a big decision, but why are we sitting on it.”
Lyon: “When did Gil announce he was stepping down?”
Watson: “All the way back in June or July.”
Lyon: “We’re in December. Surely that’s long enough. Appoint your CEO.”
Watson: “Of course it is. Is the job that difficult that there is nobody out there that is qualified?”
Watson: “The whole Brendon Gale situation is really fascinating too because I keep hearing that there has been a strong push from club CEOs for him to be the successor, but apparently it isn’t the direction the AFL Commission wants to go in.”
Lyon: “Why?”
Watson: “I haven’t been able to get to the bottom of that. Maybe they don’t feel that he’s had the all-round commercial experience to deal with the broadcast rights and those huge issues the AFL is confronted with. In answer to that you’d say the deal has been put away for such a long time now that you don’t need to worry about that and the person in that role could learn what they need to learn in that next period of time.”
Watch the full discussion below