Sydney development gets a boost

by **CJCorka** April 8th 2010, 7:31 am

THE AFL has promoted David Matthews to the newly created position of general manager, market development in a role that will see him relocate to Sydney.

Matthews, who joined the AFL in 1998 as NAB AFL Auskick and participation manager and later became national and international development general manager in March 2004, will still have responsibility for the AFL's national and international programs.

But he will now manage and coordinate areas of the AFL's Sydney operations.

Matthews will oversee AFL support for the Sydney Swans and help build on its membership base, home attendances and the Sydney Swans Academy.

He will also oversee the AFL's expansion plans with Greater Western Sydney and help build relationships will all levels of government in NSW and the Sydney business community.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said Matthews' appointment and shift north was important with the ensuing growth of the competition.

"Given that we will have two AFL clubs in Sydney by 2012, we saw this as an opportunity to restructure our executive and to make a senior appointment with responsibility for all of our market development activities in Sydney in addition to having our national and international development programs managed out of Sydney," Demetriou said.

"One of David's initial tasks will be to review our NSW/ACT development structure. Development staff in NSW/ACT will report to David as we continue to develop as a national organisation."

Matthews will report to Demetriou and remain a member of the AFL executive.

His appointment follows a review of the AFL's structure, after AFL NSW/ACT general manager Dale Holmes was appointed GWS chief executive last week.

Demetriou lauded Matthews' effort in developing the code over the past six years.

"As the head of all of our development programs since 2004, David and his team have done a first class job in building total participation in our game in 2009 to more than 732,000 while also boosting our talented player pathway, indigenous and multicultural programs and identifying emerging international markets including South Africa," he said.

"The AFL Commission's 'Next Generation' financial strategy targeted total participation to be 706,000 by 2011 and we are therefore running some two years ahead of that forecast under his leadership."

Matthews said he is excited about starting his new role in New South Wales.

"Developing the game across Australia and in emerging international markets is a real privilege," he said.

"We have a great game and we must continue to invest in quality programs that protect and enhance our established markets and grow our presence in developing markets. Strong partnerships with the AFL Clubs are very important"

In recent times, Matthews served as a member of the 'working group', which recommended list development concessions for Gold Coast and GWS. He also served on football sub-committees for both clubs until the appointments were made.

Matthews also played a key role in wooing Karmichael Hunt to Gold Coast from rugby league. And he was a major player in landing four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy as GWS' inaugural coach.

Before joining the AFL, Matthews was general manager of the Geelong Football League from 1993-96. He then became operations manager of the Victorian Country Football League in 1997.

Matthews also holds a bachelor of commerce degree and a master of sports management from Deakin University.