Brendon Gale targeted for AFL's Chief Operating Officer role [merged]

[Gigantor]

Thanks for the Update WP
No mention of our Benny in the communique or the alleged super Tasmania role hinted at for him

[WilliamPowell]

Thanks for the Update WP
No mention of our Benny in the communique or the alleged super Tasmania role hinted at for him

Nope, all about Dill and Gil

[Buddysucks]

Retirement tour / junket for Gil!

[one-eyed]

Andrew Dillon won out in a "very competitive process" to be named the new boss of the AFL on Monday.

AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder said the Commission had met on the weekend of round six to make a recommendation on the successor for Gillon McLachlan, who will stay on in a transition period through to October.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/913155/-truly-humbled-andrew-dillon-appointed-new-afl-ceo
https://www.afl.com.au/news/917594/in-his-own-words-dillon-on-hawks-tassie-gill-his-biggest-challenge

"very competitive process" .... yeah right!

[one-eyed]

According to Tom Browne on 7news tonight:

* Andrew Dillon's is keen on Benny Gale being the AFL's new football boss.

* It will be a bigger portfolio than what Brad Scott had. Closer to what Ian Collins was back in a day. In control of all matters football, Tasmania, etc. 

* Benny Gale has to decide whether he wants to leave Richmond and go for this job.

Go to 1:00 min mark: https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1652958157885554688

[one-eyed]

Benny Gale on twitter:

We at @Richmond_FC, congratulate Andrew Dillon on his appointment and wish him well. Andrew is a fine person who has been a longstanding servant of our game. He brings experience and capability to the role, and he’ll enjoy widespread support throughout the @AFL community.

https://twitter.com/brendongale25/status/1652843252897452033

[rogerd3]

Is the search on..

[one-eyed]

What’s next for the overlooked candidates?

Chris Cavanagh
HeraldSun
2 May 2023

BRENDON GALE

Viewed by many as very unlucky to miss out on the AFL’s biggest job. A practised lawyer, he has served as Richmond chief executive since August 2009. Originally from Tasmania, there is a push for Gale to lead the league’s planned 19th team on the Apple Isle. He is also likely to be pursued to be Dillon’s right-hand man as football boss at AFL House.

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/andrew-dillon-to-pursue-richmond-ceo-brendon-gale-for-key-football-role-at-the-afl/news-story/6bc298577f0ecb85b2962933c9149f2f

[Francois Jackson]

i think Benny is going to leave. Hope he stays but cant see it happening with the cash these corrupt pricks at him.

[Gigantor]

At one point this morning I thought he was going to be announced as the new head of Qantas. That’s the level worthy of Benny not the assistant to the AFL CEO.

[camboon]

When does that Goyder leave the AFL, hoping soon, the more I see and hear of him the more I understand why the AFL has run off the rails, the rot start at the head

[one-eyed]

From Barrett's 'Sliding Doors' column:



IF ...
Brendon Gale has been CEO of the Tigers since 2009 and deserves nearly as much credit as Dusty and Dimma for the three flags in that time ...

THEN ...
I can't see him staying beyond this season. I reckon the AFL will present to him a job profile and package he won't be able refuse to run its football division. And he'd be perfect for it.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/917807/if-jhf-lines-up-on-the-package-then

[one-eyed]

Gale opens up on AFL role speculation

Chris Cavanagh
HeraldSun
6 May 2023

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale says he is unlikely to have another crack at the AFL’s top job and is yet to be approached by league headquarters about filling the vacant head of football role.

Gale ran second to Gillon McLachlan in the league’s search for a chief executive in 2014 and threw his hat in the ring again last year when McLachlan announced his departure.

McLachlan’s right-hand man, Andrew Dillon, ultimately won the latest process and was appointed CEO-elect this week before he officially takes the reigns from McLachlan in October.

Asked on Saturday if he would have another crack at running the AFL, Gale, 54, said that was a longshot.

“Right now, probably not,” he said.

“I should quote the politicians – never say never. But I think my age is against me. Andrew will have a good run at it. He’s got every right to. He’ll do a wonderful job and I’m sure he’ll be well supported. There will be widespread support from the AFL community.

