ENJOYABLE CHALLENGE

Q Can you tell me a little bit about your time at the Brisbane Lions as general manager of football operations? You were there from 2010 until 2015 and it was a pretty tumultuous time in the club’s history. No doubt that would have been challenging from a work perspective but you would have learnt plenty from it. A It was a difficult period for the club. It is a difficult market in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We just missed finals one year, we won the NAB Cup one year. We were spending less than other clubs in our salary cap and football department spending as well, which makes it very difficult. That is the reality. But since then they have worked through that and been able to recontract a lot of their young list, which is encouraging. In saying that, my time at the Brisbane Lions was really enjoyable, working with people like Michael Voss (pictured) and Justin Leppitsch. What Chris Fagan and David Noble have done over the last few years at the Lions has given them a real fresh look as a club, outside of the Brisbane bubble, to bring a fresh vision. Q AFL Cairns has brought in a salary cap for local clubs’ spending in 2018. Is that a move AFL Queensland supported? A Salary caps and point systems are really important. We are looking to introduce them in our QAFL competition next year. It is about sustainability as a club and making sure they do not operate outside of their means.