News Corp released its AFL Power list. Given only 4 out of 50 were women, I made my own list

The four women – AFL executive member Laura Kane (8), journalist Caroline Wilson (29), new AFL Commission member and NT Indigenous leader Denise Bowden (43), and Kangaroos president Dr Sonja Hood (44) – are undoubtably all making their mark.

But among the adoration directed towards male presidents, male CEOs, male coaches, male media executives, male premiers and more, this is a missed opportunity to acknowledge the influence of more of the hundreds upon hundreds of women across the world of Aussie rules.

While it is tempting to delve into how a list with 92% men didn’t trigger someone to consider, “Are we being too blinkered by an outdated ‘alpha male’ stereotype of power in 2025?” – let’s instead use this opportunity to showcase 50 more women and gender diverse people of influence shaping the world of footy.

Who would you add? Here’s my list:

1. Major General Simone Wilkie AO – a longstanding AFL Commissioner, Simone has been at the forefront of major decisions in football for a decade. A powerful voice.
2. Gabrielle Trainor AO – AFL Commissioner and a founding director of the GWS Giants.
3. Kristen Hilton – formerly Victoria’s Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Kristen became chair of the AFLPA in 2024, also chairing its inaugural Human Rights Steering Committee.
4. Emma Moore – General Manager of AFLW, poised to put her stamp on season 2025 and beyond after taking on the role in 2024.
5. Daisy Pearce – when Daisy speaks, the crowd listens. The former premiership captain has more honours than we could list, and is a growing force in coaching.
6. Rebecca McCloy – Executive Director of Commercial, Sport for the Foxtel Group, and one of the few women in world media responsible for acquiring (or not) sports’ media right.
7. Tanya Hosch – the first Indigenous person to join the AFL’s executive in 2016 as Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy.
8. Julia Chiera – respected Head of AFLW at the AFLPA.
9. Kylie Watson-Wheeler – long-serving president of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, Kylie leads Disney (and by extension, ESPN) in the region, and was reportedly shortlisted for the AFL CEO role in 2023.
10. Jennifer Watt – CEO at North Melbourne, and currently the only woman holding that office.
11. Debbie Lee – a pioneer who became the first woman inducted in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2021, Deb is currently shaping the playing future of women and girls as the AFL’s National Women’s and Girls Football Lead.
12. Trisha Squires – the first woman to be appointed as a state CEO when stepping in to lead AFL Queensland in 2018, and key figure in holding the line for footy in a state firmly in Olympics mode in the years to come.
13. Sam Mostyn AC – the first woman to join the AFL Commission in 2005, who now holds a different office you may have heard of: that of the Governor-General. Patron of the Minerva Network, driving off-field opportunities for women athletes.
14. Chloe Saltau – the respected sports editor at The Age, holding the position since 2015.
15. Peggy O’Neal AO – while no longer president of Richmond, there isn’t a door in football that would not be open to the now-Chancellor of RMIT University.
16. Chloe Dalton OAM – former AFLW, Olympian and WNBL player, Chloe is founder of The Female Athlete Project, and a powerful voice spotlighting gender inequalities in sport.
17. Amanda Shalala – Deputy Editor of ABC Sport, overseeing its work to increase coverage of women in sport via the ABC’s 50:50 Project.
18. Nat Edwards – the first women to host primetime free-to-air AFL coverage, she is a mentor for other aspiring women broadcasters.
19. Siobhan McKenna – CEO of Broadcasting at News Corp and Chair of Fox Sports, Siobhan was instrumental in the impending sale of Foxtel to DAZN. 
20. Alex Saundry – one of the few women in player management, the former AFLW player is Managing Director of More Than Management.
21. Susan Alberti AC – an enduring advocate for AFLW and VFLW.
22. Kate Jenkins – was Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner and director at Carlton FC. Now? Chair of the Australian Sports Commission and shaping the direction of sport (and sport governance) nationally.
