THE THIRD edition of AFL Media's Movers and Shapers Survey is out and it reveals there are some new major players in the game.
Two themes have emerged in 2018. The number of AFL commissioners on the list is the greatest ever, while the birth of AFLW has helped grow the number of women on the list to an all-time high of eight.
All up, there are 16 new members of the top 50 this year.
The survey took place towards the end of last year and those who voted were drawn from the ranks of the AFL, the clubs, the media, player management, stadia and state leagues.
Catch up on the rest of the 2018 rankings:
30. Simone Wilkie
AFL commissioner
Previously: 2016: - 2017: 42
AFLW needed a guardian on the commission after Sam Mostyn's departure and she is described by one AFL executive as "the champion of the women's cause". She has been heavily involved in the look, shape and feel of the women's competition, but there is more to the only Canberra-based commissioner than that. Wilkie was a highly decorated 35-year veteran in the Australian Army, and her learnings on culture and acceptance of women has made a major impression on the AFL.
29. Darren Birch
AFL General Manager, Growth, Digital and Audience
Previously: 2016: - 2017: 26
Following an internal restructure at the AFL, a tweaking of responsibilities left Birch with one key responsibility – delivering the game to the fans as well as possible and by every means possible. His role at the AFL is critical because as one observer noted, "With the next media rights set to be the most complex ever, his position focused on growing the code and its fan base will be central." Ticketing, membership, marketing, AFL shops, fan engagement and digital all fall under his remit and as part of the restructure, AFL Media including the AFL website and apps, and the AFL Record now also come under his watch. If the AFL manages to grow its revenue significantly ahead of the next media rights deal, it will be Birch and his team who generate it.
28. Kevin Sheedy
Thinker, salesman
Previously: 2016: 46; 2017: -
When Kevin Sheedy spoke at the launch of his book celebrating his 50 years in football last October, he said he was entering the 'final quarter' of his time in the game. Many premierships are won in the final quarter and Sheedy remains committed to spruiking the game in every corner of the country and parts outside it as well. He still works two days each week for the Bombers in a marketing capacity and the Country Game against Geelong is now an event game for the club that it hopes will someday match Anzac Day and Dreamtime at the 'G, his other creations. The football rehabilitation of James Hird is another cause that will be close to his heart this year.
Kevin Sheedy's latest brainchild is Essendon's Country Game with Geelong. Picture: AFL Photos
27. David Koch
Port Adelaide chairman
Previously: 2016: 26; 2017: 30
The China game is now an annual part of the AFL fixture and for that we can largely thank 'Kochie', who had the vision to make it happen. His next goal is to convince a Victorian club to give up a home game to play in China, and to the morning TV host we say, good luck with that one. On the local front, it was a testing few weeks after the Power somehow lost a home elimination final to West Coast – in extra-time admittedly – with Koch carpeted for his snarky, post-match, "Let us know and we'll trade them" remark about players who might not be committed to the Port Adelaide cause. It's a tough school out at Alberton and as Koch admitted himself, "I'm not going to sugar-coat it and say Port Adelaide is like Disneyland, it's not." He was probably referring to his relationship with Ken Hinkley, which is not always idyllic. Still, he didn't let things linger when Gold Coast came hard at his coach, extending his contract through until 2021.
26. Paul Bassat
AFL Commissioner
Previously: 2016: - 2017: -
The co-founder of the SEEK online jobs search empire has been on the commission since 2012 and is now its second longest-serving member. This is the first time he has appeared on this list, with many noting that his influence in the game's big-picture thinking is growing. "He knows a lot about the areas we want to go to, such as technology, start-ups and an agile workforce," said one AFL senior manager. Given his background, Bassat keeps a close eye on AFL Media, while his grasp of detail around the commission table is always noteworthy. "He reads everything," said another executive.
