Inside departing AFL spinner's all-star farewell
It was an All Australian turnout with the AFL's past, present and future on hand to a) pay their respects to a sports executive nice guy and b) make sure he was really leaving this time (Walsh had previously quit during the reign of Andrew Demetriou, only to return in 2019).
One early arrival was Martin Pakula, the former Victorian major events minister who has reinvented himself as chair of not only the Australian Grand Prix Corporation but also of Tourism North East, board director of Hello World and, as of two weeks ago, chair of Crown Melbourne (truly, how can one man have so much talent?).
Enjoying the party pies and spring rolls at Richmond's historic London Hotel were AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, AFL executive Laura Kane, former AFL executive turned Victoria Racing Club chief executive Kylie Rogers, media lawyer Justin Quill, ABC presenter Michael Rowland, Seven sport supremo Chris Jones, SEN supremo Craig Hutchison, former AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan. AFL sibling-in-chief and Channel Seven broadcaster Hamish McLachlan entered chaperoning a beer and two packets of Red Rock Deli Honey Soy Chicken – in one hand – while funnyman Titus O'Reily road-tested his grand final jokes in front of AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder.
It seems Walsh is set to enter the world of consultancy (possibly for the AFL – see what we mean?). CBD hears that the process to find a replacement is well advanced. One name in the replacement frame from the many sports journalists in attendance was Matt Kitchin, who recently left his role as head of sport at News Corp after 34 years.
One word of advice for novice attendees of functions hosted by the AFL city-state: never enter a conversation huddle about AFL governance with Age chief football writer Jake Niall and commentator Eddie McGuire without an escape plan. Or an ejector seat.
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Swann said that before he took the job the length of games and the umpires bouncing the ball were the two issues other people raised the most. 'It's just around the set-ups and waiting for ruckmen to get to contests and even the boundary throw-ins or if you are waiting for them to get there and there is a chance to actually speed that up a bit,' Swann said. 'There is good vision and video of ruckman taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other and everyone stands there and waits,' Swann said. 'That's something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the [end of the] season.' The AFL had to revise the starting time of Sunday games this season pushing them forward five minutes to 3.15pm as they were creeping into the 6pm news. The first quarter of Sunday's Cats-Saints game went for four seconds beyond the 35-minute mark and had most scenarios requiring the clock to be stopped other than a 6-6-6 infringement. There were eight goals kicked, 15 stoppages around the ground, nine boundary throw-ins, two kick-ins, two kicks out-on-the-full, plus a recalled bounce, a score review, a 50-metre penalty, a downfield free kick, two kick-ins, a blood rule and a field umpire conferring with a boundary umpire over a decision. Loading Each boundary throw-in takes roughly 25 seconds of time on, bounces around the ground take about eight seconds and the time that elapses between goals and the ball being bounced is around 55 seconds. The score review and the subsequent kick in took 44 seconds. Attendees at the game were there for three hours, 27 minutes and 16 seconds from the first bounce to the final siren including quarter and half-time breaks. Swann estimated a return to about two hours per match, or four 30 minute quarters, plus quarter and half-time breaks was the ideal game length. The AFL's desire to reduce game length is consistent in world sport aware that engagement time is at a premium. Dillon and Swann addressed a range of issues, including: What Tasmania's election means for the Devils Dillon said despite official confirmation of the result of the Tasmanian election over the weekend yet to come, with the Liberal Party likely to form a minority government, there had been an overwhelming endorsement of the new team and controversial Macquarie Point Stadium. While the Liberals will likely need to rely on crossbenchers to form government, Dillon said it was time to begin work on the stadium, a condition of entry for the AFL's 19th team – in 2028. 'Pleasingly over 70 per cent of the votes that were cast in Tasmania over the weekend went to a candidate that was pro-stadium. We are looking forward to a 2028 start date for the Tasmania Devils. It's really clear we will have a stadium at Mac Point with a roof and 23,000 capacity,' Dillon said. Ditch the centre bounce? Swann revealed there was strong support from clubs to discard the traditional centre bounce. He was due to meet with league umpires late on Monday. Bouncing the ball can be difficult for umpires with back issues. 'We will do some work on it. In the next little bit, I will get around to all clubs and get their views,' he said. 'I have had some clubs already ring and give me their views. I would say the majority are in favour of throwing the ball up. Obviously, that's not going to happen until next year, but we will have a look at that as well.' Asked if there was the possibility of having a ceremonial bounce to start games, Swann replied: 'At the grand final last year, the first bounce went sideways, and they had to recall it. You would want to do the ceremonial bounce if it goes straight.' Keep fans in the loop Swann said he wanted the football operations department, including match review officer decisions, to have greater transparency. 'Maybe explaining some of the decisions we make, maybe we can be a bit more forthcoming with that. 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Priority pick for the West Coast Eagles The Eagles have won a combined 11 games in their past four seasons, but Dillon all but ruled out the 2018 premiers being granted a priority draft selection should they apply. Rather, he pointed to the work Swann had done when in charge of rebuilding the Lions, while also acknowledging how Adelaide were set to play finals this year for the first time since 2017. 'The blueprint is there in the work Swanny and the work he did in Brisbane … and if you look at Adelaide at the weekend, they haven't been in the finals since 2017, but through a lot of hard work, some really good decisions, great trading, great drafting, they are poised now for a top four pick,' Dillon said. 'They have got where they have got without a priority pick, and I think you can do it.'
