Trailblazing Tigers president Peggy O’Neal to depart role after ‘golden period’Ben Cotton
Fox Sports (via HeraldSun)
March 13th, 2022 11:39 amThe trailblazing O’Neal became the AFL’s first female president when she was elected in 2013, playing a leading role in turning Richmond back into a powerhouse as it ended a 37-year premiership drought in 2017 followed by back-to-back flags in 2019 and 2020.
The 69-year old American-born lawyer, who’s been on the Tigers’ board for 17 years, said the time was right to hand over the reigns.
“There’s been a great group of people who’ve been associated with the club and I’ve happened to be president during what’s ended up being a pretty golden period. The last five years have been wonderful,” O’Neal told the Herald Sun.
“I’m looking forward to being a fan. After this season I’ll hand over and finish up at our AGM in December and that’s when our new president will officially take office and I’ll be sitting in the outer with a beanie and a beer next year.”
She credited the Tigers’ rise to a “group effort” across the entire club.
“I sometimes am concerned when people act like I did something special,’’ O’Neal said.
“It takes a whole club, when you see it come together and you realise you’re a part of what happens, but the gold dust isn’t because of you.
“I often wonder that if we hadn’t been successful, as a woman would I and other women have been judged as ‘they couldn’t do it’?
“It’s not false modesty, but it’s all been a group effort and I was one piece of the puzzle and I was just fortunate to be there when we made a complete puzzle.”
Dr Sonja Hood (North Melbourne) became the AFL’s fourth club president this week, joining O’Neal, Kate Roffey (Melbourne) and Kylie Watson-Wheeler (Western Bulldogs).
O’Neal said Richmond’s next president would come from the current board.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/presidents-of-richmond-melbourne-western-bulldogs-and-north-melbourne-speak-out-on-equality-in-the-afl-boardroom/news-story/dcd702df42cc1254ed8c2ec36fe01661https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-2022-female-richmond-tigers-president-peggy-oneal-departs-announcement-who-will-take-over/news-story/23b4b76f21c7fe6bbcfc8ad60eeedf0f
