List of VFL/AFL commissioners and club presidents
This is a listing of all the commissioners and club presidents of the VFL/AFL.
An independent VFL Commission was formed in 1985, being renamed the AFL Commission in 1990 in line with the competition.
In 1993, the AFL Commission assumed power from the clubs, and the AFL Board of Directors was dissolved. Later that year, the AFL Commission assumed control of Australian rules football when it absorbed the ANFC.
A separate role of AFL Chairman was subsequently created (see below).
VFL President (1897-1985), VFL/AFL Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (since 1985)
| Name | Term in office | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Alex McCracken | 1897–1915 | Essendon [1] |
| Oliver Maurice Williams | 1915–1917 [2] | Melbourne [3] |
| Chas Brownlow | 1917–1919 [4] | Geelong |
| Walter Baldwin Spencer | 1919–1926 | Carlton |
| William C. McClelland | 1926–1955 | Melbourne [5] |
| Sir Kenneth Luke | 1956–1971 [6] | Carlton |
| Sir Maurice Nathan | 1971–1977 | Carlton |
| Allen Aylett | 1977–1983 | North Melbourne |
| Jack Hamilton | 1983–1986 | Collingwood [7] |
| Ross Oakley | 1986–1996 | St. Kilda [8] |
| Wayne Jackson | 1996–2003 [9] | Independent |
| Andrew Demetriou | 2003–2014 | |
| Gillon McLachlan | 2014–present |
AFL Chairman (since 1993)
| Name | Term in office |
|---|---|
| John Kennedy, Sr. | 1993–1997 |
| Ron Evans AM | 1997–2007 |
| Mike Fitzpatrick | 2007–2017 |
| Richard Goyder | 2017–present |
Club Presidents
Adelaide
- Bob Hammond (1991-2000) [10]
- Bob Campbell (2001-2003)
- Bill Sanders (2004–2008)
- Rob Chapman (2009–present)
Brisbane Bears/Lions
- Paul Cronin (1987-1990)[11]
- Noel Gordon (1990–1999)
- Alan Piper (1999–2000)
- Graeme Downie (2000–2006)
- Tony Kelly (2006–2010)
- Angus Johnson (2010–2013)
- Bob Sharpless (2013–2017)
- Andrew Wellington (2017–present)
Carlton
- Robert McFarland (1864-1865) [12]
- James Linacre (1865)
- George Coppin (1866-1872)
- John Walls (1873)
- Robert Robertson (1874-1885)
- Arthur Gillespie (1886-1894)
- Frederick Bromley (1895)
- A.H. Shaw (1896–1901)
- Robert Heatley (1901–1904)
- H.B. Higgins (1904–1905)
- W.F. Evans (1905–1907)
- J. Urquhart (1907–1910)
- J. McInerney (1910–1912)
- D. Bell (1912–1914)
- Jack Gardiner (1914–1925)
- D. Young (1925–1928)
- Dave Crone (1929–1938)
- Sir Kenneth Luke (1938–1956)
- Horrie Clover (1956–1958)
- L.J.M. Holmes (1958–1965)
- George Harris (1965–1975, 1978-1980)
- Ivan Rohrt (1975–1978)
- Ian Rice (1980–1983)
- John Elliott (1983–2002)
- Ian Collins (2002–2006)
- Graham Smorgon (2006–2007)
- Stephen Kernahan (2007)
- Richard Pratt (2007–2008)
- Stephen Kernahan (2008–2014)
- Mark LoGiudice (2014 – present)
Collingwood
- William Beazley (1892–1911)
- Alfred Cross (1912)
- Jim Sharp (1913–1923)
- Harry Curtis (1924–1950)
- Syd Coventry (1950–1962)
- Tom Sherrin (1963–1974)
- Ern Clarke (1975–1976)
- John Hickey (1977–1981)
- Ranald Macdonald (1982–1986)
- Allan McAllister (1986–1995)
- Kevin Rose (1996–1998)
- Eddie McGuire (1998 – present)
