SA Football Commission Appointments

By SANFL Media

Dual Central District Premiership player and Hawthorn player and Life Member Luke McCabe has been elected to the South Australian Football Commission.

Mr McCabe replaces Commissioner Richard Allen who did not seek a further three-year term after 10 years’ service on the Commission.

Mr McCabe was duly elected at a special meeting of SANFL League Directors this evening.

Also re-elected to serve a further three-year term on the Commission is Norwood Premiership great Philip Gallagher. Mr Gallagher has served on the Commission since 2000 and has held the position of Deputy Chairman.

Mr McCabe, who was selected at pick number 15 in the 1993 AFL Draft, played 138 games for Hawthorn between 1993 and 2004, before returning home to his club of origin Central District.

He played 58 senior games for Central District and was a member of the 2005 and 2008 Premiership teams. He also was awarded the Jack Oatey Medal in the 2005 SANFL Grand Final.

Mr McCabe, who oversees a successful family agriculture business at Hamley Bridge, north of Adelaide, also has a close connection with Community Football having been involved with the Hamley Bridge Football Club since 2008, as well as Tanunda Football Club from 2016 – 2019.

SA Football Commission Chairman the Hon Rob Kerin said Mr McCabe’s playing experience and knowledge of football, together with his strong focus on community football since retiring from the game, would be invaluable to the leadership of South Australian football.

“Luke has been a wonderful ambassador for both SANFL and the Central District Football Club as both a player and coach. His passion for strengthening SANFL and football at all levels will contribute greatly to the Commission’s role to protect, lead and grow our great game in South Australia,” Mr Kerin said.

Mr Kerin also acknowledged and thanked Richard Allen for his outstanding contribution to helping lead football in South Australia for the past decade.

Mr Allen was a SANFL League Director, representing Sturt Football Club between 2005 and 2010, prior to joining the Commission.