The AFL Players’ Association is pleased to announce the appointment of James Gallagher as Chief Executive Officer. 

Gallagher joins the AFLPA following four years as General Manager of Strategy and Legal at North Melbourne, where he oversaw the implementation of the club’s strategic plan and led numerous club-wide major projects tied to football, commercial and community success. 

Previously, he spent six years at the AFL Players’ Association, as Senior Legal Counsel and then General Manager of Legal and Player Affairs. 

Gallagher becomes the seventh AFLPA CEO, succeeding Paul Marsh. 

“I am deeply honoured to accept the role of CEO at the AFLPA,” Gallagher said. 

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at North Melbourne, and I’ll continue to draw upon the deep relationships and the perspective from my time there in my new role. 

“However, the opportunity to return to the AFLPA as its CEO was one I could not pass up. The AFLPA plays a vital role in advocating for players and shaping the future of the game, and I am excited by the opportunities ahead to grow the game across both AFL and AFLW. 

“I would like to acknowledge Paul’s outstanding leadership and his significant contribution to the AFLPA over many years. I was fortunate to be part of that journey during my previous tenure at the Association. 

“I would also like to acknowledge Ben Smith’s leadership in recent months, and I look forward to getting to work with Ben and the broader executive team. 

“Most importantly, I’m excited to work closely with the players, Board, staff and stakeholders across the football industry to build on the strong foundations already in place and continue to advance the interests of both current and past players as partners in our great game.” 

AFLPA President, Darcy Moore, congratulated Gallagher on his appointment. 

“We are thrilled that James has agreed to be the next CEO of our strong Association, following a thorough recruitment process. 

“James’ passion for the players and the industry is evident from his work over his entire career. He brings with him valuable experience and insight from working at both a club and at the AFLPA in the past, where he was integral in us achieving significant outcomes through CBA negotiations including the establishment of the original Injury and Hardship Fund. 

“I look forward to working with James, particularly as we look ahead to the next CBA.” 

Chair of the AFLPA Board, Kristen Hilton, led the appointment process. 

“We are delighted to welcome James back to the AFL Players’ Association. 

“James has a strong history of advocating for players’ rights, and this experience along with his understanding of the industry will be invaluable to the AFLPA in continuing to achieve the best outcomes for all of our members into the future. 

“I am very grateful to General Manager of Member Engagement and Programming, Ben Smith, for his exceptional leadership as Interim CEO over the past several months.” 

Gallagher will commence in the CEO role on Monday, 6 October. 

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