A WILDCARD has been thrown into the Ovens and Murray’s hunt for a new general manager with the league to consider a management proposal by AFL North East Border.
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AFL NEB general manager John O’Donohue will make a presentation to the Ovens and Murray board on Monday night as the league searches for a replacement for the outgoing Aaron McGlynn.
Under O’Donohue’s plan, the Ovens and Murray league would join the Tallangatta, Ovens and King, Upper Murray and Wangaratta junior competitions in being managed by AFL NEB.
Rather than have one general manager such as McGlynn, the Ovens and Murray could have commercial, operational and communications managers looking after it within AFL NEB, O’Donohue said.
If the Ovens and Murray board accepted the AFL NEB proposal, it wouldn’t need to replace McGlynn, who finishes on August 5.
O’Donohue said while governance would remain with the Ovens and Murray board, day-to-day management and operations of the league would fall to AFL NEB.
“The regional model is about having every league working collaboratively to try and find efficiencies with the investment that footy’s got now,” he said.
“We see a lot of benefits in everyone working together on a day-to-day basis.”
O’Donohue said the Ovens and Murray’s fierce rival – Goulburn Valley – had made a successful transition to being managed by AFL Goulburn Murray.
“It’s just an extension of the model that operates in other areas of the state,” he said.
“We’ve seen it work in Ballarat, Geelong and Shepparton, with the GV league going across.
“The other benefit from our point of view, it provides a career pathway for people into the AFL system.
“We see some benefits for footy but also for individuals who want to get involved with footy management.”
O’Donohue said AFL Goulburn Murray’s ability to replace GV league operations manager Simon Devine from within its own ranks was an example of the management model’s increased efficiency.
Ovens and Murray chairman Graeme Patterson said the league had received 16 applications for McGlynn’s position and had drawn up a shortlist to interview.
He said the league had to proceed with interviews for the general manager’s position because he “couldn’t possibly pre-empt what the decision of the board will be” regarding the AFL NEB proposal.
If the Ovens and Murray was to appoint a new general manager, Patterson hoped to have the person in place before McGlynn left the league to take up a role with Albury Council.
“We’re very pleased with the number of applications,” he said.
“The process is certainly underway.”
The Albury-Wodonga Junior Football League’s management contract with the Ovens and Murray is also up for renewal.
Xavier Mardling
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
