Footy legend's advice for AFL CEO Andrew Dillon

Australian football Hall of Famer Dermott Brereton admits he has concerns for the future of the AFL.

Concussions and the long-lasting effects they cause has been the biggest rising issue in world sports, with our native game no different.

Class action lawsuits and post-career funds loom in the future and Brereton believes it will be the biggest task ahead of AFL CEO Andrew Dillon.

While the Hawthorn great doesn’t know how it can all be resolved, he hopes the minds in charge of the game have a plan.

“I think he's quite a brilliant CEO. Like everybody in every sphere, they make errors. I think there's a couple of statement errors,” Brereton told SEN Breakfast.

“I think he'd like to have his time again from when he talks about umpiring, saying it’s never been better. Yeah, don't think that aged all that well.

“But he is very astute. He's probably the person they need (in charge) right now. Not probably, he is the person they need for this time.

“He has to make sure we still have a sport in 15 years’ time. This head injury syndrome we have, he has to make sure we have a sport in 15 years, we could be talking about unheard of numbers in payouts for concussions.

“I don’t know the solution. It’s for greater minds than mine.”

In 2024 alone, Angus Brayshaw, Nathan Murphy and Josh Carmichael all retired due to ongoing concussion issues. As did Western Bulldogs draftee Aiden O’Driscoll, who never got to play a senior game.