Taskforce touts Grant O'Brien as inaugural Tas AFL team chair

O'Brien's appointment was first speculated on Tuesday, July 4, with the former Penguin premiership player and Woolworths CEO neither confirming nor denying these rumours.

While choosing not to comment on the speculation, O'Brien communicated his willingness to speak to the media following his appointment being publicly revealed.

A "superb fit for the job", fellow Tasmanian AFL Taskforce member Errol Stewart believed O'Brien was the right man for the role.

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"It would be hard to find a better fit than Grant," Stewart said.

"He's a really ripping person - articulate, measured and smart. He has got the three key attributes of really leading what is going to be a pretty challenging business."

A leading voice of the Taskforce from its inception in May 2019, Stewart said O'Brien was a key part of the state's push towards the national competition.

Expecting this diplomatic tenacity to be carried into O'Brien's role as the Tasmanian AFL team chair, Stewart believed the strong administration was exactly what the team needed to be successful.

"It's a tough gig running a football club and strong administration is a critical part of the pathway to developing a strong club," he said.

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"He [O'Brien] is a local and has been right at the top of the corporate world in Australia. This only adds to his credibility of being a really senior statesman."

With O'Brien touted to take on one of the team's top jobs, Stewart expected other Taskforce members would be involved in off-field leadership.

"There have been a number of Taskforce members who have done a lot of work since 2019 and probably all of those people will have an input into the future make-up of the football club," he said.

"It might be all of the Taskforce playing a small part helping Grant to put the rest of the board together."

As the politics surrounding the Tasmanian AFL team deal and attached Macquarie Point stadium continue to be deliberated, Stewart said the party division did cause him some concern.

"Both the Greens and Labor made it clear to the Taskforce [in 2019] that they supported the bid 100 per cent and that essentially nothing was going to get in the way politically," he said.

"As soon as we got to the line we had the political footy on the ground, kicking it around. I'd tell Rebecca [White] and Cassy [O'Connor] that."

Joining the social media storm surrounding O'Brien's appointment, Richmond CEO and former Two Blue Brendon Gale said re-iterated O'Brien's roots as a "premiership hero" for the Penguin Football Club.

Also responding to the reports made, the Tasmanian government remained tight-lipped.

"The Tasmanian government is working with the AFL and will make an announcement on the chairperson for the 19^th licence in due course," a government spokesperson said.

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