Opinion Commentary & Media VIII

[gokangas]

Laura seems a little unlucky in her work relationships.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fresh-tension-between-greg-swann-and-laura-kane-sparks-unrest-at-afl-house/news-story/f8f72ccb0e3999d263731dcd45b98626

 

[gokangas]

Fresh tension between Greg Swann and Laura Kane sparks unrest at AFL House​

As a result of the working relationship between Laura Kane and Greg Swann, one industry figure said the workplace environment at league headquarters was becoming untenable.
Josh Barnes and Matthew Forrest

3 min read
November 28, 2025 - 4:00PM

The AFL’s bold mid-season shake-up of its struggling football operations department has triggered fresh tension at league headquarters.
Months after Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann was parachuted into AFL House to take charge of the football department, multiple industry sources say the move has sparked unrest among staff.
Swann’s arrival saw Laura Kane’s responsibilities essentially cut in half, after she was first made the league’s footy boss in August, 2023.
Swann took responsibility for match reviews, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement, leaving Kane managing the operations of the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, Coates Talent League and the game’s response to health and concussion.
That split has led to some crossover in tasks between the two branches of the football department and caused strain between the two teams, with clubs unsure who to contact when reaching out to league HQ.

One industry figure said the workplace environment was becoming untenable.
Another league source said: “Greg Swann and Laura Kane don’t even talk...they don’t like each other, they don’t get along.”
Others have pointed to the top-heavy nature of the league’s organisational structure with veteran football administrator Geoff Walsh working at AFL House four days a week while Emma Moore is the general manager of women’s football and falls under Kane’s purview.
The AFL’s game development GM, Rob Auld, also took on extra football duties in the restructure.

Kane appointee Nick Carah was also brought in as general manager of football operations in April before Kane’s job was split and she was handed the operations portfolio.
Both league and football department staff have frustrations around the arrangement, signed off by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and the Richard Goyder-led commission.
One club source said there was still confusion on who to contact out of Swann and Kane with any concerns or questions and described the adding of layers and staff within the football department as like “band-aids on top of each other”.
While Kane has been praised by clubs for her communication, her job split has left some in ‘clubland’ considering her as sidelined.

Kane and Andrew Dillon during the 2025 W Awards. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
Kane described on Wednesday the split of her role as “sensible” and said that her team was working separately from Swann’s.
“It’s been really good. The splitting of football on and off the field I think is sensible and it certainly helped both Swanny and I but also our teams to really focus on particular areas,” she told ABC Radio.
Kane has been seen less in the media since the restructure and when asked on the ABC about her absence said: “I am still here, still enjoying it and happy to talk to you guys any time”.
“A little bit less media but it has been really nice to actually share the load,” she said.
“The job was so big, there was so much to do and so now to have Greg Swann and Rob Auld also looking after components of what we used to have in footy, it is really good.
“We can focus on new things like portfolios, as well as some of the existing ones and obviously can spend a considerable amount of time focusing on AFLW.”
Swann was handpicked by Dillon to help bolster the league’s executive team after a string of controversies including umpiring, the handling of the Willie Rioli saga and the league’s match review process.
The AFL also appointed Tom Harley as chief operating officer in June.

The six big agenda items for Greg Swann
Greg Swann is joining AFL headquarters and the Midweek Tackle team have identified six big...
more
Swann has brought dramatic change since joining AFL HQ, introducing rule changes including a last disposal out-of-bounds free kick, the binning of the substitute and ruck changes, as well as an impending revamp to the MRO rules around head knocks.
Swann also ruffled feathers by insisting on having an office after he arrived despite the workplace being largely open plan.
Change has moved through AFL House since the end of the men’s season with several staff made redundant in a pivot in the media arm, to close down a broadcast studio and outsource content.
Long-time staffer and conduit to clubs David Grossman has resigned and will depart the AFL in the new year, with industry speculation pointing him to a new role with Gillon McLachlan’s Tabcorp.
Goyder will vacate his post early next year with clubs expressing hope that incoming Drummond will address some of the football issues that are frustrating clubs.
In an interview with the Herald Sun last week, St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said he was optimistic with what Drummond would bring to the chair role.
“He’s a smart and sensible person and so I’m hoping he will come up with some smart and sensible outcomes,” Bassat said.
The AFL was contacted for comment.

