Gill the Dill or Rockin McLachlan?

Gill the Dill or Rockin McLachlan?

  • Gill the Dill

    Votes: 36 87.8%
  • Rocking McLachlan

    Votes: 2 4.9%
  • Jury's Out

    Votes: 3 7.3%

  • Total voters
    41

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Personally I’m not overly impressed with the directions Gillon McLachlan has taken our great code in.
I was wondering about the man and did a bit of research into his history (ok, I spent 5 minutes on Wikipedia). I must say I was very surprised at the breadth of his experience – or should I say lack thereof. Granted he has a long history at grassroots footy level, but after studying commerce and law he spent only 3 years at Accenture as a ‘management consultant’ (shudder). Since 2000 he has then spent his entire time at the AFL. Not exactly well rounded experience-wise IMHO.

So what are his achievements at the AFL? According to Wikipedia:
  • Played a role in delivering stadiums for GWS and the Gold Coast. Have to put this down as a tick I’d have thought.
  • Established the AFL media department. Not sure if this is a plus or minus.
  • Negotiated media deal of $1.25 billion. Granted I think any capable operator could have got this amount around that time, but he did pull it off without any mess. Tick.
  • Oversaw the Melbourne tanking investigation. Everyone was unhappy, but he protected a club in a venerable position, so from the AFLs position would have to be a tick. Compared to what happened with Adelaide over the same period though not exactly equitable. So I’m landing on Neutral.
  • Oversaw the Essendon supplements scandal. One of the few times the NRL schooled the AFL on how to handle something. Total cluster*. Big cross.

Since becoming CEO:
  • Introduction of AFLX. Mediocre idea poorly executed, will be gone in a couple of years and won’t achieve what it wanted to. Cross.
  • Changing the rules after trialling in a couple of practice sessions. Jury would still be out on the effects, but lack of process would be a cross for me at this stage.
  • Introduction of AFLW. Despite the general lack of interest on Bigfooty it’s generated a lot of interest in women I speak to. Also I’ll give it another go based on my team fielding a side next year. Tick.
  • Team in Tasmania not achieved. Cross.
So surprisingly I come up with this so far:
Ticks: 3
Crosses: 4
Neutral / Juries Out: 2

Not great, but far from a disaster either. What do you think? Have I missed anything (well, of course, and if so what? Am I too harsh or fair?

Update 1: Kappa: "Was it Gill who oversaw Free Agency? thats a tick." (Also nominated equalisation - I put that down as jury's out).
Ticks: 4
Crosses: 4
Neutral / Juries Out: 3
 
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The things he has done successfully have been absolute gimmies, most notably a $1bn+ media deal and the AFLW. You couldn't possibly * those up if you tried and he nearly did with the AFLW.

The rest of the stuff that has happened under Gillo has been a disaster. Too many fails to list.

I'd give him a D-
 

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Apr 19, 2013
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Did a decent job with the latest media rights, but that was in between numerous s**t sandwiches. He's often flittering between socialite and outright incompetent. It's hard to see the same shenanigans the AFL Commission got away with for years while Demetrious was ruling with an iron fist.

As much as people didn't like Demetriou, you really have to admire his bullish, hands-on approach, and no-nonsense taking personality. Collingwood and Hawthorn ran roughshod over McLachlan as soon as he landed the job. That was embarrassing, but not wholly unexpected.

Agree on the Essendon saga, that was as poorly handled as any major sports event. But then you have the Swans trade ban for nothing, and showing absolutely no leadership in the Adam Goodes racial saga. His pièce de résistance was undoubtedly the attempt to equalisation, which was an absolute joke and a shambles. At least they got that right after someone with common sense intervened.

Honestly, can't wait until this piss-poor excuse for a CEO goes.
 
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Final Siren

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Aug 18, 2009
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I will never trust a tall, good-looking man with great hair to run an organization. You just know he's breezed through life, everyone telling him he's so clever, as he wanders from one stuff-up to another. I want my leaders to be short, ugly *s who had to fight life for everything. They get results.
 

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Did a decent job with the latest media rights, but that was in between numerous s**t sandwiches. He's often flittering between socialite and outright incompetent. It's hard to see the same shenanigans the AFL Commission got away with for years while Demetrious was ruling with an iron fist.

As much as people didn't like Demetriou, you really have to admire his bullish, hands-on approach, and no-nonsense taking personality. Collingwood and Hawthorn ran roughshod over McLachlan as soon as he landed the job. That was embarrassing, but not wholly unexpected.

