AFL won't step in to help Melbourne uninvited: Demetriou - 3AW (blog)

AFL chief Andrew Demetriou has made it clear the league does not have the authority to step in and help embattled club Melbourne based purely on its dismal on-field performances.

Mr Demetriou told Neil Mitchell the Melbourne Football Club’s decision to part ways with chief executive Cameron Schwab was ‘the right decision in context’ after the Demons’ ‘intolerable’ 148-point loss to Essendon on Saturday night.

Mr Demetriou said the AFL could only step in and take over the administration of a football club if the organisation was trading insolvently or not meeting financial targets, but said the league was always on hand to give support in any way any AFL club required.

"The only legal reason for the AFL to step into any club...under our licencing arrangements (is) if a club is trading insolvently," he said.

"The Melbourne Football Club is not trading insolvently.

"We can't dictate or influence how teams perform on the field.

"If the board of the Melbourne Football Club asked the AFL for any help... of course the AFL would help."

However Mr Demetriou said the league was ‘obligated’ to ensure the oldest club was around for another 150 years.

"Of course it's going to survive. (But) we don't want clubs to survive, we want them to thrive," he said.

"We want as many equal clubs as possible so that all supporters, including Melbourne supporters, start of the start of the season and go to every game thinking their team can win."

Mr Demetriou said whoever Melbourne chose to elect as their new CEO must play a vital role in the rebuilding phase.

"They're going to have to get someone in who will take charge of that club on behalf of the board and report back to the board and report back to the board about what needs to be done at this football club," he said.

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