 

[koshari]

Laura seems a little unlucky in her work relationships.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fresh-tension-between-greg-swann-and-laura-kane-sparks-unrest-at-afl-house/news-story/f8f72ccb0e3999d263731dcd45b98626

ones a solicitor and the other is a football person, iam no expert but i suspect the football stuff probobly should be run by the football person?

 

[Devington]

Swann also ruffled feathers by insisting on having an office after he arrived despite the workplace being largely open plan.

What are the odds he didn't insist Laura Kane get one.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

We've been worse than all of them.

Historically shit.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Fresh tension between Greg Swann and Laura Kane sparks unrest at AFL House​

As a result of the working relationship between Laura Kane and Greg Swann, one industry figure said the workplace environment at league headquarters was becoming untenable.
Josh Barnes and Matthew Forrest

3 min read
November 28, 2025 - 4:00PM

The AFL’s bold mid-season shake-up of its struggling football operations department has triggered fresh tension at league headquarters.
Months after Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann was parachuted into AFL House to take charge of the football department, multiple industry sources say the move has sparked unrest among staff.
Swann’s arrival saw Laura Kane’s responsibilities essentially cut in half, after she was first made the league’s footy boss in August, 2023.
Swann took responsibility for match reviews, umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation and club engagement, leaving Kane managing the operations of the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, Coates Talent League and the game’s response to health and concussion.
That split has led to some crossover in tasks between the two branches of the football department and caused strain between the two teams, with clubs unsure who to contact when reaching out to league HQ.

One industry figure said the workplace environment was becoming untenable.
Another league source said: “Greg Swann and Laura Kane don’t even talk...they don’t like each other, they don’t get along.”
Others have pointed to the top-heavy nature of the league’s organisational structure with veteran football administrator Geoff Walsh working at AFL House four days a week while Emma Moore is the general manager of women’s football and falls under Kane’s purview.
The AFL’s game development GM, Rob Auld, also took on extra football duties in the restructure.

Kane appointee Nick Carah was also brought in as general manager of football operations in April before Kane’s job was split and she was handed the operations portfolio.
Both league and football department staff have frustrations around the arrangement, signed off by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and the Richard Goyder-led commission.
One club source said there was still confusion on who to contact out of Swann and Kane with any concerns or questions and described the adding of layers and staff within the football department as like “band-aids on top of each other”.
While Kane has been praised by clubs for her communication, her job split has left some in ‘clubland’ considering her as sidelined.

Kane and Andrew Dillon during the 2025 W Awards. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
Kane described on Wednesday the split of her role as “sensible” and said that her team was working separately from Swann’s.
“It’s been really good. The splitting of football on and off the field I think is sensible and it certainly helped both Swanny and I but also our teams to really focus on particular areas,” she told ABC Radio.
Kane has been seen less in the media since the restructure and when asked on the ABC about her absence said: “I am still here, still enjoying it and happy to talk to you guys any time”.
“A little bit less media but it has been really nice to actually share the load,” she said.
“The job was so big, there was so much to do and so now to have Greg Swann and Rob Auld also looking after components of what we used to have in footy, it is really good.
“We can focus on new things like portfolios, as well as some of the existing ones and obviously can spend a considerable amount of time focusing on AFLW.”
Swann was handpicked by Dillon to help bolster the league’s executive team after a string of controversies including umpiring, the handling of the Willie Rioli saga and the league’s match review process.
The AFL also appointed Tom Harley as chief operating officer in June.

