Latest news with #TanyaHosch
The Guardian
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
‘Not personal': AFL CEO Andrew Dillon explains executive reshuffle
AFL chief Andrew Dillon insists there's nothing personal in the demotion of Laura Kane while brushing off fierce criticism of the umpiring standard. Dillon has gone on the Friday hustings after his reshuffle of the AFL executive cost Indigenous identity Tanya Hosch her role and pushed Kane down the pecking order. Kane's job has been split, with the 34-year-old no longer overseeing key football areas. 'It was a big, big role,' Dillon told SEN radio on Friday. 'Decisions affect people but they're not personal. It's actually about what's the right thing for the AFL, not just for now, because the AFL's in an incredible position at the moment. ' ... We have now got a structure that actually allows us to continue to be successful for the next three to five years and that was the thinking.' In a separate interview on ABC Radio, Dillon rejected the notion that unconscious gender bias was a factor in Kane's dealings with clubs and subsequent demotion. 'It's not a gender thing,' he said. 'Laura has broken down a lot of barriers. She is an incredibly talented administrator.' Hosch's position of inclusion and social policy manager will no longer exist as a separate role once the first Indigenous member of the AFL executive leaves on 6 June. Instead, the existing corporate affairs portfolio will include First Nations engagement and inclusion. Asked about Hosch's departure, Dillon said on SEN: 'What we will have now is more voices and more leaders all across the industry in all of the work that Tanya was doing.' The AFL boss also launched in defence of the standard of umpiring this season which has attracted great scrutiny. Dillon described the umpiring fraternity as 'incredibly talented ... great decision-makers'. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion 'You strive for perfection but you know you're now going to get that in umpiring,' he said. 'We don't get it with the players either. But you have to do to is get as close as you can and that is a continued work in progress. 'You can pick out isolated incidents of any game and say that it's battling. What you have to do is actually look at all nine games over the weekend ... picking isolated incidents isn't the way that you judge the umpires.' Dillon said the system of four field umpires, which some pundits believe has created inconsistency, would prove its worth. 'We're a couple of seasons into the four umpires, it's a work in progress,' he said. 'What it does have, it allows ... umpires to be in better positions to make the calls. It's less physically taxing on them. 'When we brought the four umpires in, we expanded the list so we have a number of umpires who are in the early parts of their career. So I think over the medium and longer term it's going to be successful.'
Daily Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
AFL: CEO Andrew Dillon changes Laura Kane's role
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. The AFL has reacted amid growing pressure on football boss Laura Kane, splitting her job in two as part of a major shake-up of its executive ranks. Following months of operational issues, questions about umpiring, the mishandling of a ban for Port Adelaide star Willie Rioli and other communication issues, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has acted. A second general manager of football performance will be appointed to work with Kane, while long-term social and inclusion boss Tanya Hosch will depart the league. Despite the shift, Dillon is adamant Kane, who will still be in charge of football operations but no longer be responsible for MRO, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement, maintains a 'major leadership role'. 'Laura will continue to play a major leadership role within the AFL.' Dillon said. Laura Kane's role has been split. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images '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.' Kane will still be responsible for delivering the AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW competitions as well as a newly formed AFL healthcare and medical team, including the league's mental health response and ongoing concussion management. There remains increasing pressure for Dillon to swiftly find a new chief operating officer, as the AFL executive team struggled in the wake of former chief executive Gillon McLachlan's resignation. The position of commission chairman Richard Goyder is also under scrutiny, as the AFL, despite boasting huge membership and viewership numbers, lurches from crisis to crisis off the field. Kane particularly was criticised for the AFL's handling of the situation with Rioli, who escaped penalty for a threat made to Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale before a history of similar incidents was revealed and he was banned for a week. There were also issues with the blame game after umpires failed to stop the game when Collingwood's Lachie Schultz was concussed against Fremantle. She is still in charge of football operations under chief executive Andrew Dillon's watch. Picture:But Dillon said he had been reviewing his leadership structure since taking over 18 months ago and the changes were part of that. 'Footy is at the heart of everything we do, it has to be front and centre,' he said. 'It's the reason people care, the reason they're passionate, the reason they show up every week. 'My focus is making sure we keep working closely with our clubs, coaches and players to keep our game strong and to ensure footy remains the No.1 sport in the country – by every measure.' Originally published as AFL football boss Laura Kane to split role amid changes to league's executive after series of poorly handled incidents
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
AFL announces major changes at headquarters following months of drama
Laura Kane's job as head of AFL football operations will be split into two roles amid widespread executive changes at league headquarters. Kane, who has become a lightning rod for criticism this season, will stay as football operations boss. A separate role will be created to head football performance. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. Kane will continue to oversee the AFL and AFLW, plus the VFL and VFLW and a newly-formed medical and healthcare team that will oversee areas including mental health and concussion. The football performance manager's portfolio will include areas including match review, umpiring, game analysis, laws of the game and club engagement. "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," Dillon 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." Also on Thursday, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon confirmed reports this month that inclusion and social policy manager Tanya Hosch will leave after nine years at the league. Hosch has been at the forefront in areas such as Indigenous issues and gender diversity. "I am extremely proud of what I have been able to achieve during my tenure with the AFL. Being in the organisation just ahead of the first bounce of AFLW was a huge and special honour that my entry coincided with," Hosch said. "At the AFL, we say we are 'a game for everyone,' and I always saw my role as part of that story. I have learnt an enormous amount from so many skilled, passionate and talented people across the game. "I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with incredible people. "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." Once she leaves on June 6, the existing corporate affairs portfolio will include First Nations engagement and inclusion, as well as media, communications and sustainability. In a statement on Thursday, Dillon said inclusion remained a priority at the AFL, and the league would continue to invest to grow participation and engagement for Indigenous and people 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," Mr Dillon said. AAP/ABC
