Gale puts hand up for AFL post
By Caroline Wilson
September 02 2003
Former Richmond ruckman Brendon Gale has put his hand up for the job of football operations boss of the AFL.
Gale, who was president of the AFL Players Association during the final years of his playing career before resigning at the end of 2002, is one of a list, recently pruned to 20 candidates, to replace the AFL's chief executive-elect, Andrew Demetriou.
However, a clear frontrunner has emerged in Port Adelaide's pioneering chief executive Brian Cunningham, who has not yet applied for the position but is believed to be favourite among the AFL hierarchy.
Another key contender is Demetriou's close friend and AFL colleague Ben Buckley, who has been mooted to become the new chief executive's deputy and oversee both football and commercial operations in a restructured AFL that also would lead to league strategist Gillon McLachlan being promoted.
Buckley, 36, has not ruled out taking on a bigger role after current chief executive Wayne Jackson departs.
Cunningham, 51, played 263 games for Port Adelaide's SANFL team before taking over as the club's chief executive in 1992 and later becoming a prime-mover in the club's move into the AFL.
"All my energies are directed at our finals campaign," Cunningham said yesterday.
It is believed that any official application would not be submitted until after the season.
Demetriou, who will officially replace Jackson after the grand final, has said his replacement would be decided by an internal process and that the AFL would not use consultants.
He said the list of 20 candidates would be further cut to about 10 before the interview process began.
"There's no rush," said Demetriou. "When you think that it took more than four months to find a replacement for Ian Collins and three months to find a replacement for Wayne, the important thing is to find the right person."
Gale played 244 games for the Tigers between 1990 and 2001 in a career that had him rattling the tin to save the club in his first senior season.
Since retiring, he has worked full-time as a lawyer and part-time in the media for Channel Nine and ABC Radio 774.
By Caroline Wilson
September 02 2003
Former Richmond ruckman Brendon Gale has put his hand up for the job of football operations boss of the AFL.
Gale, who was president of the AFL Players Association during the final years of his playing career before resigning at the end of 2002, is one of a list, recently pruned to 20 candidates, to replace the AFL's chief executive-elect, Andrew Demetriou.
However, a clear frontrunner has emerged in Port Adelaide's pioneering chief executive Brian Cunningham, who has not yet applied for the position but is believed to be favourite among the AFL hierarchy.
Another key contender is Demetriou's close friend and AFL colleague Ben Buckley, who has been mooted to become the new chief executive's deputy and oversee both football and commercial operations in a restructured AFL that also would lead to league strategist Gillon McLachlan being promoted.
Buckley, 36, has not ruled out taking on a bigger role after current chief executive Wayne Jackson departs.
Cunningham, 51, played 263 games for Port Adelaide's SANFL team before taking over as the club's chief executive in 1992 and later becoming a prime-mover in the club's move into the AFL.
"All my energies are directed at our finals campaign," Cunningham said yesterday.
It is believed that any official application would not be submitted until after the season.
Demetriou, who will officially replace Jackson after the grand final, has said his replacement would be decided by an internal process and that the AFL would not use consultants.
He said the list of 20 candidates would be further cut to about 10 before the interview process began.
"There's no rush," said Demetriou. "When you think that it took more than four months to find a replacement for Ian Collins and three months to find a replacement for Wayne, the important thing is to find the right person."
Gale played 244 games for the Tigers between 1990 and 2001 in a career that had him rattling the tin to save the club in his first senior season.
Since retiring, he has worked full-time as a lawyer and part-time in the media for Channel Nine and ABC Radio 774.