The six big agenda items for Greg Swann
Greg Swann is joining AFL headquarters and the Midweek Tackle team have identified six big...
more
Swann has brought dramatic change since joining AFL HQ, introducing rule changes including a last disposal out-of-bounds free kick, the binning of the substitute and ruck changes, as well as an impending revamp to the MRO rules around head knocks.
Swann also ruffled feathers by insisting on having an office after he arrived despite the workplace being largely open plan.
Change has moved through AFL House since the end of the men’s season with several staff made redundant in a pivot in the media arm, to close down a broadcast studio and outsource content.
Long-time staffer and conduit to clubs David Grossman has resigned and will depart the AFL in the new year, with industry speculation pointing him to a new role with Gillon McLachlan’s Tabcorp.
Goyder will vacate his post early next year with clubs expressing hope that incoming Drummond will address some of the football issues that are frustrating clubs.
In an interview with the Herald Sun last week, St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said he was optimistic with what Drummond would bring to the chair role.
“He’s a smart and sensible person and so I’m hoping he will come up with some smart and sensible outcomes,” Bassat said.
The AFL was contacted for comment.

If you’re breaking up Laura Kane’s portfolio and need that many senior ppl parachuting in to do the job properly then either A she was setup to fail and wasn’t given the go ahead to get help or B she should have created her own management team to report through to her, and hired the experienced staffers herself to better support her structure.

 

[gerry101101]

If you’re breaking up Laura Kane’s portfolio and need that many senior ppl parachuting in to do the job properly then either A she was setup to fail and wasn’t given the go ahead to get help or B she should have created her own management team to report through to her, and hired the experienced staffers herself to better support her structure.

If it was any other aspect of AFL Andrew Dillon & co would be thinking “drama! - that’s great; get foxtel cameras in to film a doco!”. Funny how it’s not as appealing to make every part of football open access and packaged for tv when it’s your internal squabbles, huh.

 

[spicerFanClub]

If you’re breaking up Laura Kane’s portfolio and need that many senior ppl parachuting in to do the job properly then either A she was setup to fail and wasn’t given the go ahead to get help or B she should have created her own management team to report through to her, and hired the experienced staffers herself to better support her structure.

This is a good take. I'd add that the incompetence of Dillion has probably exacerbated the issues and he's done nothing to stop the snowballing of the shit show. People had their issues with Gil but can't help but think Laura would have had more of a chance to succeed under him.

 

[Passmore]

Does anyone really give a shit about any of these people? They're all in it for themselves. Hierarchy changes are par for the course.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Does anyone really give a shit about any of these people? They're all in it for themselves. Hierarchy changes are par for the course.

I don't give a shit about them for the reasons you state. But it's extremely frustrating that they are collectively (and in most cases, individually) so incompetent. Especially given they cover their lack of competence by sucking up to the 'big' teams and then showing everyone how tough they are when it comes to North (and a couple of others).

 

[Passmore]

I don't give a shit about them for the reasons you state. But it's extremely frustrating that they are collectively (and in most cases, individually) so incompetent. Especially given they cover their lack of competence by sucking up to the 'big' teams and then showing everyone how tough they are when it comes to North (and a couple of others).

My query is the "poor Laura Kane" sentiments. She willingly got involved in this shit show, so now you pay the piper.

 

[gerry101101]

I don't give a shit about them for the reasons you state. But it's extremely frustrating that they are collectively (and in most cases, individually) so incompetent. Especially given they cover their lack of competence by sucking up to the 'big' teams and then showing everyone how tough they are when it comes to North (and a couple of others).

I don’t think they are incompetent. They are just in it for the personal dollar only, so have to contort every little decision/explanation so that they are trying to rationalise it as being in the interests of the game or fair or reasonable when in reality it’s just concessions to broadcasters, the largest fanbases and the desire for content/eyeballs at the expense of all else. That constantly leads to them looking like fools, but in reality they’re happy to play the charade because each year they get a massive corporate bonus off the back of what having done so has achieved KPI wise.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

What are the odds he didn't insist Laura Kane get one.