News.com.au
29-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
AFL football boss Laura Kane to split role amid changes to league's executive after series of poorly handled incidents
The AFL has reacted amid growing pressure on football boss Laura Kane, splitting her job in two as part of a major shake-up of its executive ranks. Following months of operational issues, questions about umpiring, the mishandling of a ban for Port Adelaide star Willie Rioli and other communication issues, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has acted. A second general manager of football performance will be appointed to work with Kane, while long-term social and inclusion boss Tanya Hosch will depart the league. Despite the shift, Dillon is adamant Kane, who will still be in charge of football operations but no longer be responsible for MRO, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement, maintains a 'major leadership role'. 'Laura will continue to play a major leadership role within the AFL.' Dillon said. '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.' Kane will still be responsible for delivering the AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW competitions as well as a newly formed AFL healthcare and medical team, including the league's mental health response and ongoing concussion management. There remains increasing pressure for Dillon to swiftly find a new chief operating officer, as the AFL executive team struggled in the wake of former chief executive Gillon McLachlan's resignation. The position of commission chairman Richard Goyder is also under scrutiny, as the AFL, despite boasting huge membership and viewership numbers, lurches from crisis to crisis off the field. Kane particularly was criticised for the AFL's handling of the situation with Rioli, who escaped penalty for a threat made to Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale before a history of similar incidents was revealed and he was banned for a week. There were also issues with the blame game after umpires failed to stop the game when Collingwood's Lachie Schultz was concussed against Fremantle. But Dillon said he had been reviewing his leadership structure since taking over 18 months ago and the changes were part of that. 'Footy is at the heart of everything we do, it has to be front and centre,' he said. 'It's the reason people care, the reason they're passionate, the reason they show up every week. 'My focus is making sure we keep working closely with our clubs, coaches and players to keep our game strong and to ensure footy remains the No.1 sport in the country – by every measure.'
7NEWS
19-05-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
AFL executive Tanya Hosch in ‘highly sensitive' legal dispute with league HQ
The departure of AFL Indigenous affairs boss Tanya Hosch has become a highly sensitive legal stoush between the two parties. It emerged over the weekend that Hosch is set to move on from her role at AFL headquarters after almost 10 years amid claims of strained relationships within the executive team. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: AFL working through sensitive departure for Tanya Hosch. But her departure is now threatening to get messy as AFL CEO Andrew Dillon draws a line in the sand. Speaking on The Agenda Setters on Monday night, Craig Hutchison said: 'A tumultuous week at the AFL last week, who had several issues, one of which began here on The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night with your (Caroline Wilson's) story on umpire-gate, and other things including your Tanya Hosch column on Saturday about the AFL's leader of Indigenous affairs and the potential exit of the building.' Wilson said it's been more than just one bad week. 'They've had a terrible fortnight, I mean they'd already had a terrible week, the week before with the handling of Willie Rioli,' she said. 'We've been open about the poor performance of the the judicial system, of the human resources at the AFL, of their media management, which has just been dreadful, Laura Kane's under the pump. 'But now, to know that, as we lead in to the Dreamtime game, that the AFL and Tanya Hosch are negotiating an incredibly, highly sensitive departure, which threatens to get acrimonious from both sides. It involves potentially money, it involves accusations from both sides.' Asked to specify what the accusations were, Wilson said she wasn't at liberty to do so. 'I can't say anything, it's so legally sensitive. But I do know that neither party will speak to me,' she said. 'Tanya Hosch's email says she's on leave — at least it did last week, although she did go to Sydney for the game between the Swans and Carlton. 'She is a very good friend of Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin — they've just put her on their Go Foundation board. 'There are shots being fired everywhere here, and it's going to get ugly. 'But there are a few messes at AFL HQ that Andrew Dillon needs to clean up.' Wilson wrote a column in The Age over the weekend criticising Dillon for a lack of leadership to this point, and failing to make the hard calls. But Hutchison said a hard call is exactly what the situation with Hosch is. 'Just on the Tanya situation, it is complicated obviously,' he said. 'This has been an issue for some time; there's been a lack of alignment, to be fair, between both parties for some time. 'You suggested Andrew Dillon hasn't shown enough leadership. Don't you think that by him making a hard stand on this lack of alignment now, uncomfortable as that is, is an act of leadership. 'It's not an easy thing to work through, this. 'I think it's a real sign of strength that he's prepared to tackle a very difficult situation.' Wilson said it's an issue that dates as far back as five years. 'People have been saying to me that this has been a problem at AFL HQ since Gillon McLachlan was there,' she added. 'Andrew's been in the job now for a season and a half. It's time. 'It's time he makes a few tough decisions, and this is one of them.'