25. Daisy Pearce
Melbourne AFLW captain
Previously: 2016: 49; 2017: 24
When AFLW got underway last year Daisy Pearce, Moana Hope and Lauren Arnell were arguably the three best-known players. The latter two have had their struggles, but not Pearce, who has starred for the Demons pretty much from the get-go. Pearce is part of the Paul Connors stable and in terms of marketing and media she is one of that company's top-10 earners, and a bit like stablemate Patrick Dangerfield, off-field work seems not to have affected her footy. On the field, she is smart and tough, blessed with a super tank and able to run all day. She added 4kg to her frame between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, having seen how the extra strength worked wonders for Erin Phillips. Pearce is a brilliant leader of not just her club, but the women's game. "She's a natural," said one leading AFLW figure. "She's got strong opinions and she's not afraid to express them."
Daisy Pearce is a brilliant leader of Melbourne and the women's game. Picture: AFL Photos
24. Damien Hardwick
Richmond senior coach
Previously: 2016: - 2017: -
They took the 'honesty pills' at Tigerland in the lead-up to last season and the result was spectacular. In masterminding Richmond's first premiership in 37 years, Hardwick became just the fourth person in League history to win flags at three clubs, having been a premiership player at Essendon and Port Adelaide. There was a reinvention at the Tigers, an atmosphere of brutal honesty and self-awareness, but also one where the love was shared. Konrad Marshall's superb fly-on-the-wall account of last season, Yellow and Black, gives a graphic account of 2017, and Hardwick's homespun homilies and weekly themes were a thing of beauty. But he also shook up the team and dispelled the myth that clubs need two tall forwards to win the flag. Richmond's mosquito fleet delivered magnificently on Grand Final day and now we wait to see how many other clubs will adopt a similar approach in 2018. He was re-contracted earlier this month by the Tigers and will remain coach until at least 2021.
23. Lance Franklin
Sydney forward, drawcard
Previously: 2016: 48; 2017: 33
Still the pied piper of footy. When he plays, the fans will go to the match and they will watch on TV. Sydney is one of the largest sporting brands in the country and he remains a key reason why. He is one of a number of outstanding players at the Swans, but still the only one likely to turn heads walking down George Street. The Swans would love that to change and hope that locally-bred emerging stars such as Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills will soon have a lustre of their own, but for now it's Buddy, who is entering the meat of his playing contract – year five of his nine-year deal – who carries the can for the game in Australia's largest city.
22. Peggy O'Neal
Richmond president
Previously: 2016: 17; 2017: 49
She stood her ground with steely resolve at the end of 2016 when rumblings of a board challenge began to emerge, and reaped the rewards 12 months later when the Tigers marched to their first flag in 37 years. It is hard to think of a club president with less of an ego than O'Neal, whose operating philosophy at Tigerland seems to be to instill the right levels of governance and process, ask the appropriate questions at right time, and let the executives run the club. Still, Australia wants to get to know her a bit better, and since the flag win she has appeared on ABC TV's Q&A and spoken at the National Press Club. She has quite the story to tell.
Peggy O'Neal stood her ground against rumblings of a board challenge. Picture: AFL Photos
21. Brendon Gale
Richmond chief executive
Previously: 2016: 17; 2017: -
What a club the Tigers have become. Impeccably run from top to bottom and ticking boxes not just on the field, but off it as well. Under Gale's leadership, Richmond has become a well-rounded organisation that most importantly is developing key non-football revenue streams that don't rely on the gaming industry. When your chief customer officer, Cain Liddle, is poached to become the chief executive of Carlton, of all clubs, you must be going all right. The Tigers are a leader in the digital space and have capitalised on the premiership in the right fashion – they had already surpassed last year's membership tally by the middle of February. AFL boss Gill McLachlan clearly isn't going anywhere, but if you were framing a market for his replacement, Gale would feature heavily in the betting.
