Disney executive Kylie Watson-Wheeler.Credit:Eamon Gallagher
The AFL has been tight-lipped during the drawn-out process after recently interviewing internalcandidates Andrew Dillon and Travis Auld as well as Richmond CEO Brendon Gale. Two senior football sources,who asked not to be named to discuss the confidential process,said none of those candidates had been told they were out of the race for the job.
Watson-Wheeler has not returned calls fromThe Age. She was set to appear at the VAFA season launch in Melbourne on Wednesday night but pulled out with attendees notified of her change of plans on social media on Wednesday afternoon.
Up until this point,Dillon - who is AFL legal counsel and head of football operations - has been the candidate that industry insiders believe to be the favourite,in a process that has taken far longer than anticipated when McLachlan first announced that he was stepping down 12 months ago. Gale is viewed as the preferred candidate within the majority of clubs,who have become increasingly frustrated at the drawn-out process to identify McLachlan’s successor.
AFL chairman Richard Goyder rang each AFL club president on Tuesday to tell them there would not be an announcement on who was replacingMcLachlan during Gather Round as they wanted to avoid overshadowing the inaugural event.
AFL sources say McLachlan is expected to remain in the gig until at least May with a decision on funding for a new stadium in Hobart to be part of the Federal Budget announcement on May 9. If the funding is granted,Tasmania’s bid for a standalone team will succeed.
AFL club CEOs are expecting an update on the search when they meet the league on Friday morning in Adelaide.