In the 21st century, AFL clubs have demonstrated an affection towards succession planning. These plans are viewed as a demonstration of excellent sporting governance, stability and unity when long term positions shift from a trusted lieutenant to a younger and less-experienced professional.
The Sydney Swans were the pioneers of effective AFL succession planning. In 2009, they announced that then head coach Paul Roos would step down at the end of the 2010 season and be replaced by Roos’ long-term coaching assistant, John Longmire. Four grand finals and one premiership into Longmire’s 13-year tenure, the Swan’s succession plan has proved fruitful.
Having watched from afar the stability that the Swans enjoy; the Melbourne Demons decided that they too should implement a coaching succession plan. In 2014, the Demons appointed Simon Goodwin as an assistant coach, to allow him to learn off Paul Roos, who was the Demons’ head coach from 2014-2016. At the end of the 2016 season, Roos handed over the Demon’s head coaching position to Goodwin. A Demon premiership under Goodwin in 2020, their first in 57 years, further solidified the benefits of transition planning for AFL clubs.
(Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
However, some of the AFL’s strongest clubs have also shown that coaching handovers can be fraught with complications. This was exemplified by the fractured transitions that occurred at Collingwood between Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley in 2011 and at Hawthorn between Alistair Clarkson and Sam Mitchell in 2021.
The idea of a succession plan makes perfect sense. It allows a successful candidate to be expertly moulded into a senior coaching or management role. The incoming individual can gain all the experience of a senior position without the pressure and scrutiny that typically comes with it. Planning gives all stakeholders involved (players, sponsors and staff) certainty and surety around the direction that an organisation is taking.
So, why has a succession plan not been initiated for the CEO position of the AFL? The current CEO, Gillon McLachlan was the beneficiary of such an arrangement. In April 2014, then AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou announced that his Chief Operating Officer McLachlan would become the new AFL boss. In June 2014, McLachlan took on the job.
In April 2022, McLachlan announced that that season would be his last. However, here we sit in February 2023 with McLachlan still positioned as AFL CEO. Is there a lack of legitimate candidates for the position? This seems unlikely, as it is one of the most sought-after sports administrative gigs in the country.
Is there unfinished business that McLachlan must complete prior to stepping down? This also seems unlikely, as his big-ticket CEO items appear to have been completed. These items included the new media rights deal in 2022 and the effective navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the 2020-2022 seasons.
So, when does McLachlan now intend to stand down? Per an AFL media release in November 2022, McLachlan is set to step aside between April 13-16 of 2023. The reason stated for this extension was to ensure the completion of the Hawthorn racism investigation and the finalisation of the new Tasmania team licence.
An interesting two months await, until McLachlan’s supposed conclusion as head of the AFL. Will he be wrapping up in April 2023? And if so, who will be replacing him?
steve
Guest
Cant wait for him to go. What an absolute disaster he has been. Hopefully unlike last time we can actually get the best person for the job. How could anyone think that the bloke groomed by the very somewhat unclever Demetriou would ever be any good as the AFL CEO. He makes out that the AFL is a responsible organization but then flogs the guts out of gambling's role in the AFL. Its funny how righteous people can have a different attitude when there is money involved. His next job should be a bible bashing preacher as there is plenty of money in that too!!
Clear as mud
Guest
nice one! Go Tiges!
Footy Rebel
Roar Rookie
If we get another AFL CEO like Gill, I'll puke. We need to move in a different direction. Instead of blindly following the NFL model, we need to start looking at the EPL model, and open up the AFL to a divisional system where all regions can participate.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
The problem the AFL has is that it's a boys club so they need to find someone suitably experienced from their closed group and they don't have anyone. There's loads of people in private enterprise who could do a much better job than Gil but they won't get a look in.
Mark
Guest
Seems like you've just listed all the pre-requisites for the job. Well done on your CV writing.
Milo
Roar Rookie
For the benefit of Dicky Goyder and his cohorts, lets just rule out one CEO candidate straight away. Brendon (Benny) Gale is hopeless. He has no clue what he’s doing or saying or thinking (if he actually does the latter). He’s irresponsible, of low intellect and probably barely passed primary school. He has no negotiation skills, his networking and relationship abilities and EQ are deplorable, he is all at sea setting and achieving (seemingly impossible) goals and clearly is all round a very dodgy character. He should remain for at least another 10 years at the RFC who clearly deserve him.
Willie
Roar Rookie
What is the Board doing about this? Its not a good look. The risk is that whoever is finally appointed may be burdened with a question mark. why did it take so long to appoint this person? Did they find what they were looking for, or did they settle.... If the appointment is self evidently a great logical fit, they probably don't need to worry about that. But if they are not?
Elmer Higgins
Guest
There are a million people out there in Australia that could do this job. To be honest, now with Chat GPT, I think the league should just use A.I. to do the job. Do we really need the turkey in a suit out front? I'd just hire a hot woman, like that Sharnelle Vella off the Ch.7 news to front the media pack for the sound bites. What did Gill actually do anyway? A crafty politician and read the Brownlow. If you need a human, I'd just get Brian Cook. He would be fine in the role.
Brian
Guest
There's an AFL media release planned for late on the 24th December
Laughable Gil
Guest
How’s the Hawthorn investigation going?