20. Brian Cook
Geelong chief executive
Previously: 2016: 16; 2017: 23
His remarkable tenure as Geelong chief executive continues. He joined the Cats at the start of 1999 after nearly a decade with West Coast in the same role and will end this season as the equal longest-serving chief executive in the history of the game. His body of work is immense at the Cats, with the redevelopment of the once-decrepit GMHBA Stadium into one of the premier sports stadiums in the country, three premierships and countless finals appearances. However, these are interesting times at the Cats, with Cook committed to the job until at least 2020, although you wonder whether that would have been the case had two of his most trusted lieutenants, Steve Hocking and Justin Reeves not departed for respective new roles at the AFL and Hawthorn.
19. Ray Gunston
AFL general manager of infrastructure, major projects and investment
Previously: 2016: - 2017: 19
A fitting ranking given the number his son, Jack, wears for Hawthorn and also because of the considerable scope within his remit at the AFL. Gunston successfully negotiated the new CBA agreement on behalf of the League, is the chairman of Etihad Stadium and front and centre of the discussions with the Victorian Government about the stadium's future, and has been charged with reviewing the AFL's ties to the gaming industry and how that can be reshaped in the future. These are all meaty decisions for the game to make, but Gunston is hugely respected in football.
18. Mark Robinson
Herald Sun chief football writer
Previously: 2016: 13; 2017: 17
Read the comments on the Herald Sun website after his articles and it becomes clear that Robinson remains one of the most polarising figures in football media. Then again, any big name in footy has an equal band of fans and detractors, so he is not alone in that respect. As the lead writer for the biggest football paper in the country and the co-host of Fox Footy's heavily watched AFL 360, he is prolific and influential. Two things are key with 'Robbo': 1) rank and file footy fans relate to him, and 2) players enjoy chatting to him. He also has a keen understanding of how the game is played. These are the credits he has in the bank and they're important after a rocky 12 months that included a tweet about Collingwood's Alex Fasolo that he would like to take back and then his sudden departure from SEN where he was a key contributor across several programs.
17. Craig Kelly
TLA Australia chief executive
Previously: 2016: 31; 2017: 29
The former Collingwood defender sold his Elite Sports Properties business to the global TLA a few years back with the proviso that he remains at the helm in Australia. The business is going well, with more than 260 AFL players on the books as well as several AFL coaches and high-profile broadcasters and commentators. "He orchestrates the whole footy media scene," said one observer. TLA acquired Stride Sports last year, meaning another leading agent Tom Petroro and his team are on the books, and when you add in the events and sponsorship aspects of TLA's business, it has become indispensable to the football industry. As for Kelly, "He's steering the ship nicely till he gets his buy-out," said another AFL identity. After that, who knows? Many believe him to be the logical successor to Eddie McGuire as Magpie president but given his close ties to the AFL and his friendship with Gillon McLachlan, some sort of large role in the game seems a given.
16. Jeff Kennett
Hawthorn president
Previously: 2016: - 2017: -
Football's unofficial 'leader of the opposition' is back, having answered an SOS last October from the Hawks, who were a bit rudderless and lacking leadership and stability at the top of the organisation following the abrupt departures of president Richard Garvey and chief executive Tracey Gaudry. Kennett, who was Hawks president from 2006 to 2012, has since made some sweeping changes to the senior management of the club and in an extraordinary move, gained the agreement of all board members to step aside if better people come along in the meantime. The big-ticket items are still to come, namely Alastair Clarkson's future beyond the 2019 expiration of his contract, the Dingley training and administration complex and the future of the club's partnership with the Tasmanian government. Tassie is particularly fascinating and if the AFL can prise the Hawks out of there (and it would take one hell of a deal to do so) it dramatically changes the landscape in footy's most troubled state.
Jeff Kennett return to football has brought big changes at Hawthorn. Picture: AFL Photos
15. Travis Auld
AFL chief financial officer, manager of clubs and broadcasting
Previously: 2016: 25; 2017: 21
A $66 million turnaround in the AFL's bottom line looks good for Auld, the executive in charge of the League's day-to-day finances. But where his impact is more pronounced is his go-between role with the clubs, and what we do have in 2018 are fewer dust-ups, at least in public, between the clubs and HQ. The Etihad tenant clubs are also pleased that after years of writing cheques to the AFL, new match-day revenue arrangements are now in place. Fixturing and scheduling is the final piece in the puzzle for Auld and while you can't please all the people all the time, the abundance of Carlton and the relative lack of the Demons and Hawks on Friday nights this year raised eyebrows when the draw was released.
