Adam Goodes
Chairman

Jarrod Harbrow
Board Member

Shaun Burgoyne
Board Member

Nathan Lovett-Murray
Board Member

Roger Hayden
Board Member

Chance Bateman
Board Member

Graham Johncock
Board Member

Aaron Davey
Board Member

Matthew Finnis
Chief Executive Officer

Matt was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the AFL Players’ Association in September 2009 after previously holding the positions of General Manager – Operations and, prior to that, Manager – Player Relations.

During his time at the PA Matt has driven an agenda which resulted in the agreement to introduce free agency to the AFL. He has also represented player interests in a range of issues, including commercial rights and individual grievances, and chaired the AFLPA Agent Accreditation Board.

He recently played a central role in negotiating with the AFL to secure recognition for the significant part AFL footballers play in the phenomenal and growing success of the code.

Prior to joining the PA Matt worked as a commercial lawyer advising numerous sporting organisations, businesses, athletes and government.

Matt is currently chairman of Ladder – an AFL Players charitable initiative to tackle youth homelessness and a director of AFL SportsReady – the AFL industry’s group training company. He is also a director of Surfing Australia – the peak governing body for the sport of surfing, and has been a director and company secretary of Surf Life Saving Victoria since 2002. Matt was also a founding director of HeartKids Australia, a charity supporting children born with congenital heart disease.

Matt is married to wife D’Arne and a father to two young boys, Jake and Ryley and daughter, Elizabeth.

Joanne Rafferty
Business Manager & Executive Assistant

Originally from the North East of England, Jo and her husband Paul have been in Australia for some 20 years, however it’s fair to say that it’s only since joining the AFL Players’ Association that she has gained any understanding of the rules of footy.  She is however passionate about working with the management team to ensure that all members, both past and present, optimise the benefits that are due to them as key stakeholders of the game.

With two teenage daughters, she is well practiced in looking after others, keeping things calm, while trying to juggle 10,000 things at the same time.  These skills are constantly in use as she provides support to the CEO and Board while ensuring the efficient running of the general office.

With a background in project management and business analysis, Jo is driven by goals and always has a plan in place to make sure she achieves them.  She is at her happiest when the team around her are clear on where they are going and are implementing a plan to get there.

Jo is usually the first into the office each day, where she is able to get her day organised before heading out for a run or a swim as part of her training program to complete the London Triathlon in 2013.

Amanda Crowe
Administration Assistant and Receptionist

Amanda has just recently joined the team at the AFL Players’ Association.  She is a mad Geelong Supporter much to her Father’s displeasure.  Amanda’s blood lines run Yellow and Black, with her Father being, Neville Crowe, ex Player, Captain and President of the Richmond Football Club.  But her Mum got her way at a young age, so as Amanda says “Once you start following a team you can’t change”.

Being the first point of contact for the AFL Players’ Association means a lot to Amanda.  She is very passionate with her footy and loves working in an environment that is dedicated to the players of this great game.

In her spare time Amanda loves to spend time with her two gorgeous nieces and loves quality time with family and friends.  She can also be spotted at MSAC doing her best trying to keep in shape and at Chaddy spending all her money!

Ian Prendergast
General Manager - Player Relations

Prenda, as he prefers to be called, is our General Manager of Player Relations.  Prenda grew up in Kerang, a small town in North-West Victoria, and maintains his country drawl which he seems quite proud of (strangely enough).

He moved to the big smoke (Melbourne) with his family and decided to complete his law degree at Monash Uni during his 65 game “career” for Carlton from 1999 – 2006. 

Prenda describes himself as a “journeyman” player, albeit at the one club, experiencing the good and bad times throughout this chequered period of Carlton’s history.  He maintains that the best thing he did during his time at the Blues was completing his degree before getting the flick!

Being a lawyer has come in handy as Prenda acts as an advocate for players, seeking to maintain and improve the terms and conditions of AFL players’ employment.  He also oversees the accreditation and regulation of our agents together with providing advice and guidance for players and agents in relation to a wide range of player issues.

When he finished up at Carlton, Prenda moved to “Radelaide” for two years and worked at Griffin Hilditch Lawyers whilst galloping about for the South Adelaide Panthers in the SANFL.  Let’s just say the Panther’s roar they played over the PA after each goal at home games didn’t get much of a run (Grrrrrr)!  After working for a year back in Melbourne for Kelly Hazell Quill Lawyers in predominantly Media Law, Prenda followed his passion to the Players’ Association at the end of 2009 in his current role supporting players.

