Magpies’ life after Eddie

Embarrassment of riches as Collingwood sets sights high for president

COLLINGWOOD’S nominations committee will meet this week to discuss applicants wanting to join the club’s board as it plans for life after Eddie McGuire.

The Magpies have vowed to headhunt key figures in the corporate world to reshape their board as their president’s tenure comes to a dramatic close at the end of 2021 – after 23 seasons at the helm.

The Pies boasted 76,862 paid-up members last year but in reality it will be the current board that chooses McGuire’s successor under a largely inhouse process that has become common at AFL clubs.

McGuire poured praise on the existing board members at

Tuesday night‘s annual general meeting and it seems likely a current director will take the reins in 2022.

Entrepreneur Peter Murphy, who was elected two years ago, is considered an early contender, should he be willing to take on the added responsibility.

Murphy founded PAN Australian Group, is the global chair of Global Citizen and is also a trustee and chair of the Collingwood Football Club Foundation.

McGuire has two vice-presidents – Alex Waislitz and Mark Korda.

Waislitz has served under McGuire for his entire 23 years while Korda joined the board in 2007 and, together with Mark Mentha, founded advisory and investment firm KordaMentha in 2002.

Christine Holgate, Jodie Sizer and former midfielder Paul Licuria also sit on the board.

“We’ll take on board any applicants through (the nominations committee),” McGuire told the club’s AGM.

“We also have magnificent board members as you’ve seen tonight, all of whom could easily assume the position of the president of the Collingwood Football Club.

“So we’ve actually got an embarrassment of riches as far as great people to choose and we’ll take our time in doing that and making sure the balance of the board is right and we have the right expertise coming in.”