Steve Hocking leaves AFL for Cats top job

AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking will leave his post to replace Brian Cook as chief executive of Geelong.

Hocking joined the AFL from the Cats in 2017 and has helped oversee the AFL and AFLW competitions, the laws of the game, the match review panel and tribunal systems, umpiring at the elite level, key talent pathways, and elite coaching development programs.

He will leave his post at the AFL this Thursday, before taking over as Geelong chief executive at the end of the season.

Steve Hocking has taken up a post at Geelong. Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The AFL’s general manager of game development Andrew Dillon will assume Hocking’s duties for the rest of the season, with the league hopeful of naming a permanent replacement before the grand final.

“It is a relentless job, but Steve has made an enormous contribution to the AFL and the wider AFL industry during his time in the role,” AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said.

“He is a values-driven leader who has brought calm, confidence and consistency to the operations of football across the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and NAB Leagues and his approach is much-respected and valued by his colleagues and the wider industry.

“He has brought improvement to every aspect of the game, whether it’s the growth of the NAB AFLW competition, the expansion of mental health and welfare initiatives across the clubs, rule changes that have opened up the game and made it more spectacular, the development and implementation of the ARC and the ongoing development of umpires.

“The football being played in this AFL season, and the earlier AFLW season, have each been exceptional and that is a testament to the work of Steve and his team.

“This is a great opportunity for Steve and the Geelong Cats for the next step in his career and he goes with our gratitude and blessings and I know he will continue to contribute to the industry in his role at clubland.”

Hocking was a key driver in implementing the new statue on the mark rule this year, along with the medical sub.

Cook has led Geelong for the past 23 years and in this time has rebuilt the Cats’ finances, executed four stadium redevelopments at GMHBA Stadium, and was instrumental in securing funding for the final stage of the redevelopment that will commence later this year.

The long-term administrator has also presided over one of the most successful on-field periods in the club’s history that has yielded three premierships, as well as the introduction of the women’s program.