MELBOURNE has named 2004 Port Adelaide premiership player Josh Mahoney as its new Manager of Football Operations.
Mahoney, who was installed in the acting role shortly after chief executive Peter Jackson arrived at Melbourne in May, will now oversee the Football Operations of the Club, including the List Management, Recruiting, Player Welfare, Medical and Football Administration departments. Mahoney will report directly to Jackson.
Paul Roos as Senior Coach will also report to the CEO and be responsible for the coaching panel and player development.
Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson said “Josh Mahoney is a rising star of football administration. While in the acting role he has done a outstanding job, particularly in recent weeks, designing and implementing the significant changes in football structure and staffing.
“He is a highly skilled individual and has proven he deserves this opportunity.
“When I started at the Club, I spoke of the need to have a senior and experienced General Manager of Football Operations to lead the Football Department and develop the culture. That plan did not anticipate Paul Roos becoming our coach, and we have adjusted the structure accordingly, taking into account Paul’s experience and capabilities in leadership and culture along with the engagement of Leading Teams.
The 35 year-old has been with Melbourne since the end of the 2007 season, when he retired from Port Adelaide.
From 2008-11, Mahoney was Melbourne’s forward line coach, but he switched to the football manager role when Mark Neeld was appointed Melbourne coach in September 2011.
Mahoney has since cemented a reputation as an emerging administrator in the game.
As a player, Mahoney also forged a fine football story.
He played 97 AFL matches, including 19 with Collingwood from 1997-98, 11 with the Western Bulldogs from 1999-2000, and 67 with Port Adelaide from 2004-07.
Originally from St Kevin’s/Western Jets, Mahoney played 19 matches with Williamstown in the VFL in 1996, before he was selected by Collingwood at No. 84 in the AFL Draft of the same year.
Mahoney battled injury, including several concussion bouts early in his career, but after four seasons, he was out of the AFL.
He returned to the VFL and became a star player.
Mahoney was captain of the 2001-02 Essendon VFL team, and played in the 2003 premiership with Williamstown. He also captained the VFL in state of origin, and was rewarded with VFL team of the year representation.
In December 2003, Port Adelaide selected Mahoney with its final pick in the AFL Pre-Season Draft.
Although it was a shock selection to many in the football fraternity, Mahoney produced a fairytale comeback, playing in Port Adelaide’s inaugural flag against the Brisbane Lions in 2004.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing initially, when he failed to gain a disposal in his first match with the Power – coincidentally – against Melbourne at the MCG in round four, 2004.
After being an emergency for the next three rounds, Mahoney was recalled in round eight and remained in the side, playing the last 18 matches of 2004.
He booted 20 goals and became an important part of the Power’s premiership, kicking a major in the victory.
Mahoney added another 40 matches in 2005-06 – he had his best AFL season in 2006 and led the club’s goalkicking – and in 2007 retired at the end of the season with a premiership medallion to his name. He was also a member of Port Adelaide’s leadership group in his final season at Alberton.
It was an outstanding story of perseverance, given he had been out of the AFL system for three seasons.
Away from the game, Mahoney holds a masters in business administration (MBA), masters in marketing and bachelor of science.
He also received the AFLPA education and training award in 2004, and has worked with Leading Teams.