23. Kelli Underwood OAM – the first woman to commentate an AFL game, Kelli is a pioneer for women in sports broadcast and remains a key voice in sports media.
24. Cate Hefele – as Executive Director of Kayo Sports, Cate is spearheading growth at the largest sports streaming service in Australia.
25. Sam Lane – award winning journalist and commentator on TV and radio, Sam is a powerful advocate for women in football, with her book on the creation of AFLW, Roar, continuing to drive change.
26. Megan Comerford – General Manager of Legal at the AFLPA since 2022 and Chair of the AFLPA’s Agent Accreditation Board.
27. Lauren Wood – Strong voice at Fox Sports and the Herald Sun for close to a decade.
28. Michelle Cowan – current Head of Women’s Football at the West Coast Eagles, and an influential figure for women in coaching pathways.
29. Belinda Duarte AM – Extensive involvement across footy as a director and executive, MCG trustee, and leading advocate for First Nations communities.
30. Professor Sarah Kelly OAM – while better known for her role as a member of the Brisbane 2032 Games Organising Committee board, Sarah is Deputy Chair of the Brisbane Lions and a highly influential figure on the direction of sport.
31. Jodie Sizer – Vice President at Collingwood, Jodie oversaw the club’s Do Better report and co-chairs the club’s Expert Committee on Anti-Racism.
32. Amber Banfield – WAFL Commissioner with a voice in the national development of women’s football.
33. Emma Race and Lucy Race – the duo is singlehandedly creating a pipeline of dozens of women and gender diverse people who will shape the conversation of footy into the future through Making The Call.
34. Judith Donnelly – the AFL’s Executive Manager of Government and Stakeholder Relations who took on the role last year. The first port of call between the AFL and government. 
35. Sarah Fair – the AFL’s longstanding Executive General Manager of People, shaping the conversation of culture across the sport.
36. Darcy Vescio – Respected and leading figure in AFLW, with deep connection throughout the game.
37. Marnie Vinall – ABC journalist driving the conversation of treatment of women in community football.
38. Jan Cooper – the first woman inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame, board member at the West Coast Eagles, and oversaw the explosion of women and girls’ participation in footy nationally.
39. Professor Kay Crossley – Director La Trobe Sport, bringing together researchers from around the world to tackle injury prevention and burden for women through HERknee Centre of Research Excellence. 
40. Kate Mahony – Sydney Swans’ Executive General Manager of AFLW Football, currently carving a path in the sport for executives in football roles and parental leave.
41. Kerrie Mather – CEO of Venues NSW and the SCG Trust, responsible for the management and development of Sydney’s sporting precinct.
42. Elizabeth Gaines – a business leader and new chairperson of the West Coast Eagles.
43. Rebecca Haagsma – appointed in early 2025 to oversee the AFL’s billion dollar revenue as the AFL’s Executive General Manager of Customer and Commercial.
44. Nicole Haack – Deputy chair of the South Australian Football Commission, responsible for governing the SANFL and football participation in South Australia.
45. Ebony Marinoff – one of the most remarkable talents of the AFLW, and one of the most decorated and well-regarded players across the game.
46. Peta Searle OAM – a respected figure who paved the way for women coaches.
47. Erin Phillips – this list wouldn’t be complete without one of the AFLW’s most decorated and high-profile players who helped elevate the league into Australia’s consciousness, continuing to make her mark as an expert commentator. 
48. Kerryn Peterson – co-Vice President of the AFLPA, and long-standing captain of Carlton who will be paving the way in 2025 in an off-field capacity while pregnant with her first child.
49. Holly Ransom – the youngest woman to join an AFL board when appointed to Port Adelaide in 2016 at just 26 years of age, Holly is an international commentator on leadership and organisational culture.  
50. Rita Nehme – a champion of intersectional inclusion in sport, Rita heads the AFL’s sustainability strategy, having first made her mark driving social impact and diversity at Richmond.