AFL to revive men's competition committee after three-year hiatus

Some of football's most experienced officials will help shape the men's elite game with the return of the advisory panel

Brisbane CEO Greg Swann ahead of the 2024 Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos

THE AFL's competition committee is returning.

The League's chief executive Andrew Dillon has been in discussions with Commission chairman Richard Goyder in recent months about reestablishing the men's competition committee, which hasn't been in effect since 2022.

It was first introduced in 2018, with the select group of officials, players, coaches, football managers, CEOs, presidents and AFL executives on board to guide discussion around decision-making for the League on key aspects of the future of the game.

The return of the men's competition committee will be announced by the League on Wednesday, with new football performance boss Greg Swann, football operations boss Laura Kane and AFL commissioner and veteran administrator Andrew Ireland to be integral to the committee.

Andrew Ireland at a pre-season game between Sydney and GWS in February 2014. Picture: AFL Photos

The last new faces added to the AFL's competition committee came in 2021, when Carlton star Jacob Weitering, St Kilda coach Brett Ratten, Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick and Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson were among the additions.

Again the League will look far and wide to get a strong representation of names and faces from around the game for a diverse set of views and experiences.

The AFLW competition committee has continued to operate, helping to steer the evolution of the elite women's game. The most recent additions to the AFLW committee in May included Essendon president Dave Barham, Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich, Sydney CEO and incoming AFL chief operating officer Tom Harley, and Port Adelaide star Gemma Houghton.

Separately, but in keeping with the AFL's consultative approach, an assistant coach from every club was sent a memo on Tuesday to collate feedback from their respective club on a range of topics in the way the game is currently being played.

They were handpicked as the conduits between their clubs and the league, with the AFL wanting feedback and to identify trends on a number of contentious factors, including the 6-6-6 rules, insufficient intent, game length, deliberate rushed behind, the stand rule and 'double goals', when a player gets a free kick after a goal is kicked and another is kicked before the ball returns to the middle of the ground.

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