‘It was a tough year’: Tigers CEO reveals he considered resigning after gutsy premiership winDavid Zita
Fox Sports
May 14th, 2022 Richmond CEO Brendon Gale considered resigning after the club’s 2020 premiership before ultimately pressing on, he has revealed.
Gale’s comments come as part of a Tasmanian Government campaign ahead of a crucial vote in August on whether to give Tasmania the 19th AFL licence.
Speaking on new podcast series ‘The Believers: Tasmania’s AFL Journey’ - released in co-ordination with the ‘Believe Tasmanian’ website - Gale revealed his stint in charge of the Tigers (which began in 2009) potentially could’ve ended after the side’s third premiership in four years.
“I’ll be honest, Al (host Alister Nicholson), I really – when we won in 2020 it was a really, really tough year. It was a tough year and it took a lot out of our community and our code and it took a lot out of our footy club,” Gale said.
“It was a huge effort to get over the line. And for one moment I thought – you know I’ve got a mate who I speak with – I did think maybe this is the time to tip the bails and to go. Go out on top you know.
“But Covid hadn’t finished and the impact of Covid was still being realised and so, but then I just thought I really like it. I love what I do. I love, I guess, the cultural and almost institutional strength of a football club.”
Gale’s name has been at the forefront of discussions in the AFL world about who will replace Gillon McLachlan as CEO of the league, with McLachlan announcing this year will be his last in the role.
The 53-year-old said his future looked to be within football, with his role at the Tigers still driving him.
“Footy’s the most important thing we do. Don’t get me wrong. We’ve got a very, very focused approach to football, but we’re much bigger than football,” he said.
“And I think at a time when there’s so much pulling us apart as a community – locally, nationally, globally – sport, and particularly football in this country, brings people together. And that’s a great privilege to be involved with. It comes with great responsibility as well.
“So I really like, you know, how the ability of clubs to make communities bigger, and better and stronger. It nourishes me, but at the same time, I love footy and I know it’s an outcome, but I love winning premierships because there’s nothing better in football, there’s nothing more fulfilling.
“It’s very seductive, it’s very intoxicating.”
Prior to the Tigers’ breakthrough 2017 campaign, the side spent many years near the bottom of the ladder with limited on-field success.
Amid the turmoil, Gale said he used to “visualise winning” in a bid to keep the faith.
“I’d be driving down the road – I remember 2011 driving (along) Swan Street and being stuck in traffic. (And) I’d just drift off. I remember being in a tram and I’d just drift off and I’d visualise being at a Grand Final in front of the Olympic room as the CEO of the club – we’ve won a Grand Final,” he said.
“And I used to visualise – and I could visualise that strongly, so I was crying. It was that strong. And I was always with my wife, and my kids and whoever was around. I’m being serious. I guess that vision was so, so powerful that it – once I was on the tram and I had sunglasses on I was just drifting off and realised that I had tears coming out of my eyes.
“And I pulled myself together and – but when that moment happened in ’17, my wife was up at Q level getting the kids. Getting the kids.
“And I think I – Jude Donnelly was the AFL – she was there and I was with Peggy (O’Neal) and – no I just, it was just relief. I don’t think it was about anyone. It was about relief.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-news-2022-richmond-tigers-brendon-gale-resignation-thought-about-quitting-next-afl-ceo-tasmanian-footy/news-story/e02138fa65d4b8f20e035ea4c9576b20
