Collingwood are set to unveil former Sydney Swans football chief Charlie Gardiner as their new head of football.
According to two well-placed industry sources, who would not comment before an official announcement, Gardiner agreed to accept the crucial role of general manager of football with the Magpies, who had been without a permanent head of football since Graham Wright went on extended leave in 2023.
Charlie Gardiner is the new Collingwood football boss.Credit: Getty Images
Gardiner and former Fremantle football boss Peter Bell had been the leading contenders for the role at Collingwood, who had taken time to find a replacement for Wright after he chose not to return to the club and crossed to Carlton as their designated next chief executive once Brian Cook finishes later next year.
Adelaide list manager Justin Reid was also in the final three for the Collingwood job, the Magpies having met with Gardiner, Bell and Reid last week.
Gardiner had been in discussions with Melbourne about their vacant CEO role.
Gardiner, an ex-Geelong and St Kilda player with a legal background, had headed up Sydney’s football department for five seasons until 2024 when he returned to Melbourne for family reasons and took up a legal and compliance position with the Swans this year, as Leon Cameron took over as head of football.
The hiring of Gardiner continues a period of upheaval at Collingwood, given Wright’s exit, the departure of longtime recruiting boss Derek Hine last week, premiership assistant coach Justin Leppitsch’s ascension to head of list management and Bolton’s exit to St Kilda.
The football department has changed dramatically since the club’s 2023 premiership, as chief executive Craig Kelly took a more active role and was forced to revamp the football department in the absence of Wright. As part of the restructure of the recruiting department, Adam Shepard is favoured to be promoted to fill the role previously occupied by Hine.
Leppitsch is expected to report to Gardiner under the revamped football department structure.
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