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Swann said that before he took the job the length of games and the umpires bouncing the ball were the two issues other people raised the most. 'It's just around the set-ups and waiting for ruckmen to get to contests and even the boundary throw-ins or if you are waiting for them to get there and there is a chance to actually speed that up a bit,' Swann said. 'There is good vision and video of ruckman taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other and everyone stands there and waits,' Swann said. 'That's something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the [end of the] season.' The AFL had to revise the starting time of Sunday games this season pushing them forward five minutes to 3.15pm as they were creeping into the 6pm news. The first quarter of Sunday's Cats-Saints game went for four seconds beyond the 35-minute mark and had most scenarios requiring the clock to be stopped other than a 6-6-6 infringement. There were eight goals kicked, 15 stoppages around the ground, nine boundary throw-ins, two kick-ins, two kicks out-on-the-full, plus a recalled bounce, a score review, a 50-metre penalty, a downfield free kick, two kick-ins, a blood rule and a field umpire conferring with a boundary umpire over a decision. Loading Each boundary throw-in takes roughly 25 seconds of time on, bounces around the ground take about eight seconds and the time that elapses between goals and the ball being bounced is around 55 seconds. The score review and the subsequent kick in took 44 seconds. Attendees at the game were there for three hours, 27 minutes and 16 seconds from the first bounce to the final siren including quarter and half-time breaks. Swann estimated a return to about two hours per match, or four 30 minute quarters, plus quarter and half-time breaks was the ideal game length. The AFL's desire to reduce game length is consistent in world sport aware that engagement time is at a premium. Dillon and Swann addressed a range of issues, including: What Tasmania's election means for the Devils Dillon said despite official confirmation of the result of the Tasmanian election over the weekend yet to come, with the Liberal Party likely to form a minority government, there had been an overwhelming endorsement of the new team and controversial Macquarie Point Stadium. While the Liberals will likely need to rely on crossbenchers to form government, Dillon said it was time to begin work on the stadium, a condition of entry for the AFL's 19th team – in 2028. 'Pleasingly over 70 per cent of the votes that were cast in Tasmania over the weekend went to a candidate that was pro-stadium. We are looking forward to a 2028 start date for the Tasmania Devils. It's really clear we will have a stadium at Mac Point with a roof and 23,000 capacity,' Dillon said. Ditch the centre bounce? Swann revealed there was strong support from clubs to discard the traditional centre bounce. He was due to meet with league umpires late on Monday. Bouncing the ball can be difficult for umpires with back issues. 'We will do some work on it. In the next little bit, I will get around to all clubs and get their views,' he said. 'I have had some clubs already ring and give me their views. I would say the majority are in favour of throwing the ball up. Obviously, that's not going to happen until next year, but we will have a look at that as well.' Asked if there was the possibility of having a ceremonial bounce to start games, Swann replied: 'At the grand final last year, the first bounce went sideways, and they had to recall it. You would want to do the ceremonial bounce if it goes straight.' Keep fans in the loop Swann said he wanted the football operations department, including match review officer decisions, to have greater transparency. 'Maybe explaining some of the decisions we make, maybe we can be a bit more forthcoming with that. We are not going to explain everything away because otherwise you would be here all day,' he said. 'But, if there are some things that are a bit contentious, I think people deserve to understand why we have gone a certain way.' Pre-finals bye Swann said the pre-finals bye was also up for discussion. 'That's another one for next year, really. You would have a look at it,' he said. Added Dillon: 'We are talking season structure for next year. How you set that up. When you have your byes, how many of them you have.' Father-sons, NGAs and the draft 'On the academies, having lived through those, they are crucial up there [the northern states] for the development of the game,' Swann said of the northern academies. 'The new DVI [draft value index] index is going to make a big difference to what you pay for those people now. We need to let that run for a year or two. It will make a big difference to how many blokes you can and can't get.' Priority pick for the West Coast Eagles The Eagles have won a combined 11 games in their past four seasons, but Dillon all but ruled out the 2018 premiers being granted a priority draft selection should they apply. Rather, he pointed to the work Swann had done when in charge of rebuilding the Lions, while also acknowledging how Adelaide were set to play finals this year for the first time since 2017. 'The blueprint is there in the work Swanny and the work he did in Brisbane … and if you look at Adelaide at the weekend, they haven't been in the finals since 2017, but through a lot of hard work, some really good decisions, great trading, great drafting, they are poised now for a top four pick,' Dillon said. 'They have got where they have got without a priority pick, and I think you can do it.'
