FORMER Tasmanian Brendon Gale has switched from boss of the AFL Players' Association to chief executive of his former club Richmond.
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The 244 game Tiger will take the reins at Richmond at the end of the season, replacing Steven Wright who is retiring for health reasons.
Richmond president Gary March told the Tigers website that the club was very fortunate to have secured someone of Gale's calibre.
"He brings a wealth of industry experience to the club for which he once played," March said.
"The board thought Brendon was the ideal candidate to take over from the strong platform established by outgoing CEO Steven Wright, and continue to restore the club."
Gale, who has been the AFL Players' Associaton chief executive for four years, had been approached by club chairman March about the job.
"That sparked off a serious discussion and I felt excited to come back," Gale said.
"I know this club pretty well. It is a pretty big club, it is a successful club. We have had our issues in the past few years [but] I believe in this club."
Gale, from Penguin, played for the Burnie Hawks before being taken at number 27 by Richmond in 1987 draft and played 244 matches for the Tigers from 1990 to 2001.
His brother Michael, who played most of his football at Fitzroy, also spent a season with Brendon at Tigerland.
Richmond's caretaker coach Jade Rawlings is also from Tasmania's North West Coast being drafted to Hawthorn from the Devonport Football Club.
Rawlings is understood to be well in the running for the full-time coaching position which will be announced at the end of the season.