Bernie Shinners
Legal Services Consultant

Bernie has been a member of the team at the PA since 2003 and had previously acted as a lawyer for the PA from 1998 to 2002. Bernie takes calls from Player Agents and Players on matters relating to the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Standard Playing Contract as well as assisting players with grievances with AFL Clubs and the AFL. From time to time, Bernie will appear before the AFL Grievance Tribunal for players. Bernie also assists other members of the PA team with legal matters and agreements the Association has with sponsors and service providers to the PA.

Bernie is sometimes referred to as the Silver Fox to distinguish him from the other fossil in the PA – John Hogan. Apart from spending time with his large family, Bernie spends his time helping out his local football club the Craigieburn Eagles and Assumption College.

Braden Stokes
Player Relations Coordinator

Braden works closely with Ian Prendergast in the Player Relations Department of the Players’ Association.  After nearly three years with the Association, his typical day to day usually involves ensuring compliance with the CBA, managing the accreditation of Player Agents, liaising with our Delegates and keeping an eye on the Tribunal or any other big footy issue that bobs up. 

After completing a Master of Sports Business in 2007, Braden has held roles with the Sandringham Football Club (VFL) and Rowing Victoria.  Away from the Assocation he is a keen cyclist and a student of all sports. 

You can follow Braden on twitter at @bradenstokes

John Hogan
General Manager - Finance & Administration

John joined the PA in April 2001 as the General Manager, Finance & Administration; he is our longest serving employee having just chalked up his 10th year with the Association. John is responsible for Corporate & Taxation compliance issues, preparation of the Annual Report & Budgets, all Finance & Treasury related matters, maintaining the Players’ Retirement Account and administration of the AFL Players’ Superannuation Fund. Together with his trusty sidekick Coz (Cory McGrath) they ensure all players receive their benefit payments from Licensing & Marketing, Education & Computer Grants and Player Retirement Payments on time and into the players’ bank account.

John is a Certified Practising Accountant and has been a member of the Australian Society of Accountants for over 30 years. His experience ranges from commencing in a Chartered Accountants Office to spending 18 years working for the Channel Seven Network both in Melbourne & Brisbane. He subscribes to Oscar Wilde’s definition of Accountants, “Those that know the cost of everything but the value of nothing”, a bit harsh, but when it comes to spending the players money John will ensure it is not wasted.

On the home front, although his youngest is now in his second year at Uni, John still feels at times like the taxi driver running around after eight offspring.  If he is not in the car he is a slave to the garden out on his acre property in Templestowe (Melbourne’s north – east). Although just being too old to compete in the Tour de France John is a keen weekend bike rider tearing up the Victorian bicycle tracks as long as there is a ‘cold frothy’ at the end of the hard ride.

With ten down I’m sure John is looking forward to the next ten years with great anticipation.

Cory McGrath
Assistant Accountant & Indigenous Support

Former Essendon and Carlton player, Cory (Cozza) McGrath is Assistant Accountant to the General Manager of Finance and Administration, John Hogan. While playing in the AFL, Cory completed both a Diploma and Degree in Accounting. Cory started at the PA at the end of 2007 as the Indigenous Programs Manager with a dual role of assisting with the finances before moving into Finance full time in 2010. Cory looks after the payments and reconciliation of the day to day accounts for the office, player royalty payments, PA Player Memberships, Player Retirement Account payments, Education and Training Grant payments, Computer Grant payments and Past Player Hospital Excess payments.  A hard worker, Cory likes to “get the job done” without any fuss and does not have much time for whingers. A memory like an elephant, he still owes Leanne a good prank!!

When Cory is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and playing with his two children. Cory also plays football with Port Melbourne FC where he suffers from ‘white line fever’; something he temporarily cured in 2010 when he retired but it came back again in 2011 when he announced his comeback.

Wes Garth
General Manager - Marketing & Commercial

Wes is the newest member of the team having joined in December 2011. After working with Australia’s and international elite sportsmen and women for over 15 years at Nike, he has made the jump to work alongside the best all around athletes in the #1 code in the world... Footy !

The Marketing team of Leanne, Steve, Francee and Wes will be charged with owning and amplifying the PA licensing, commercial, event, alumni and brand portfolios as we enter a new CBA era.

In summer you will likely see Wes with his wife, Sarah, and kids, Lydia and Thomas, at the beach or park. In winter you can probably catch Wes at the footy cheering just a little louder when the Blues slot another goal.