FOOTBALL bosses at clubland are set to be sought as part of the AFL’s search for its key new role at HQ.
The League’s announcement on Thursday that it was splitting its football department structure clearly indicated to clubs that the new official will come from one of them.
Laure Kane will run the operations element of the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and Coates Talent League.
The watch is now on where the AFL heads for its new appointment. The AFL has previously tried to get long-time Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies for different roles, but this is the most senior purely football position in the game and could appeal as the Power goes through a period of change.
Jason McCartney is seen as a potential future chief executive and was sounded out by Melbourne in its search for a new boss, with the Greater Western Sydney football manager and former Western Bulldogs list boss having a long history in the game across a number of different roles since his retirement.
Geelong’s Andrew Mackie has only been the Cats’ head of football the past two seasons but is highly regarded as an administrator following his three-premiership career with the club, while Brisbane football manager Danny Daly has been a steadying senior leader in the Lions’ climb to last year’s premiership and was chased by Collingwood and West Coast for football manager roles but couldn’t be lured out of Queensland.
Richmond’s Blair Hartley has the experience and acumen to be in considerations, but with the job to be ‘front-facing’ – weekly media explanations of rules, decisions and key calls – it is unlikely to be on Hartley’s radar.
Richmond general manager of football talent Blair Hartley speaks during the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period on October 7, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos
The League also has its chief operating officer position to fill, as Dillon’s second-in-charge, with club chief executive Ameet Bains (Western Bulldogs), Simon Garlick (Fremantle) and Tom Harley (Sydney) all linked for the position.
Whether the AFL could also snap up two of them and use one as the COO and the other as the football performance manager, who will effectively be the third most powerful figure at headquarters, could be another option.
The League has had former players in the position previously, like Brad Scott, Steve Hocking and Andrew Demetriou, and Buckley would fit the Scott mould having come out of coaching but remaining a considered voice in his media commitments.
Nathan Buckley hugs Jamie Elliott ahead of the R6 match between Collingwood and Brisbane at the Gabba on April 17, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
The Brownlow medallist has made clear his potential interest in coaching Tasmania, and he is on the shortlist for Devils coaching candidates that CEO Brendon Gale is sorting through, but the AFL roles are being targeted immediately.
Matthew Pavlich is another former great who could appeal in a similar vein, with Pavlich to consider his next move with the AFL Players Association sure to call their former players’ president to assess his interest in becoming the new boss of the players union. The ex-Fremantle skipper’s media work and business interests are significant so to take him out of Perth would take a significant role.
