Latest news with #AFLCommission
The Age
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Inside departing AFL spinner's all-star farewell
Brian Walsh, the outgoing AFL corporate affairs and communications executive general manager boss man, hosted his farewell drinks (before he skips out of AFL House at the end of the month) on one of the few Fridays when there were no footy matches being staged in Melbourne. Truly, the guy thinks of everything. 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. On the Block
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Serious threat towards Carlton coach Michael Voss investigated by AFL integrity unit
Under-siege Carlton coach Michael Voss has been the target of a 'heinous and inappropriate' threat. Code Sports reports the shocking message is understood to reference a brutal end to his life, but is not being treated as a credible death threat. The details of the threat have been sent to the AFL with league headquarters now investigating. Voss, who has coached the Blues since 2022, has been under intense pressure following Carlton's dramatic drop in form. This time last year the Blues were in second spot on the AFL ladder and were in the box seat to make a run at the club's 17th premiership. Fast forward 12 months and Carlton is paying $101 with the TAB just to make the finals and $1001 to win the premiership. The latest incident comes a fortnight after Carlton's Ikon Park headquarters were targeted by vandals after the club's horror loss to Port Adelaide.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
AFL team Hawthorn makes an INSANE profit as it sells famous Waverley Park property it bought for just $1
The historic Waverley Park will remain in AFL hands after the league agreed to purchase it back from Hawthorn for up to $20million after the club bought it for just $1. With the Hawks set to move into their new $100million new home in Dingley later this year, the former VFL/AFL ground went up for sale. The site hosted top-level games, including the 1991 AFL grand final when the MCG was being redeveloped, from 1970 to 1999. Waverley, formerly called VFL Park, once could fit more than 90,000 into the stadium and the league had ambitious plans for it. But after the AFL's last match there - Hawthorn v Sydney in round 22, 1999 - all but one of the grandstands were demolished, making way for residential housing in the precinct. Hawthorn, one of the co-tenants of Waverley in the stadium's later years, moved their operations there in 2006. The Hawks, remarkably, secured the site to be a rent-free tenant from the AFL by paying $1 for the freehold title. In 1999, the Victorian government pledged to retain football at Waverley, forcing the developer to partner with an AFL club. Selling Waverley back to the AFL will provide a significant financial boost for the club. The deal is worth up to $20million, according to News Corp. 'With the facility changing hands to the AFL, we are confident that its historical significance of Waverley Park will be preserved,' Hawthorn chief operating officer Jacob Attwood said. 'Looking forward for our club, the sale of this facility puts us in a very strong position to make the move to the Kennedy Community Centre later this year.' AFL boss Andrew Dillon was pleased historic elements of Waverley, including a giant mosaic mural, would be retained. 'Waverley Park has had a long history in footy, being the first venue to be designed and built specifically for Australian Rules Football,' Dillon said. 'The purchase of the ground and facilities is a rare and timely solution that will help with our talent pathways programs, community footy, and umpire development and programs, all of which will now be worked through with the relevant stakeholders.' Waverley could now be used to host women's games or VFL matches. The ground - which was the first stadium to be built especially for Australian Rules football - was the scene of some of the game's more noteworthy moments. Angry Anderson's 'Batmobile' entrance when he delivered the disastrous halftime entertainment at the 1991 grand final has gone down in footy folklore. In 1996, there was chaos when the round 10 match between the Saints and Bombers suffered a blackout in the third quarter.
News.com.au
24-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Nearly three decades after last AFL game played at Waverley the venue is back in league hands
Waverley Park, the site of one of only three AFL grand finals not played at the MCG, will remain a football venue after the league purchased it back from Hawthorn in a sale worth up to $20m. Hawthorn won the 1991 grand final at what was then VFL Park and then made it the club's training base following the last match played at the venue in 1999. The AFL sold the surrounding land to a developer for $110m, used the proceeds to fund Marvel Stadium, which it also now owns, before the Hawks purchased the freehold to the oval and administration building for just $1. But ahead of a move to a $100m new training facility in Melbourne's southeast, Hawthorn put Waverley up for sale and the AFL snatched it up with plans to use it for 'talent pathways programs, community footy, and umpire development and programs'. Games could also return to the venue in some form, possibly AFLW or even under-18 games. 'Waverley Park has had a long history in footy, being the first venue to be designed and built specifically for Australian rules football,' AFL boss Andrew Dillon said. 'The purchase of the ground and facilities is a rare and timely solution that will help with our talent pathways programs, community footy, and umpire development programs, all of which will now be worked through with the relevant stakeholders. 'The AFL has targeted having 10 million attendees at AFL/AFLW games, events, and festivals, two million AFL club members and one million participants, and in order to achieve the target for participation we need two ovals a week every week for the next five years. 'We are always looking for green space so we can continue to expand the playing fields we need to accommodate the strong national growth in people playing our game.' Hawthorn defeated West Coast in the 1991 grand final, played away from the MCG that was being redeveloped. The only other two grand finals not at the MCG were at the Gabba in Brisbane in 2020 and Optus Stadium in Perth in 2021, both due to Covid restrictions.
AU Financial Review
10-06-2025
- Politics
- AU Financial Review
AFL plays hardball on stadium amid Tasmanian political turmoil
The AFL Commission has told club presidents it will not budge on its demand for a new, roofed stadium in Tasmania despite warnings from local politicians that the cost of the plan has been a factor in the collapse of the state government. Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff was preparing to visit Governor Barbara Baker on Tuesday evening to ask her to dissolve parliament following a vote of no-confidence in the Tasmanian leader over his government's handling of the state's finances.
