AFL president Gillon McLachlan tests positive for Covid  

Departing AFL president Gillon McLachlan will spend the next seven days in self-isolation after testing positive for Covid.

McLachlan, who announced his decision to step down at the end of the season on Tuesday, said he woke up on Good Friday morning with a sore throat and subsequently tested positive.

‘It’s rolling through, and it’s my turn,’ McLachlan said on 3AW.

McLachlan announced earlier this week that he will leave his role as AFL president this year 

An emotional McLachlan fought back tears as he thanked the AFL Commission, his family and the entire AFL community for two decades he had spent at AFL House during his press conference earlier this week. 

‘The responsibility has never been lost on me and I feel the game is in better shape now than when I took over,’ McLachlan said.

‘Leaving now, it feel right, for the AFL, right for me and right for my family.

‘The AFL is in incredible shape on whatever metric you asses it. I feel good about that and it is the right time to close out the stuff that we need to do this year.’

The priorities for the remainder of the year will be signing a new broadcast agreement, new pay deals for both the men’s and women’s competition and the possible admission of a new team from Tasmania. 

McLachlan has been involved with the AFL for 20 years and his next step is not yet known

‘There is relief, there is remorse, there is a range of emotions … it is clearly an emotional day, I have spent 20 years of my life here.’

McLachlan, 48, said he had some preliminary conversations about what he does next, but said his future was a ‘blank canvas’.

The leading candidates to succeed McLachlan, who had been in charge since 2014, were internal: AFL Football Operations GM Andrew Dillon and AFL Finance, Clubs and Broadcast manager Travis Auld.

From clubland, Richmond chief executive and former AFL Players Association boss Brendan Gale was regarded as a strong contender.