Essendon
- Robert McCracken (1877-1885)[13]
- James Robertson (1886)
- Alexander McCracken (1887–1903)
- W Kent-Hughes (1904–1907)
- A L Crichton (1908–1919)
- W Raper (1920–1925)
- A F McGowan (1926–1929)
- F F Campbell (1930–1934)
- A F Showers (1935–1940)
- N H Mirams (1940)
- W R Crichton (1941–1959)
- W G Brew (1959–1968)
- Allan Hird Snr (1969–1975)
- Colin Stubbs (1976–1980)
- Greg Sewell (1981–1987)
- Ron Evans (1988–1992)
- David Shaw (1992–1996)
- Graeme McMahon (1996–2003)
- Neil McKissock (2003–2006)
- Ray Horsburgh (2006–2009)
- David Evans (2009–2013)
- Paul Little (2013–2015)
- Lindsay Tanner (2015–2020)
- Paul Brasher (2020 – present)
Fitzroy
- John McMahon (1884-1887)[14]
- Robert Best (1887-1910)
- Don Chandler (1910-1930)
- Bill Hannah (1930-1932)
- Alec Sloan (1932-1933)
- Ossie Porter (1933-1936)
- Bill Raymond (1936-1938)
- Harold McLennan (1938-1947)
- George Hook (1947-1951)
- Les Phelan (1951-1964)
- Ern Joseph (1964-1975)
- Frank Bibby (1975-1980)
- Keith Wiegard (1980-1984)
- Bruce White (1984-1985)
- Leon Wiegard (1985-1991)
- Dyson Hore-Lacy (1991–1996)
Fremantle
- Ross Kelly (1995–1998, Chairman)
- Ross McLean (1999–2001, Chairman)
- Rick Hart (2002 – 2009, titled Chairman until 2004, President since 2005)
- Steve Harris (2009–2016)
- Dale Alcock (2016 – present)
Geelong
- P. Dwyer (1878) [15]
- James Wilson Sr (1878-1883)
- J. Hopkins (1884-1885)
- F. Orchard (1886)
- J. Wilson (1887-1888)
- J. Sommers (1889)
- G. W. Steedman (1890)
- JH Grey (1891–1899)
- J McMullen (1900–1902)
- HB Hodges (1903–1909)
- AH Bowman (1910–1920)
- Brig. Gen. R Smith (1921–1922)
- Cr WL Carr (1922)
- Dr JE Piper (1923–1926)
- Cr JA Thear (1927–1929)
- M Jacobs (1930–1938)
- TB Hawkes (1939)
- BNM Collins (1940–1945)
- Jack Jennings (1946–1970)
- Vern Johnstone (1971–1973)
- Neil Trezise (1974–1975)
- MO Graham (1976–1979)
- JN McHolt (1980–1982)
- Dr KLC Threlfall (1983–1987)
- W Bannon (1987–1988)
- Ron Hovey OAM (1988–1998)
- Frank Costa (1998–2010)
- Colin Carter (2011–present)
Gold Coast
- John Witheriff (2009–2016)
- Tony Cochrane (2016 – present)
Greater Western Sydney
- Tony Shepherd (2011–present)
Hawthorn
- J. C. Watts (1902)
- George Swinburne (1903)
- C. O. Shave (1906)
- Col. Pleasants (1907)
- W. M. Burton (1908-1909, 1912)
- H. Henningsen (1910)
- Charles Bethune (1911, 1914-1915)
- Cr. Wood (1913)
- W. H. "Bill" Hulse (1916)
- Edward Ward (1919)
- F. O. Small (1920)
- J. "Bill" Kennon (1921–1931)
- Dr Jacob Jona J.P. (1932–1949)
- David Prentice (1949–1953)
- A. "Sandy" Ferguson (1953–1968)
- Phil Ryan (1968–1980)
- Ron Cook (1980–1988)
- Trevor Coote (1988–1994)
- Geoff Lord (1994–1995)
- Brian Coleman (1995–1996)
- Ian Dicker (1996–2005)
- Jeff Kennett (2005–2011, 2017–present)
- Andrew Newbold (2011–2016)
- Richard Garvey (2016–2017)[16][17]
Melbourne
- Frank Grey-Smith (1883-1890) [18]
- R. H. McLeod (1890-1897)
- H. C. A. Harrison (1897–1906)
- T. F. Morkham (1907–1910)
- A. A. Aitken (1911)
- William C. McClelland (1912–1926)
- Vernon Ransford (1927–1928)
- Joe Blair (1929–1946)
