Former Richmond player Joel Bowden eyes chance to lead AFL Players Association Samantha Lane
The Age
March 5, 2014 Former Richmond player Joel Bowden has confirmed his interest in returning to the AFL Players Association after chief executive Matt Finnis accepted the CEO role at St Kilda.
While Ian Prendergast, the former Carlton footballer and lawyer who is the AFLPA's general manager of player relations, will be the favourite to replace Finnis, Bowden has confirmed his interest in the role.
Bowden, president of the AFLPA until his retirement as a decorated 265-game footballer, has broadened his experience beyond the game in retirement but has never drifted far from it.
Through taking up a role at Linfox in business and government programs, 35-year-old Bowden built important relationships with trucking magnate Lindsay Fox and AFL commissioner Bill Kelty. One of Bowden's first assignments at Linfox involved working closely with the influential pair.
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Bowden joined the AFL in 2012, assuming the position of game analysis manager, which now sees him working in Mark Evans' football operations department. His brief was recently broadened after he accepted a role on the AFL match review panel. Bowden is also completing his MBA at Melbourne University.
Prendergast's CV is also impressive and his position at the AFLPA will hold him in good stead. He could not be reached on Tuesday. After serving as an AFL delegate from 2004-06 while he played for Carlton, Prendergast became CEO of the SANFL Players Association before taking up his current position at the AFLPA in 2010.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/former-richmond-player-joel-bowden-eyes-chance-to-lead-afl-players-association-20140304-345cz.html
