FOOTBALL manager. GM of Football. Head of Football. Football Operations boss.

The titles may change from club to club, and from era to era, but the leader of the football department is undoubtedly one of the most important roles inside club land.

While the senior coach is clearly the most visible key pillar at each club, and the president and CEO are typically heard from more across the winter, GMs continue to grow in prominence by the year.

Where once the footy manager was also the CEO, the secretary, the recruiting boss and even the welfare manager, the GM is now in charge of the many smaller teams that comprise a football department, from high performance and medical, to coaching and recruiting.

Back in the day, Greg Miller, Trevor Nisbett, Andrew Ireland, Graeme Allan and Geoff Walsh were considered the best in the business, in a business done behind the scenes. Ruthless operators with premierships on their CVs.

In more recent times, the likes of Mark Evans, Craig Vozzo and Chris Fagan have risen from the head of football role to CEO or senior coach, but those who worked closely with them during remember formidable figures during their past lives as GM.

There are 19 GMs in the AFL – Richmond has split the role – with Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney's department heads also the list manager.

Many have crossed paths inside different clubs. Some are brothers – Simon and Brad Lloyd – while others are cousins – Jason and Rob McCartney. And some now work in the front office of clubs where they won premierships or best and fairests – or both.

With Brad Scott returning to club land in September, the AFL GM role remains vacant on the eve of the season. That replacement could come from one of these 19 men below. If not now, then maybe down the track.

AFL.com.au has tracked how each GM progressed to this point in their career.

ADAM KELLY – Adelaide

He now has one of the biggest roles in South Australian football, but Adam Kelly wasn't always heading down this path. The Victorian was working as an accountant in a real estate firm in Swan Hill and starring in the Central Murray Football League when he decided at 28 he wanted to change course and find a way to build a career in sports administration. Kelly and his wife ran a hotel and restaurant while he completed a Sports Management MBA. That led to a role as the CEO of Country Racing Victoria's Murray Mallee Racing, where he oversaw five thoroughbred clubs. Footy was always No.1, so when an opportunity to be the CEO of East Fremantle presented in 2010, the Kelly's moved to Perth for four years, before heading to Adelaide to be the GM of the SANFL. Kelly was the first person not from WA to be CEO of East Fremantle and the first non-South Australian to be GM of the SANFL. After more than five years at the SANFL, Kelly landed the role at West Lakes.

DANNY DALY – Brisbane

Long before Danny Daly landed in the AFL, he was a bank manager with the Bank of Melbourne after more than 15 years in banking where he worked as an accountant, branch manager and company relations manager, around coaching at Balwyn in the powerful Eastern Football League. Daly's first foray into the AFL was a casual role at Collingwood as an opposition analyst under Mick Malthouse. When Danielle Laidley landed the coaching role at North Melbourne, Daly moved across to Arden Street, taking two years leave from banking. Daly has never returned to the Bank of Melbourne. He moved from the Kangaroos to Richmond as an assistant coach under Damien Hardwick, before joining Brisbane in 2015 where he has worn a number of positions, including head of strategy before succeeding David Noble as head of football after he joined North Melbourne in 2020. It was Daly's background inside and outside football that convinced Chris Fagan and Greg Swann that he was the right man to step up two years ago when David Noble headed to North Melbourne.

BRAD LLOYD – Carlton

After playing 11 games for Hawthorn in the late 1990s and then becoming a great at Williamstown in the VFL, where he won three best and fairests and captained the 2003 premiership, Brad Lloyd held a range of key roles in the game across the past 20 years. He worked for KPMG before moving into player management with Craig Kelly at Elite Sports Properties – now known TLA Worldwide – and spent seven years with the company, where he was involved in managing the affairs of Shane Crawford, Nathan Buckley and Garry Lyon. Lloyd was then poached by Fremantle and spent 11 years working for the Dockers, first as national recruiting manager then as list boss before the Blues started scouring the market for someone to replace Andrew McKay. Lloyd, who completed an MBA at Victoria University and an executive education course at Harvard Business School, along with the AFL executive course in 2016, was appointed GM at Princes Park in August 2018.

GRAHAM WRIGHT – Collingwood

The Collingwood premiership player was a textile mechanic back in Tasmania before doing what some of his peers did in the late 90s – own several AFL stores. Wright worked for Elite Sports Properties alongside Craig Kelly, where he was involved in the memorabilia arm of the business, before two other old Magpies contacts brought him into the fold of another club. Graeme Allan and Leigh Matthews recruited Wright to opposition analysis in 2004 and then mature-age recruiting, starting a career shift that is still going 20 years on. Wright spent four years working for the Lions based out of Melbourne, before joining Hawthorn as the club's east coast recruiting manager in 2007 under Chris Pelchen and Gary Buckenara. When Pelchen left for St Kilda in 2011, Wright became national recruiting manager and was then promoted to GM to replace Jason Burt in 2018. Collingwood poached Wright at the start of 2021 to run the football department at the AIA Centre, with the portfolio being extended to include list management when Ned Guy departed as list boss a few months later. Like Jason McCartney at GWS, Wright is one of the only GMs who is also the list manager.

JOSH MAHONEY – Essendon

Drafted out of the VFL, traded after two seasons, delisted, drafted for a second time and then a premiership. Josh Mahoney has lived many of the ups and downs players experience in this game, making him well suited to this role. Given the status of his playing contracts and spot in the side, Mahoney studied throughout his career, knowing it might be over sooner rather than later, completing a science degree at La Trobe University and a Master of Marketing and MBA at the University of South Australia. After landing a role as an assistant coach at Melbourne in 2008 after retiring months earlier, Mahoney spent four years in coaching when he realised his passion lay elsewhere inside a football department when Andrew Demetriou addressed the club one day in 2011. Cameron Schwab and Peter Jackson were integral in his elevation to football manager under Mark Neeld and then GM. Mahoney spent nearly a decade in those roles before moving to Essendon at the end of 2020.

PETER BELL – Fremantle

After being delisted at the end of Fremantle's inaugural season with just two games next to his name, Peter Bell produced one of the great responses, playing in the first of two premierships with North Melbourne the following year. He returned to the Dockers at the end of 2000 and finished his career on 286 games with four best and fairests. Since then, Bell has enjoyed a successful career in business in the hospitality sector and in the broadcast booth, working for 6PR, ABC and then Seven. He hosted a weekday breakfast program on ABC Radio Perth, before featuring on the AFL broadcast for the host broadcaster. After a stint as the AFL Players' Association president and a role as the chairman of the AFL Players' Trust, Bell returned to Fremantle as general manager of football at the end of the 2018 season, following the departure of Chris Bond and Brad Lloyd, who moved to Carlton as GM.

SIMON LLOYD – Geelong

Not many have worn as many different hats inside a football department than Simon Lloyd. After playing under-19s and reserves for Carlton before a successful career at Williamstown, Lloyd joined Hawthorn as a sports psychologist, where he also served as Peter Schwab's gameday runner. Lloyd spent seven years with the Hawks and also worked as player development manager and a development coach. Collingwood was next for Lloyd where he was the high performance manager in a role that involved coaching, leadership, psychology and even recruiting under Derek Hine. Lloyd moved west next when he landed a senior development role at Fremantle under Ross Lyon, where Chris Scott was also part of the football program. He also worked with the academy, forwards and Peel Thunder during his six years at the Dockers before Steve Hocking called in 2016 to bring him back to Victoria for a director of coaching position at GMHBA Stadium. Further study in negotiation and contract deal making at Harvard has helped him rise to GM at the Cats, replacing Hocking at the end of 2017 after he was poached by the AFL. Now Lloyd has been linked to CEO positions and appears destined for those roles at the other end of the building in future.

WAYNE CAMPBELL – Gold Coast Suns

After calling time on his decorated 15-year career at Richmond, where he won four Jack Dyer Medals across 297 games, Wayne Campbell transitioned into coaching. It didn't take long for his desire to switch to an administration role. Coaching was a path towards that and when then-AFL GM Mark Evans called him about running the umpires department, it was Campbell's first step towards a head of football position. While premiership points aren't up for grabs, the umpire department isn't dissimilar to a football department, with analytics, high performance and medical teams. After two and a half years, Campbell moved to Sydney to become Greater Western Sydney's GM, where he spent four years in the role, departing after the 2019 Grand Final loss to Richmond. Campbell joined the Suns at the end of 2021, reconnecting with Gold Coast CEO Evans and list manager Craig Cameron, who he worked with at Richmond and GWS.

JASON MCCARTNEY – GWS Giants

It has now been almost 20 years since Jason McCartney made a heroic return to the game after surviving the Bali bombings, in what would prove to be his final appearance in the AFL. Since then, the 48-year-old has transitioned into a variety of different roles inside the game, starting with a role as the AFL's youth and high performance co-ordinator before moving to the AIS/AFL high performance coach. In 2010, McCartney was linked to the list manager role at West Coast before moving west to accept a development coaching position at Fremantle under Mark Harvey. But after considering list management as his next step in football, it didn't take too long for the Western Bulldogs to offer him a role as list manager in 2011, where he played a key role in constructing the list that would end a 62-year premiership drought in 2016. Just 12 months later, McCartney was appointed Greater Western Sydney's list manager, replacing Craig Cameron in the key post at the Giants. By the end of 2019, GWS made the decision to elevate McCartney to GM following the departure of Wayne Campbell, although he maintained the list management portfolio, much like Graham Wright at Collingwood.

ROB MCCARTNEY – HAWTHORN

Not many get their first job in the AFL at 46, but that's what happens when someone of the calibre of Alastair Clarkson keeps asking the question. The legendary coach knew his old mate from the bush had a set of skills that would be perfect inside Hawthorn. Turns out he wasn't wrong. After more than two decades in education, first as a primary school teacher and then as a principal, Rob McCartney finally decided to take the Hawks up on offer in development in 2015, 12 months after saying no and watching them win another flag. He had coached and played football in the country all his life, but never considered an AFL role before then. McCartney was provided two years' leave from his job and after two years as head of development, he decided to return to Shepparton to continue his role as principal. The only problem was his family was settled in Melbourne and didn't want to come back. It meant within 12 months, McCartney was ready to come back to the city and look for another teaching job, only for Hawthorn to offer him an operations role as head of special projects. Given his stage of life and experience outside the game, it came as little surprise to those at Hawthorn that he quick rose to be appointed GM in 2021, following the departure of Graham Wright. Guthrie Street Primary School may have lost its principal, but it has been Hawthorn's gain ever since.

ALAN RICHARDSON – Melbourne

If you're a collector of vintage football merchandise, Alan Richardson might have more gear in his garage than most. After initially being listed by North Melbourne, Richardson played 114 games for Collingwood before returning to his local club East Burwood. He coached the Eastern Football League powerhouse to two premierships then took charge at Coburg in the VFL around running his own electrical business. In 2003, Richardson joined the coaching team at the Western Bulldogs and spent three years at the Whitten Oval before joining Collingwood as development manager under Mick Malthouse. He then moved to Essendon and Carlton in assistant roles before moving to South Australia to join Port Adelaide as senior assistant coach and then director of coaching. After missing out on coaching roles to Scott Watters at St Kilda and Guy McKenna at Gold Coast, Richardson started contemplating a GM role, but that was parked when he replaced Watters at St Kilda and landed the senior coaching position he had been chasing. Richardson spent five seasons at the Saints before departing the club at the end of 2019. He landed a role as director of coaching at Melbourne in 2020 before replacing Josh Mahoney as GM in 2021.

TODD VINEY – North Melbourne

After calling time on his 233-game career with Melbourne which culminated in selection in the Demons' team of the century, Todd Viney has worked across a variety of different roles in the game. He started in the media in 2000 and as a part-time coach at Melbourne, but soon realised he needed some time away from a club. That led him to work as a player manager with Ricky Nixon at Flying Start. But after two years chasing clients, Viney chose to return to coaching, first at Moama in the country, before joining Alastair Clarkson as midfield coach in the months before he'd coached a game at Hawthorn. Viney left after the 2008 premiership for an opportunity at Adelaide as senior assistant coach. During his time at West Lakes, Viney realised that he didn't want to be a senior coach and was more interested in other key roles inside a football department. That led him back to the Demons at the end of 2010 where he performed a number of different roles, including list manager, national recruiting manager – while waiting for Jason Taylor to join from Collingwood – and then GM of player personnel across an eight-year stint at his old club. Viney worked closely with GM Josh Mahoney and was involved in the appointment of Paul Roos and the succession plan involving Simon Goodwin. After three years on an 80-acre black angus farm, new Kangaroos coach Clarkson brought Viney back into club land as head of football as part of the program he presented to the club in his pitch to return after 12 months out of coaching. At 56, this is Viney's first role as GM.

CHRIS DAVIES – Port Adelaide

While Josh Mahoney is the longest serving GM in the game in terms of consecutive seasons in the role, Chris Davies is the longest serving at the one club. Before he joined Port Adelaide in 2014, Davies was best known for his work in another code. The 44-year-old played first class cricket for South Australia before repeated shoulder injuries forced him to retire at 24 years of age. At that point, Davies was working in banking for Adelaide Bank and Bank West but interested in sports administration after being a delegate for the players' union. He relocated to Melbourne in 2005 for a job with the Australian Cricketers Association, working under Paul Marsh for four years before returning to South Australia for his first foray into football. At just 28, Davies became the CEO of Woodville West Torrens where he helped increase membership, sponsorship and attendance revenue and was there when the Eagles won the flag in 2011 – Hawthorn list manager Mark McKenzie was the star of that team. Then he moved to the role as GM of the SANFL – Adelaide GM Adam Kelly replaced him – before replacing Peter Rohde at Alberton after two years in that post. Davies has a Master's in sports administration and attended the Kellogg School of Management at North Western University with Ken Hinkley and Michael Voss.

TIM LIVINGSTONE & BLAIR HARTLEY – Richmond

Unlike other clubs, Richmond has opted for two GMs who work together and focus on different parts of the football department. Tim Livingstone is GM of Football Performance, while Blair Hartley is GM of Football Talent. The Tigers made this decision at the end of 2019, with veteran football figure Neil Balme taking a step back. Livingstone has been working for Richmond since the start of 2009, progressing from a position as head of coaching to GM, after getting his first start as the Victorian manager of the Brisbane Lions. Before that, Livingstone was the director of sport at Xavier College after playing eight games for the Tigers in the early 90s. Hartley started his AFL career at Essendon, predominantly as a forward scout but advanced to a position as head recruiter at Port Adelaide by the age of 25. Since moving to Punt Road in 2010, Hartley has played a key role in constructing a dynastic list, working with Francis Jackson, Craig Cameron and Dan Richardson along the way. Hartley set the standard for pro scouting a decade ago when he lured the likes of Bachar Houli, Ivan Maric and Shaun Grigg to the club. He is now one of the highest-rated list constructors in the business.

DAVID MISSON – St Kilda

The veteran sports scientist has been parachuted into the role for 2023 following the shock exit of Geoff Walsh in January, but this hasn't been a quick rise to the role. David Misson has been involved in elite sport for more than 25 years. He was high performance manager at Cricket Australia at the end of the 1990s before joining Paul Roos' program at Sydney. When Ross Lyon got the job at St Kilda he brought Misson with him to run St Kilda's high performance department. When Lyon moved to Fremantle at the end of 2011, Misson headed to Melbourne where he spent eight years leading the high performance program there. He then moved to Canada with his wife – who landed a role as a school principal in Montreal – and started to turn his attention to developing his leadership in the hope he would one day land a general manager role inside an elite sporting organisation. That opportunity has come earlier than first planned, and while it is just for 2023 initially, it could be permanent after he decided to return to the AFL. When Lyon landed the gig at the Saints he prised Misson out of the Sydney Roosters to help oversee the high performance department at RSEA Park.

CHARLIE GARDINER – Sydney

After studying law during his playing days at Geelong and St Kilda, Gardiner made a seamless transition into life after football, joining leading Melbourne law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. He worked as a litigation lawyer in commercial practice, sports law and property law, reaching senior associate before a return to the AFL became a reality. Gardiner was starting to consider how he could combine his passion for AFL with his professional skillset when the opportunity at Sydney presented itself in 2018. Swans CEO Tom Harley was Gardiner's captain at Geelong and the pair had remained in contact as they progressed in their post-playing careers away from the AFL before swapping a locker room at Kardinia Park for desks inside the SCG.

GAVIN BELL – West Coast

While David Misson has been appointed for the 2023 season, Gavin Bell was the most recent figure to be promoted to GM when he replaced Craig Vozzo in December. Before he started at the Eagles in 2008, Bell was a premiership player for West Perth where he got his start in coaching, around his day job as a primary school teacher and assistant principal. He started at West Coast in January 2008 as the only development coach at the club and soon became the senior development coach, where Justin Longmuir was under his tutelage. By the time Adam Simpson arrived in 2013, Bell's role at West Coast had evolved to include playing development, coaching development, leadership, culture and wellbeing. By 2017, Bell started focusing on administration roles following conversations with Craig Vozzo and Trevor Nisbett, who before becoming CEOs were highly-rated football managers. Now 15 years into his time at the Eagles, Bell is leading the football department following a gradual build in a variety of roles.

CHRIS GRANT – Western Bulldogs

After calling time on his decorated 341-game career at the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2007, Chris Grant gradually built his experience away from the game before returning to the club he captained and won two best and fairests at. Grant first dipped his toes into business management at the back end of his playing days, running the AFL Store at Highpoint and Northland with Leon Cameron, Matthew Knights and a business partner for five years. He then started a property development company and developed some projects including an old theatre in Footscray. An opportunity arose at Spotless as a GM in operations management and spent five years with them, before former Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon asked him to join the board. Grant spent 18 months as the football director while Simon Garlick was CEO and when AFLW was announced, the club was looking to beef up its football department. Grant was then hired as executive director of football in 2016, working alongside Graham Lowe before becoming the head of football.