- William Flintoft (1947–1949)
- Albert Chadwick (1950–1962)
- Donald Duffy (1963–1974)
- John Mitchell (1975–1978)
- Wayne Reid (1979–1980)
- Sir Billy Snedden (1981–1986)
- Stuart Spencer (1986–1991)
- Ian Ridley (1991–1996)
- Joseph Gutnick (1996–2002)
- Gabriel Szondy (2002–2003)
- Paul Gardner (2003–2008)
- Jim Stynes (2008–2012)
- Don McLardy (2012–2013)
- Peter Spargo (2013) (Acting)
- Glen Bartlett (2013–present)
North Melbourne/Kangaroos
- John McIndoe (1869-1871) [19]
- R. J. Alcock (1872-1873)
- Dr. Burke (1874)
- R. Sutcliffe (1875, 1877-1881)
- E. Harcourt (1882-1885)
- R. K. Montgomerie (1886)
- M. Evans (1887-1891)
- J. Barwise (1892-1895, 1897)
- N. M. O'Donnell (1896)
- D. Wadick (1898)
- W. H. Fuller (1899-1900)
- James Gardiner (1901)
- G. M. Prendergast (1902-1911)
- Clem Davidson (1912-1919)
- T. F. Jenyns (1920)
- B. Deveney (1921)
- George E Ravenhall (1922-1923)
- A. J. Russell (1924)
- Patrick Sullivan (1924–1928)
- Dr D Berman (1928)
- Arthur Calwell (1928–1934)
- Dr D Berman (1934–1937)
- Frank Trainor (1937–1952)
- Johnny Meere (1952–1953)
- Phonse Tobin (1953–1956)
- Alex Marr (1956–1962)
- Jack Adams (1962–1965)
- Tony Trainor (1965–1971)
- Allen Aylett (1971–1977)
- Lloyd Holyoak (1977–1980)
- Al Mantello (1980)
- Bob Ansett (1980–1992)
- Ron Casey (1992–2000)
- Andrew Carter (2000–2001)
- Allen Aylett (2001–2005)
- Graham Duff (2005–2007)
- John Magowan (2007)
- James Brayshaw (2007–2016)
- Ben Buckley (2016–present)
Port Adelaide
- J. Hart Snr (1870-1879)
- J. Formby (1880-1892)
- J. Cleave (1893-1894)
- W. Fisher (1895-1900)
- R. Cruickshank (1901)
- W.E. Mattinson (1902-1911)
- R. Cruickshank (1912)
- Dr A.V. Benson (1913-1921)
- S.H. Skipper (1922-1925)
- Dr P.T.S. Cherry (1927-1931, 1937-1949)
- C.T. Gunn (1932-1936)
- Dr.W.H. Baudinet (1950-1951)
- F.B. Harvey (1952-1972)
- K.L. Duthie (1973-1985)
- B.H. Weber (1986-1992)
- Greg Boulton (1993–2008)
- Brett Duncanson (2008–2012)
- David Koch (2013–present)
Richmond
- George Bennett (1887–1908)
- Frank Tudor (1909–1918)
- Alf Wood (1919–1923)
- Jack Archer (1924–1931)
- Barney Herbert (1932–1935, 1939)
- Lou Roberts (1936–1938)
- Harry Dyke (1940–1958)
- Maurie Fleming (1958–1963)
- Ray Dunn (1964–1971)
- Alistair Boord (1971–1973)
- Ian Wilson (1974–1985)
- Barry Richardson (1985)
- Bill Durham (1986)
- Alan Bond (1987)
- Neville Crowe (1987–1993)
- Leon Daphne (1993–1999)
- Clinton Casey (2000–2005)
- Gary March (2005–2013)
- Peggy O'Neal (2013–present)
St Kilda
- Dave McNamara (1939-1940) [20]
- E. C. Mitty (1940-1945)
- Reuben Sackville (1946-1955)
- Jack Reilly (1958)
- Graham Huggins (1959–1979)
- Lindsay Fox (1979–1985)
- David Perry (1985–1986)
- Travis Payze (1987–1993)
- Andrew Plympton (1993–2001)
- Rod Butterss (2001–2007)
- Greg Westaway (2007–2013)
- Peter Summers (2013–2018)
- Andrew Bassat (2018–present)
South Melbourne/Sydney
- A. Brown (1881) [21]
- Henry Dodds (1881-1891)
- A. G. Major (1895, 1898)
- Dr Thomson (1896)
- John Sloss (1897)
- Thomas Craine (1899-1903)
- Henry Hawkins Skinner (1904-1911)
