| Brendon Gale | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Gale in his role as club CEO at the unfurling of Richmond's 2017 AFL Premiership flag. | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Born | (1968-07-18)18 July 1968 (age 57) Burnie, Tasmania | ||
| Original team | Burnie Hawks | ||
| Draft | No. 27,1987 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 31 March 1990,Richmond vs.Brisbane, atCarrara Stadium | ||
| Height | 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) | ||
| Weight | 102 kg (225 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre Half-Forward / Ruckman | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1990–2001 | Richmond | 244 (209) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2001. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Brendon Gale (born 18 July 1968) is a formerAustralian rules footballer who played for theRichmond Football Club in theAustralian Football League (AFL).
As a qualified lawyer, he practised law with a commercial law firm for some time after his retirement from football, and then wasCEO of theAFL Players' Association from 2005 to 2009. In 2009, he began what would become a successful 15-year stint as CEO of Richmond, overseeing three premierships. In 2024, it was announced that he would be leaving Richmond to become inaugural CEO of the incomingTasmania Football Club.
Brendon Gale was born on 18 July 1968.[1]
He studied atMonash University inMelbourne, graduating withBachelor of Laws and aMaster of Arts degrees.[2]
Gale played for theRichmond Football Club from 1990 to 2001 as acentre half-forward and laterruckman. For five seasons he played alongside his older brother,Michael, who transferred from theFitzroy Football Club at the end of the 1993 season. Brendon was appointed vice-captain of the club between 1994 and 1997. Their father,Don Gale, was a championTasmanian footballer who became the first player from theNWFU to achieveAll Australian selection. Their grandfather,Jack Gale, played three games forRichmond in 1924.
For a period during his playing days Gale played guitar in a small band called Trial By Video, which included other footballersMark Zanotti,Tony Woods, andPaul Bulluss.[3]
After his AFL playing career, Gale practised law with commercial law firm King Wood Mallesons, and then waschief executive officer of theAFL Players' Association from 2005 to 2009.[4][2]
He was also a member of the AFL's "Laws of the Game" or Rules Committee.[citation needed]
In 2009, he was appointed CEO of Richmond, leading over 150 people. Under his leadership, the team's Punt Road Oval headquarters was transformed into a high-performance facility, with the club growing extensively both commercially and in fan numbers. It has been competing in most of theAFL finals series, and won the Premiership in 2017, 2019 and 2020.[2]
On 10 May 2024, Gale announced his departure as the CEO of Richmond Football Club at the end of the 2024 season. The same day,Tasmania Football Club announced his appointment as their inaugural CEO, commencing in the role in 2025.[5]
Gale is a director on several boards, and advocates fordiversity. From 2009 until 2013, he was on the board of the Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and has been involved in the "Male Champions of Change" program.[2]
Gale features in the 2021fly-on-the-wall documentary TV seriesMaking Their Mark, which showed the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic on several AFL clubs, players, and staff.[6][7] PlayersNic Naitanui,Eddie Betts,Stephen Coniglio, andRory Sloane were featured, as well asGold Coast Suns football club coachStuart Dew, and staff leadersPeggy O'Neal,Damien Hardwick, and Gale.[8][9]
Player statistics for Brendon Gale:[1]
G | Goals | K | Kicks | D | Disposals | T | Tackles |
B | Behinds | H | Handballs | M | Marks | H/O | Hit-outs |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O | ||||
| 1990 | Richmond | 25 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 150 | 75 | 225 | 100 | 24 | 14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 6.8 | 3.4 | 10.2 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| 1991 | Richmond | 25 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 159 | 104 | 263 | 118 | 16 | 39 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 7.6 | 5.0 | 12.5 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 1.9 |
| 1992 | Richmond | 25 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 162 | 112 | 274 | 103 | 15 | 51 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 6.2 | 15.2 | 5.7 | 0.8 | 2.8 |
| 1993 | Richmond | 25 | 16 | 26 | 21 | 162 | 91 | 253 | 134 | 10 | 64 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 10.1 | 5.7 | 15.8 | 8.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| 1994 | Richmond | 25 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 191 | 101 | 292 | 144 | 14 | 62 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 9.1 | 4.8 | 13.9 | 6.9 | 0.7 | 3.0 |
| 1995 | Richmond | 25 | 24 | 30 | 15 | 210 | 95 | 305 | 133 | 28 | 117 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 8.8 | 4.0 | 12.7 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 4.9 |
| 1996 | Richmond | 25 | 22 | 34 | 25 | 178 | 88 | 266 | 129 | 20 | 42 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 8.1 | 4.0 | 12.1 | 5.9 | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| 1997 | Richmond | 25 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 168 | 93 | 261 | 102 | 26 | 206 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 8.8 | 4.9 | 13.7 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 10.8 |
| 1998 | Richmond | 25 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 191 | 144 | 335 | 128 | 22 | 393 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 9.1 | 6.9 | 16.0 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 18.7 |
| 1999 | Richmond | 25 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 137 | 77 | 214 | 93 | 17 | 297 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 7.6 | 4.3 | 11.9 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 16.5 |
| 2000 | Richmond | 25 | 20 | 22 | 3 | 165 | 86 | 251 | 107 | 15 | 239 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 8.3 | 4.3 | 12.6 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 12.0 |
| 2001 | Richmond | 25 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 102 | 149 | 251 | 92 | 24 | 308 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 6.8 | 11.4 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 14.0 |
| Career | 244 | 209 | 147 | 1975 | 1215 | 3190 | 1383 | 231 | 1832 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 8.1 | 5.0 | 13.1 | 5.7 | 0.9 | 7.5 | ||
