In the latest change to the AFL's football operations department, the league has appointed former Collingwood football boss Geoff Walsh to a consultancy role.
AFL House has already seen Laura Kane (EGM Football) and Josh Mahoney (GM Football Operations) take on roles under newly-appointed CEO Andrew Dillon, with Walsh now bringing 37 years of administrative experience to league headquarters.
Walsh was last with St Kilda as the Saints' head of football but resigned from the role after four months due to personal reasons. He has held prior roles with Carlton, North Melbourne and Collingwood, overseeing each club's football department.
The veteran administrator will now work alongside Dillon, Kane and Mahoney at AFL House in a new part-time role in the league's football operations sector.
“I am looking forward to joining the AFL and working with Laura and the team to ensure that we can set up the broader football portfolio for continued success.” Walsh said.
Walsh will work across AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW competitions and the Coates Talent League, and will inform the CBA Competitive Balance review as well as assist the league's list management team amid plans to expand the competition to Tasmania in the coming years.
He will review and look over the evolution of the game's state league competitions as well as the league's draft concession process.
“Geoff is one the most respected football administrators in the game and his extensive experience across a number of clubs will bring further insight from clubland into the AFL.” Kane said in a league statement.
“Our AFL Football Operations department is continuing to take shape. Josh Mahoney has hit the ground running over the AFL finals series and the AFLW home and away season and we are on the eve of what is shaping up to be a highly competitive and entertaining AFLW finals series.
“Over the coming weeks we will make further announcements to finalise the resources across the football performance area."