St Kilda Football Club can confirm that Head of List Management James Gallagher will depart the club at the end of 2022 as he relocates back home to South Australia with his young family.
The former Adelaide Crows player joined the Saints in September 2018 and oversaw significant changes to St Kilda’s men’s playing list, headlined by the selection of Max King at pick No. 4 in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft and the 2019 Trade Period which saw the arrival of key senior players Dan Butler, Bradley Hill, Dougal Howard, Zak Jones and Paddy Ryder.
Gallagher, who made the move into list management after a successful period in professional banking, seamlessly transitioned into the role, helping to establish a long-term list strategy which recently culminated in another fruitful draft haul, securing highly touted talent including Mattaes Phillipou at Pick No. 10.
Chief Executive Officer Simon Lethlean thanked Gallagher for his commitment over the past four years.
“James has contributed significantly to the improvement of our list and culture throughout his time at the Saints,” Lethlean said.
“He has an appetite for hard work and his care and passion for seeking to improve the quality of our list and the culture of our club was evident, no more so than when taking on more than just his primary duties throughout the COVID-interrupted 2020 and 2021 years.
“We wish James, his wife Laura and children Jack, Alice and Olivia, all the best for their move back home.”
Gallagher thanked the club for the opportunity and wished it all the best in its 150th year.
“It has been a privilege to hold this position, but it is a role that is all consuming,” Gallagher said.
“With the changes to my family priorities, meaning that we won’t be living in Victoria, I don’t believe that this will enable me to commit to the presence required at the club to execute the role successfully and in the manner that the club and I would expect, leading to the decision to step away.
“I have absolutely loved my time at St Kilda and have been fortunate to work with a lot of wonderful people across the entire club, including our playing group, who are a terrific bunch of young men.
“I wish only good things for St Kilda and I'm very optimistic that the club will head in an upwards trajectory over the next few years.”
The club will now commence a thorough recruitment process to fill the Head of List of Management position.
