Demetriou linked with top gig at struggling Demons

Despite President Brad Green’s reassurance that the search is progressing, the Melbourne Football Club are currently operating without a CEO.

The Demons were hapless in their 39-point loss to Essendon in Adelaide on Saturday night, slumping to five defeats in a row in 2025.

So far this year Simon Goodwin’s side has produced scores of 74, 66, 62, 46 and 57 at 61 points per game - the second fewest in the league only to West Coast - while conceding 100.6 points per game.

The defeat to the Bombers was the latest in a growing list of underwhelming performances, prompting Kane Cornes to state that the Dees are “totally unwatchable”.

Amidst all the club’s on-field struggles, Gerard Healy has recommended that the Demons source former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou to take the reins.

Speaking with Kane Cornes on SEN’s Sportsday, the former Brownlow Medallist suggested that Demetriou could be convinced to return to a role within the AFL.

Healy: “They need to get themselves a CEO.

“Go and knock on Demetriou’s door! Get him out of semi-retirement.

Cornes: “Do you think he’d be up for it?”

Healy: “I’ve got a feeling he might be.

“If they up the anti to what it should be, for somebody of his calibre.

“He’s got a few board decisions, but there’s got to be one challenge left in the great AD.”

Cornes: “He would stir them up, wouldn’t he?

“That would be perfect.”

Demetriou was appointed as AFL CEO in 2003, granting licenses for both the Gold Coast Suns and the GWS Giants to join the competition while also operating throughout the Essendon Supplement Scandal.

He stepped down from the role in 2014.