- George A. Emslie (1912-1917)
- Joseph Francis Hannon (1919)
- Robert Melville Cuthbertson (1920-1928)
- Jack Rohan (1929-1932)
- Archie Crofts (1933-1937)
- J. D. M. Dickson (1938-1941)
- Lionel Newton (1942-1945)
- J. P. Cullen (1946-1959)
- W. R. Tait (1960-1963)
- R. C. Warner (1963)
- C. V. Ridgway (1964-1967)
- Brian Bourke (1967-1972)
- S. Keane (1972-1973)
- K. G. Hooker (1974-1975)
- Craig Kimberley (1976-1977, 1986-1988)
- G. Camakaris (1977-1978)
- Graeme John (1978–1981)
- Jack Marks (1981–1985)
- Dr. Geoffrey Edelsten (1985–1986)
- Peter Weinert (1988–1993)
- Richard Colless (1993–2013)
- Andrew Pridham (2013 – present)
Footscray/Western Bulldogs
- David Mitchell (1886-1893) [22]
- James Tucker (1893-1894)
- James Cuming (1894-1911)
- Frank Shillabeer (1911-1912)
- Arch Crow (1912-1921)
- George Sayer (1922, 1926)
- James Stephens (1923)
- George Farnsworth (1924)
- L. Caldecott (1925)
- Kevin McCarthy (1926-1938)
- Bert Jamieson (1938-1941)
- Con Curtain (1941-1946)
- Otto Grobbecker (1946-1949, 1953-1955)
- Con Weickhardt (1949-1952)
- Bernie Barry (1955-1960)
- Harry Dolphin (1960-1962)
- Jim Miller (1962-1966)
- Jack Collins (1966-1973)
- Dick Collinson (1973-1978)
- Charlie Sutton (1979-1981)
- G. Gray (1981-1981)
- Tony Capes (1982-1988)
- Barry Beattie (1988-1989)
- Nick Columb (1989–1989)
- Peter Gordon (1989–1996, 2012–present)
- David Smorgon (1996–2012)
West Coast
- Richard Colless (1987)
- Neil Hamilton (1987–89)
- Terry O'Connor (1989–92)
- Dwane Buckland (1992–96)
- Murray McHenry (1996–98)
- Michael Smith (1998–2002)
- Dalton Gooding (2002–2007)
- Mark Barnaba (2007–10)
- Alan Cransberg (2010–2016)
- Russell Gibbs (2016–present)
References
- ^ McCracken was also President of Essendon from 1897-1903.
- ^ Resigned.
- ^ Obituary
- ^ Brownlow served in an acting capacity after the resignation of Williams.
- ^ McClelland was also MCC President from 1944-1957.
- ^ Died in office.
- ^ Hamilton represented Collingwood on the Board of Directors in 1985-1986.
- ^ Oakley represented St. Kilda on the Board of Directors until it was dissolved in 1993.
- ^ Jackson was the first non-Victorian AFL CEO.
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Adelaide/1
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Brisbane/2
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Carlton/3
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Essendon/5
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Fitzroy/31
- ^ https://www.geelongcats.com.au/club/history/honour-roll
- ^ https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/history/honour-board
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Hawthorn/28
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Melbourne/8
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/North+Melbourne/13
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/St.+Kilda/12
- ^ https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/club/History/honour-roll
- ^ https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/Western+Bulldogs/14