Brendon Gale

Brendon Gale (born 18 July 1968) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian 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 served as CEO of the AFL 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 incoming Tasmania Football Club.

Early life and education
Brendon Gale was born on 18 July 1968.

He studied at Monash University in Melbourne, graduating with Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts degrees.

Playing career
Gale played for the Richmond Football Club from 1990 to 2001 as a centre half-forward and later ruckman. For five seasons he played alongside his older brother, Michael, who transferred from the Fitzroy 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 champion Tasmanian footballer who became the first player from the NWFU to achieve All Australian selection. Their grandfather, Jack Gale, played three games for Richmond in 1924.

For a period during his playing days Gale played guitar in a small band called Trial By Video, which included other footballers Mark Zanotti, Tony Woods, and Paul Bulluss.

Post-football career
After his AFL playing career, Gale practised law with commercial law firm King Wood Mallesons, until serving as chief executive officer of the AFL Players' Association from 2005 to 2009.

He was also a member of the AFL's "Laws of the Game" or Rules Committee.

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 the AFL finals series, and won the Premiership in 2017.

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.

Other activities
Gale is a director on several boards, and advocates for diversity. From 2009 until 2013, he served on the board of the Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and has been involved in the "Male Champions of Change" program.

In media
Gale features in the 2021 fly-on-the-wall documentary TV series Making Their Mark, which showed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on several AFL clubs, players, and staff. Players Nic Naitanui, Eddie Betts, Stephen Coniglio, and Rory Sloane were featured, as well as Gold Coast Suns football club coach Stuart Dew, and staff leaders Peggy O'Neal, Damien Hardwick, and Gale.

Statistics
Player statistics for Brendon Gale:

! colspan=3| 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
 * 1990 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * 1998 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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 || || 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
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * 2001 || || 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
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * }