harley replacement - Matthew Pavlich confirmed as new CEO on 6 August 2025

[KSAS]

Matthew Pavlich's appointment as CEO has shocked Paul Roos, which he discusses in the first part of his ABC podcast:

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/abc-afl-daily/afl-daily-pod-ep151/105623110

He trusts the club has done all its due indiligence with its search and is not dispararging in any way whether Pav can fullfill the role, but surprised we didn't pick someone with more experience considering the changes in the last 12 months with Cox. He does however, acknowledge they do still have experience people around to support them.

[lwjoyner]

Sounds like JL is currently comfortablce in his current rol and not having to be in the cut and thrust of coaching yet, Same goes for Adam Simpson loving his TV roles. Not sure eityher would be intersted in the Dees job besides if Goodies payour was about $1m they would have a bigger bille for JL (perhaps twice as much) Suggest at this stage Buckley the fav. Other 2 would prefer to wait a bit longer and maybe Tassie.

[liz]

Really oddly, this thread isn't appearing on the forum home page, which is why I started a new thread. I only found it because I returned to RWO after watching 360 and found my post at the bottom of this thread. The thread still doesn't appear on the forum homepage. Any theories, moderators?

I'm not sure what you mean by "appearing on the forum homepage". People access the forum (and use different mechanisms to see new posts) differently, so it may be that what you're looking at isn't a view I use. On what I think of as my forum homepage, I can see the thread listed under "Trending".

There is an issue with index pages not always updating on a timely basis to show that new posts have been made in a topic. It can sometimes take hours before it is apparent that there are new posts to look at. Someone with a more technical understanding of the way the internet works might be able to put this in more correct language, but as I understand things, the URL sometimes points to a satellite server, rather than the master server, and this satellite server isn't instantaneously updated from the master server. It's weird, because sometimes you do see a forum index page immediately reflect new posts, and yet at other times you don't. But I don't really understand enough about how the internet works to guess what's happening.

I've drawn Dan's attention to this, but he wasn't sure if there was anything he can do about it.

[MattW]

Really oddly, this thread isn't appearing on the forum home page, which is why I started a new thread. I only found it because I returned to RWO after watching 360 and found my post at the bottom of this thread. The thread still doesn't appear on the forum homepage. Any theories, moderators?

[MattW]

So, the new Swans CEO is Matthew Pavlich!

I have always quite liked Pavlich, he comes across as measured, accomplished and a leader. Pridham unabashedly trying to repeat the Harley experience, but that's reasonable.

Press conference: https://youtu.be/hrL9zsLs3rs?si=saDyH_MWBGpgJe56.

[liz]

I'm rather pleased that we ended up with Pav as the new CEO. He was one of my favourite players at Fremantle, a real champion.

Most absolutely top-flight players land up being disliked by supporters of opposition clubs - mostly driven by jealousy, but with the FIGJAM factor that the best players often exude making it easier to dislike them (until the switch to playing for your club). Pavlich is probably one of the few who was in that stratosphere of champion who it was impossible to dislike, even in the middle of a game when we were playing Freo and he was ripping us a new one.

[Thunder Shaker]

I'm rather pleased that we ended up with Pav as the new CEO. He was one of my favourite players at Fremantle, a real champion.

[BFG]

Outstanding appointment for a first time CEO, ticks all the boxes for me. Never thought Pav would leave WA, but obviously head hunted and sees the Swans as the highest quality organisation. We need to thank Andrew Pridham and our board, they are quietly first class operators.

Couple of new recruits for the academy in the next year or two ;-)

All this the day after the train wreck at Melbourne, what a contrast, we should all be thankful

Welcome Pav, go well

[mcs]

CEO of an AFL club isn’t an especially high profile role and they aren’t especially complex organisations to run. I’m not suggesting anyone could do it, but the club probably has well under 50 employees, excluding the football departments (and the players). Sure, the footy department is the core part of the business but the CEO’s main job there to is make sure the right other people are in place.

Yep that's right Liz. It was a great strength of Harley (the people management element), and Pavlich has obvious strengths on that side too. I'm sure he will do well and that it's an astute appointment.

[liz]

Limited and high quality are not mutually exclusive states. What I meant by that was he hasn't got extensive business experience in high profile roles etc. but he has done well with what he has worked on, and definitely has the wider experience and knowledge needed.

Our board rarely gets its appointments wrong.

CEO of an AFL club isn’t an especially high profile role and they aren’t especially complex organisations to run. I’m not suggesting anyone could do it, but the club probably has well under 50 employees, excluding the football departments (and the players). Sure, the footy department is the core part of the business but the CEO’s main job there to is make sure the right other people are in place.

[dejavoodoo44]

Plus, he apparently has two boys aged 10 and 12. Get em in the Academy, pronto.

And draft the first one when young McCartney is coming into his prime.

[KSAS]

It was just an observation of a possibility.....and an accurate one.

I certainly agree with you on Barrassi, however Roos did save Melbourne and they need saving again, they're a rabble.

Also, I certainly don't object to Longmire possibly going to Melbourne....if that's what he wants to do.

+1
Interesting Fox Footy last night stating Longmire is Melbourne's No.1 target. Then SEN today going with Nathan Buckley being their No. 1 target, with Bucks himself openly stating he would be interested.

[stevoswan]

The Sydney Swans benefited greatly from an ex-Melbourne coach coming to save the Swans. I have no objection to a few coaches going the other way. I will always be grateful for the late Ron Barassi's coaching the Swans from 1993 to 1995, the benefits of which we are still reaping three decades later.

It was just an observation of a possibility.....and an accurate one.

I certainly agree with you on Barrassi, however Roos did save Melbourne and they need saving again, they're a rabble.

Also, I certainly don't object to Longmire possibly going to Melbourne....if that's what he wants to do.

[imuninformedtwo]

Plus, he apparently has two boys aged 10 and 12. Get em in the Academy, pronto.

[Thunder Shaker]

Word is the Demons are going to go for JL hard.

Another ex-Swan coach going in to 'save' the Demons again?

The Sydney Swans benefited greatly from an ex-Melbourne coach coming to save the Swans. I have no objection to a few coaches going the other way. I will always be grateful for the late Ron Barassi's coaching the Swans from 1993 to 1995, the benefits of which we are still reaping three decades later.