ANDREW Demetriou will step down as AFL chief executive at the end of this year after 11 seasons in charge, with Gillon McLachlan his likely replacement.

Demetriou’s resignation was confirmed by AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick in a press conference this morning attended by Demetriou’s family and more than 200 AFL staff members.

“I advised Mike officially when we were both over at the Super Bowl that I intended to announce my resignation in early March,” Demetriou told the assembled media at AFL House.

JON ANDERSON: HISTORY WILL BE KIND TO DEMETRIOU

“I’ve always said that it’s a privilege and an honour to serve the game.

“But I also believe that the time is right and I’ve always believed that, in my 11th year, any organisation needs renewal and needs a fresh set of eyes.”

media_camera Andrew Demetriou announces his decision to step down as AFL chief executive.

“The growth of the game has been extraordinary.

“It’s been a wonderful journey full of challenges but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I leave the game with no regrets.”

CONTENDERS: WHO WILL REPLACE DEMETRIOU?

Today’s announcement comes after another tumultuous weekend for the code, which saw the Sunday Herald Sun reveal the names of Essendon players involved in the club’s supplements scandal.

When asked if the weekend’s events had any influence over the timing of the announcement, Demtriou replied: “None whatsoever ... we (Fitzpatrick and I) both started talking about this in 2012.

“We got together in New York and we agreed the start of March would be the right time (to announce it) ... I think it’s part of good governance.”

Demetriou said he hoped the year-long anti-doping saga surrounding Essendon would not taint his legacy.

“That will be for others to judge,’’ he said.

“Hopefully people won’t take a snapshot of one point in time.

media_camera Andrew Demetriou with his wife Symone and family after announcing his decision to retire as AFL chief executive.

“Everything at the AFL has been done as a collective.

“We’ve achieved so much of what we’ve done as a collective. It will be for others to judge (whether I’ve done a good job).

Q&A — ROBBO v DEMETRIOU

Demetriou repeated regrets expressed previously the AFL hadn’t moved earlier on concerns mounting about the level of regulation in sports science within AFL.

But he defended his response since the Essendon scandal broke in early 2013.

“We (Demetriou and Fitzpatrick) were both concerned about sport science a couple of years ago,’’ he said.

“Whether we could’ve acted earlier ... we just weren’t in a position there. There was enough hearsay to have us worried.

“The AFL has done all it can do in this situation. I’m proud of how we acted last year.

“We’ve enhanced the anti-doping code. What happens thereafter is in (anti-doping agency) ASADA’s hands. We are well equipped with any issue going forward.’’

Demetriou paid tribute to his family for their support during his tenure.

“Symone and my children are my sunshine, my light and my hope and I love them with all my heart,” he said.

“Symone has been and continues to be an inspirational and gifted mother to our children, and to you darling, thank you for your unconditional and wonderful support you’ve given me. As my wife I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

DEMETRIOU — THE HITS AND MISSES

He also said he “sincerely” wanted to thank the media.

“I’ve always said that this game is blessed by fantastic media coverage,” he said.

“We get, on balance, 95 per cent of enormous coverage is positive and for that I’m very grateful.”

Fitzpatrick — who described Demetriou as “one of the most influential chief executive officers in the history of the AFL” — said the association had hired a company to conduct the search for Demetriou’s replacement and the departing CEO would have no role in selecting his successor.

McLachlan, the AFL’s deputy chief executive, is the white-hot favourite to replace Demetriou.

He still has extremely strong support from the AFL Commission, despite turbulent negotiations with Essendon and Melbourne in the last year.

McLachlan, who passed up the NRL chief executive role, faced criticism over the AFL’s negotiated deals with Melbourne and Essendon over the respective tanking and supplements scandals.

TOON TIME: HOW MARK KNIGHT SAW DEMETRIOU

But the AFL Commission still believes he is the man to succeed Demetriou given he has handled many of the league’s biggest agenda items in the last year.

He also has control of the mid-term collective bargaining agreement review and the AFL’s equalisation agenda.

Demetriou leaves with a reputation as the man who bedded down the two new expansion clubs, but has been heavily damaged by recent scandals, including Adelaide’s salary cap rorting.

He famously said that tanking never existed, and has admitted he should have been more involved in negotiations over Essendon’s supplements penalty.

When Demetriou succeeded Wayne Jackson, that decision was also made public early in the season before the AFL Commission searched for replacements ahead of Jackson’s September departure.

— with AAP

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