Ex-fitzroy Star Conlan On Short List For Melbourne's Ceo Post

The Age

Tuesday March 11, 2008

Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson

FORMER Fitzroy star and ex-AFL marketing executive Michael Conlan has emerged as a leading candidate for the Melbourne chief executive's position.

Conlan, an executive for Reebok's Asia Pacific division based in Seoul, is believed to be among the final short list of three candidates, vying with Australian Open golf boss Paul McNamee and Geelong's chief financial officer Stuart Fox.

Conlan, a close friend of former AFL No. 2 and Football Federation chief executive Ben Buckley, has strong relationships with the key AFL executives Andrew Demetriou and Gillon McLachlan and has been sounded out about his interest in chief executive positions in the past.

While most of the attention has been on McNamee, well known for his role in golf and especially for his lengthy stint as tournament director of the Australian Open in tennis, Conlan also is being seriously considered, though the former Fitzroy forward would have to consider whether he wishes to move to Melbourne and give up his position with Reebok.

Melbourne still has to conduct a second round of interviews, which presumably would be done by a conference call to South Korea in Conlan's case.

Geelong's Fox is the other main candidate, having been strongly recommended by Cats' chief executive Brian Cook, who has spoken favourably of his lieutenant to the AFL and suggested that Fox should succeed him at Geelong.

Conlan worked at the AFL under Buckley, dealing with major sponsorships such as Coca-Cola and Fosters, and his strong relationships with Demetriou and McLachlan would be in his favour. Conlan coached the Melbourne University Blues in the amateurs in 2002, when McLachlan - the AFL's head of broadcasting and commercial operations - captained the club. McLachlan played a role in recruiting Conlan to Uni Blues.

Conlan is best remembered by football fans, however, as an explosive half-forward flanker with with a body-builder's physique who played 210 games and booted 394 goals for Fitzroy over a 13-year career. He was a cult figure and one of the most recognised of Fitzroy's strong teams under Robert Walls and David Parkin.

He had a penchant for spectacular goals, often involving multiple bounces and brute force to break tackles.

His most famous goal, however, was the late score that enabled the Lions to sink Essendon in the 1986 elimination final. Conlan had been held kickless all day.

© 2008 The Age

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