“At the end of the day, this (at club land) is where the magic is. This is where you create history and build your dreams and aspirations and sometimes challenges and struggle. You know you’re alive out here so maybe that’s where it’s at.”

Dillon is leading the search for a new head of football at the AFL and has indicated that Gale would be a good candidate for that role.

The AFL’s new head of football will play a key role in setting up the league’s new Tasmanian team, which is set to enter the competition in 2028.

However, Gale said talk linking him to that position was “pure speculation” for now.

“I don’t know where those reports are coming from,” Gale said on 3AW radio.

“I’m fairly passionate about Tasmanian footy. I think it’s an incredible opportunity and the AFL will learn from the last two experiences with the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney. There will be some great lessons. But my focus right now is getting our season back on track.”

Gale dismissed suggestions that he was frustrated by time it took for the AFL to appoint a new chief executive, saying he went into the process with “eyes wide open and with the support of the board”.

He also defended his wife Jane, amid speculation in the industry that some at the AFL had a set against her.

“When you put your hand up for these sort of roles, you’re subject to scrutiny,” Gale said.

“My wife’s been an incredible support to me as a wife, as a partner, my family. She’s a very intelligent person, she’s a very engaging person and she’s been an asset to our football club.”

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/afl-round-8-latest-news-and-analysis-from-richmond-v-west-coast/news-story/781c70a016c39950c9504438ae028f98

[one-eyed]

TIGERS SHUT DOWN GALE SPECULATION DESPITE LINKS TO AFL HOUSE

Seb Mottram
SEN
24 May 2023

Richmond president John O’Rourke is confident he’ll have Brendon Gale remaining at Richmond for the short term at least.

With Hardwick walking out on the club on Tuesday morning, plenty of eyeballs turn to Gale in pondering what the Tigers CEO will do.

Gale started his time as the boss at Punt Road at a siilar timing to Hardwick’s appointment at Tigerland and the two are credited with rebuilding the Richmond Football Club on and off the field.

Despite speculation, O’Rourke is confident he’s got Gale’s full commitment for the time being.

“He was there a few days after Damien joined and the two of them are the architects of restoring Richmond as a powerhouse club both on and off the field,” O’Rouke – who officially replaced Peggy O’Neal in December last year – told SEN’s The Run Home.

“They just worked incredibly well together. Brendon, I think he is fully committed to Richmond, he knows that.

“Again, nothing is forever, but for the time being we’re delighted he’s doubling down with Richmond.

“He’s not got this challenge to work with the coaching team and work with the board on a new appointment.

“We’ve got a big redevelopment project Brendon is passionate about, I think he’s very committed to that for the near term at least.”

O’Rourke’s comments come despite Gale recently admitting to taking part in the AFL’s process to be the next league CEO.

While the extremely well-credentialed CEO ultimately missed out on the job to Andrew Dillon, the AFL is reported to be courting Gale to be its new football boss.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/05/23/tigers-shut-down-gale-speculation-despite-links-to-afl-house/

[one-eyed]

From Caro in The Age:

Gale, too, could leave Tigerland.

He remains the front-runner for the top football job at the AFL, potentially becoming the game’s No. 2 under Andrew Dillon.

That Dillon has declared he will not restructure his football department until the end of the season and that he is searching for a senior club executive is telling.

That gives Gale and his team three to four months to identify Richmond’s new coach and reignite the Tigers’ football program before potentially putting in place an executive succession plan of his own. And design a fitting MCG farewell for the three-time premiership coach, who refused a farewell game this Sunday.

That, technically, is how it will play out. If together Gale, Hardwick, O’Neal and Cotchin, and later Neil Balme led the rebuilding of Richmond, the departures leave the building stable but no longer a fortress.

Emotionally for many at the club on Tuesday the reality of Hardwick’s departure and what would follow was too sad to contemplate. Equally true, though, is that although Hardwick has left a club at the crossroads, he has left not a moment too soon.

Source: The Age.