Agree on the Essendon saga, that was as poorly handled as any major sports event. But then you have the Swans trade ban for nothing, and showing absolutely no leadership in the Adam Goodes racial saga. His pièce de résistance was undoubtedly the attempt to equalisation, which was an absolute joke and a shambles. At least they got that right after someone with common sense intervened.

Honestly, can't wait until this piss-poor excuse for a CEO goes.
Almost added the Goodes situation to the list, but veered away because I didn't want this to get into a shitfight. On the other hand he gets a tick from me for finishing COLA, so much of a muchness.

I will never trust a tall, good-looking man with great hair to run an organization. You just know he's breezed through life, everyone telling him he's so clever, as he wanders from one stuff-up to another. I want my leaders to be short, ugly ****s who had to fight life for everything. They get results.
... and here I always pictured you as a handsome, hairstute, debonaire fellow. ;)
 
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Was it Gill who oversaw Free Agency? thats a tick.

Equalization gets a big tick too, the competition is extremely close.
I'd agree with free agency. I'm unconvinced by equalisation though. One swallow does not a summer make, and these measures often have unintended consequences. OP updated.
 
Aug 18, 2010
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The problem is that in every case he’s managed it so that it’s worse than it should have been. Look at AFLW: the constant rule changes, player swaps, changes to the season structure, trialling things... it makes it seem like he’s not taking it seriously, and all makes it much harder for fans to get behind. The whole things has been badly implemented, like everything Gill has done. He’s a classic over-achieving commerce grad who has never got his hands dirty and who thinks he shits gold. Pro-Tip: he doesn’t.
 

SterlingArcher

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Dill.

Kinda nice he does 'things for the kids' but I mean the fact he oversaw the creation of "AFLX" (all things must be X for Xtreme!) when a perfectly good social competition already existed (AFL9s) was ridiculous. AFL9s would have benefited massively from the AFL embracing it at a professional level showcasing it, increasing participation numbers and so on. It's the only easily organised, social, mixed form of the game and getting people involved in it would only make the actual game stronger. Instead he did "it for the kids!" which is cool and all but does it actually get them rusted on? Were the ones attending already rusted on? Is it a fad hyped by being able to catch the ball after a goal and being close to the players? And cool now there's a third form of the game but one doesn't get any amateur play at all so why bother ???

The ridiculous rule changes are ridiculous and the obsession with scoring and 'look' of the game is ******* insanity. Sydney 2005 were 'boring' and ruining the game, flooding was all the rage and omg!! Then along came Geelong and Hawthorn. Just like scrappy football was the play until West Coast won the flag with contested marking talls and precise kicking and midfield spread - I'm sure other teams would have followed suit naturally but instead the AFL had to react with ridiculous rule changes.

NOW there's talk that the AFL should bring in "play on from kicking backwards" from influential media figures. * OFF. We have reduced interchanges so players like to clog the game up, we have banned 3rd man up so we can't clear congestion, we have odd interpretations of HTB.
So instead of going ok maybe some of our rule changes have lead to this there's heaps of new changes and now they haven't helped we need to bring in more rules? Can't we just return to letting coaches coach? Coaches will always have defense first, especially rebuilding teams, that will never change. So stop forcing it. And * off with the scoring obsession. Why not just make 20 points for a goal and claim highest scoring seasons ever? No different to increasing the number of games and then bragging about record total crowds :cool:

Done some good admin things off-the-field, I'll give him that, and I think he has overseen the expansion clubs and AFLW in a way that will only have strong positive influences on the game in the future.

But his/his teams influence on the game itself is very annoying and is very frustrating.
 
You gave AFLX a cross after only one summer, double standard?
Two summers. Although if one or two more people like si tacuisses say they think it's a tick I'll update the op. It's function though is to create a popular shorter form of the game to sell abroad and I cant see any movement in that direction. Having said that, yes, at least a little bit of double standard.
 

Kappa

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Two summers. Although if one or two more people like si tacuisses say they think it's a tick I'll update the op. It's function though is to create a popular shorter form of the game to sell abroad and I cant see any movement in that direction. Having said that, yes, at least a little bit of double standard.

Pretty sure it had solid crowds and good ratings, despite a few loud whingers on Bigfooty I don't see why its a bad thing. Has potential, plenty of kids at the games.
 
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