St Kilda Football Club has appointed former player Lenny Hayes as its new General Manager of Football, a role crucial to the club”s pursuit of success in the AFL. Hayes, who previously served as an assistant coach under Ross Lyon, will collaborate closely with Lyon in this new capacity. He takes over the position permanently from David Misson, who left the club in October.
Hayes enjoyed a storied playing career at St Kilda, appearing in 297 matches between 1999 and 2014. He captained the team in 2004 and 2007 and was a standout performer during Lyon”s initial tenure as head coach. Carl Dilena, the club”s CEO, expressed enthusiasm about Hayes” return, stating, “Lenny”s career is so closely woven into the story of St Kilda, and we are thrilled to see him begin this new chapter with us.” Dilena highlighted Hayes” ability to foster strong relationships and his calm demeanor, noting these traits are vital for the role.
Throughout his playing days, Hayes garnered numerous accolades, including three best and fairest awards and three selections as an All-Australian. He also earned the prestigious Norm Smith Medal during the drawn 2010 grand final against Collingwood. Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Hayes transitioned into coaching after his playing career, serving as an assistant at GWS from 2016 to 2020. He returned to St Kilda in 2022 to work alongside Lyon as an assistant and development coach.
With high expectations for the upcoming season, the club is also benefiting from recent signings, including Tom De Koning, Jack Silvagni, Liam Ryan, and Sam Flanders, as well as the re-signing of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
Excited about his appointment, Hayes remarked, “Having spent more than half my life working inside football programs, I am really excited to step into this role. I am looking forward to working closely with Carl and Ross and doing everything I can to help maintain a high-performance environment.” He added that the strength of football programs lies in the quality of their personnel, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring that both staff and players are positioned for success both on and off the field.
