Andrew Dillon announces big executive team changes; new COO, performance boss alongside Kane and new health team

Loading

“The game is the reason we exist; it is as big and as good as it has ever been, and the AFL football department must continue to evolve,” he said.

“It must be structured, resourced and led in a way that can ensure everyone – the clubs, players, coaches, umpires and officials – can continue to perform at the highest possible level.

“Laura will continue to play a major leadership role within the AFL, but the overall responsibility has grown so much that the traditional leadership role for an individual executive in footy is no longer the best model.”

On Tuesday, speaking at the launch of the AFL and AFLW players’ injury and support fund designed to help past players, Dillon was quick to defend his executive team following the bungling of a range of football matters – such as the miscommunication with the AFL’s umpiring department over Collingwood star Lachie Schultz’s concussion drama against Fremantle.

Executive general manager of inclusion and social policy Tanya Hosch will depart the AFL on June 6, with the league confirming her exit on Thursday in a media release.

As The Age reported this month, the league and its most senior Indigenous employee had been negotiating her departure after nine years.

As part of the restructure, First Nations engagement and inclusion will fall into the corporate affairs portfolio at AFL House.

In an AFL statement on Thursday, Dillon said: “Tanya has been tireless in her work to ensure that inclusion has been a part of everything we have done, from encouraging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into the AFL industry, to supporting clubs at all levels of our game to navigate complex social issues and create policies to reduce vilification.

“As an industry we are indebted to Tanya for making us better.”

Hosch’s work included oversight of the respect and responsibility policy, the league’s first gender diversity policy, anti-vilification directives, and advocating for social inclusion in broadcasts.

“At the AFL, we say we are ‘a game for everyone’ and I always saw my role as part of that story,” she said in the statement.

“The game belongs to all of us that love it and serve it, and I have been humbled to have had the opportunity to be a steward for a time.”

Hosch joined the AFL in 2016 and was the first Indigenous person and second woman to join its executive ranks.

Dillon said the AFL would continue to invest in people and programs to drive participation and engagement from Indigenous people and those from diverse backgrounds.

“We are unified in the power that sport has to shine a light on issues and make tangible change, where diversity of our participants is welcomed and celebrated, not vilified. Specifically, there is no place for racism at any level of our game,” he said.

The position of general counsel will no longer be part of the executive team, but Stephen Meade will continue in that role.

The integrity portfolio will be split from the general counsel position, and will move to the remit of the incoming COO. Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick and Sydney CEO Tom Harley are in contention for the COO role.