I hear he asked Laura to cook him breakfast.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

I don’t think they are incompetent. They are just in it for the personal dollar only, so have to contort every little decision/explanation so that they are trying to rationalise it as being in the interests of the game or fair or reasonable when in reality it’s just concessions to broadcasters, the largest fanbases and the desire for content/eyeballs at the expense of all else. That constantly leads to them looking like fools, but in reality they’re happy to play the charade because each year they get a massive corporate bonus off the back of what having done so has achieved KPI wise.

I certainly agree that for a long time, the AFL Commission has focused only on actions to maximise their end-of-year bonus. Started before even Demetriou days. And yes, it has led to some ridiculous decisions that they justify by mental gymnastics that they insultingly expect us to swallow.

I just don't think Dillon and Kane are competent operators.

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

I can't help but enjoy the comments from Andrew Bassat in the Hun article:

In an interview with the Herald Sun last week, St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said he was optimistic with what Drummond would bring to the chair role.
“He’s a smart and sensible person and so I’m hoping he will come up with some smart and sensible outcomes,” Bassat said.
The AFL was contacted for comment.

 

[DuckYeah]

I hear he asked Laura to cook him breakfast.

Reminds me of this, one of the funniest videos ive ever seen

 

[DarkPhoenix]

 

[gokangas]

The whinging from the new Foxtel owners really has the AFL on edge I hear.

 

[king of the road]

I call bullshit.
Media is in the business of monetising viewership through subscriptions and advertising. The more views and clicks, the more they make.

North is small and don’t rate and attract viewers and subscribers.

The better we do, the more we take away from bigger clubs and the less they sell.

Therefore, it is in their business interests to belittle us as a club and impede and undermine our chance of success.

It’s all about $$$$$! The latest broadcast deal is worth $4.5 billion! They gotta protect their investment. No ****en around here.

 

[the big lebowski]

The whinging from the new Foxtel owners really has the AFL on edge I hear.

Can you expand please

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I call bullshit.
Media is in the business of monetising viewership through subscriptions and advertising. The more views and clicks, the more they make.
North is small and don’t rate and attract viewers and subscribers.
The better we do, they more we take away from bigger clubs and the less they sell.

Therefore, it is in their business interests to belittle us as a club and impede and undermine our chance of success. It’s all about $$$$$!

Very much this.

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

Can you expand please

They canceled long term deals with the Belgian Pro league and with Ligue 1 in France.

Wouldn’t surprise me if the new wildcard nonsense is partly intended as a sweetener for DAZN.

 

[gokangas]

Can you expand please

I hear the bean counters are very nervous. Already channeling that they won't pay that much again and placing demands on AFL to deliver more in terms of subscribers (fixturing I suppose). Paramount rubbing their hands with glee but look what moving to Paramount has done to the Aleague - ask any club leader and they say it has set the game back years because of the lack of FTA or at least Foxtel. AFL survives on its media deal. Now they can't smooze the local owners and build that level of mateship as the owners are all OS and have no emotional attachment to AFL at all. They will continue to mount the pressure on the AFL with threats to withdraw (don't see how that can happen with contracts) and leverage better TV ratings for them. They fight ugly. I'm told local Foxtel folk are also very uncomfortable with cost cutting looking likely which usually means people.

 

[the big lebowski]

They canceled long term deals with the Belgian Pro league and with Ligue 1 in France.

Wouldn’t surprise me if the new wildcard nonsense is partly intended as a sweetener for DAZN.

I’d be shocked if they could cancel the deal with the afl, but that’s just based on my understanding of how contracts work

 

[gokangas]

I’d be shocked if they could cancel the deal with the afl, but that’s just based on my understanding of how contracts work

Thats what I would think - let's see how good the AFL legal folk are with their contracts. The new owners have cut two deals oOS so aren't scared of rocking the boat.