14. Patrick Dangerfield
Geelong champion, AFLPA president
Previously: 2016: - 2017: 11
Didn't back up his Brownlow win from the year before, but he might have had an even better year, given his brilliance in the midfield and as a one-out forward. Those who saw him kick 5.6 against Hawthorn on one leg will never forget it. And that's the thing with Dangerfield – his on-field talents have not been diminished one little bit by his various media roles, his AFLPA leadership duties and even fatherhood. The more that is thrown his way off the field, the better he plays. Dangerfield is the third-most active AFL player on Twitter and his insights are usually sharp and on-message. "He's probably the best at being authentic, humorous and showcasing life outside of footy," said Twitter's former head of sport in Australia, Jonno Simpson.
Patrick Dangerfield's off-field exploits are matches those on the ground. Picture: AFL Photos
13. Paul Connors
Player manager
Previously: 2016: 27; 2017: 18
Connors is coming off a big year in which he kept Josh Kelly at Greater Western Sydney despite enormous offers to move elsewhere, had seven of the first 11 players selected at last year's NAB AFL Draft come from his stable (the Victorian private schools are his specialty) and expanded his business by bringing in the respected Robbie D'Orazio as an equity partner. Connors now has more than 100 players on his books and can help shape premierships in the next few years. If the Giants win a flag this year or next, having Dylan Shiel and Josh Kelly remain with the club will have been vital. Connors engineered Patrick Dangerfield's move to Geelong, whose premiership window remains open, and this year it is Tom Lynch's decision whether to remain with Gold Coast or move back to Victoria that will be made in conjunction with Connors. Richmond remains a huge premiership chance if Lynch goes there, while the Hawks become a genuine contender once again if he joins them. And then there's Collingwood, which will move heaven and earth to get him. More often than not, Connors' clients tend to stay put, so don't count out the Suns keeping him by any stretch.
12. Gerard Whateley
SEN broadcaster and commentator, Fox Footy AFL 360 co-host
Previously: 2016: 8; 2017: 10
In a summer of major media moves, Whatley's move to SEN was the biggest. Admittedly, this survey was taken when Whateley was still with the ABC, but it is hard to see how his influence will wane now that he plies his craft on a 24/7 AFL-obsessed station. What is already clear after just two months is that he remains one of footy's calmest, balanced and most sophisticated broadcasters despite the change of address, and that footy's heavy hitters will find their way to his morning timeslot, just as they do to the evening TV show he co-hosts with Mark Robinson on Fox Footy. He will be missed by the ABC and the AFL will miss having him there; the national broadcaster can be Sydney-centric and it did no harm for footy that it's No.1 sports broadcaster was Melbourne-based and so influential in the indigenous game.
11. Rupert Murdoch/Fox Sports/Foxtel
Chairman, News Limited
Previously: 2016: 10; 2017: 12
We're only in the second year of the six-year media rights deal which delivers Fox up to six exclusive games a week and a huge chunk of the $2.5 billion the AFL is pocketing from this rights deal, but where this gets interesting is the soon-to-be-finalised merger between Fox Sports and Foxtel. What is tipped to follow is the public listing of the new business, to be headed by new Foxtel boss and former Fox Sports chief executive Patrick Delany, which would arm it with the cash to aggressively chase future sports rights in a highly competitive market against entities such as Facebook and Netflix. Before then, Foxtel is likely to need to make a decision on the AFLW, of which it has so far broadcast every game as an act of goodwill towards the AFL, but whose broadcast rights for next year and beyond will shortly go to market. Another key partnership with the AFL is the WatchAFL app, which services AFL fans outside Australia with live and replayed games, and Fox Footy's AFL various panel shows.
