VETERAN football administrator Geoff Walsh is joining the new-look football operations department at the AFL.
The League has been reshaping its leadership across 2023 with Andrew Dillon replacing Gillon McLachlan as CEO and Laura Kane being elevated to executive general manager of football.
Walsh will work in Kane's department as a consultant, providing more than 37 years of experience inside clubland to head office, following a year where the MRO, Arc and Tribunal all faced intense scrutiny, while player movement, AFLW and umpiring are all key focus areas.
The part-time role will cover AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and the Coates Talent League as well as assisting the list management team with the 19th license list build ahead of Tasmania's introduction in 2028.
After starting his career at Fitzroy in 1985 before moving to Carlton the following year as recruiting manager, Walsh joined North Melbourne as head of football in 1994 before becoming the Kangaroos’ CEO.
Collingwood signed Walsh as head of football between 2006 and 2013 before he returned to Arden Street for a second stint in 2013 and then headed back to the Magpies at the end of 2016 before retiring at the end of 2020.
Walsh joined St Kilda last October as executive general manager of football ahead of Ross Lyon’s appointment as senior coach, but departed in January due to family reasons.
He has also assisted Carlton and St Kilda in completing reviews of their football operations in recent years.
The appointment follows the signing of former Essendon and Melbourne GM Josh Mahoney as general manager of football operations after he departed the Bombers at the end of the season.
