Greg Swann, who will take over as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Football League (AFL) next Monday, is an old friend. He joins Arena in this new role after an incredible 11-year stint at the Brisbane Lions. In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS, Swann opened up about his hopes for professional caliber soccer. He oversaw the resolution of urgent problems such as the match review system, umpiring and the laws of the game.
Swann has built a record of more than 25 years in high-level club administration, propelling organizations through major change. Underlining his value to the Lions, recently he was on the selection committee that chose coach Chris Fagan. His focus allowed the club to get back to business by focusing on building the best competitive juggernaut. Fagan praised Swann’s leadership, stating, “You can only give him a massive tick for the influence he’s had as a leader.”
As Swann prepares to take on the challenges at AFL House, he faces growing concerns regarding the length of games, which have been criticized for their increasing stoppages. The average quarter in the world today is about 35 minutes—a commute time that many people already feel is too long.
“Probably during the game itself we waste a lot of time doing this like waiting for ruckmen to get to a ball-up or even for a boundary throw-in, waiting for people to set up,” – Greg Swann
Fagan reiterated that, despite high expectations for Swann, he needs time to put in place the necessary reforms. “I would suggest people give him a little bit of time. He can’t just come in and make radical change in five minutes,” Fagan remarked. He underscored the importance of patience, urging fans and stakeholders not to look for immediate changes.
“People need to be patient and not think he’s going to make radical change in two weeks,” – Chris Fagan
Swann’s appointment inspires considerable hope. Critics think he’ll fail facing a lot of contradictions that he can’t fix right away. Fagan remarked on this perspective, noting, “There’s been a lot of things that have been talked about since Swanny’s appointment. He’s going to fix everything apparently.”
As Swann dives into this exciting next chapter of his career, he enters an AHL ripe for change. His leadership will be key in leading debate on length of the game and officiating. In short, with his assurance, the AFL has the potential to prosper in an increasingly competitive sporting environment.
