Follow and watch live: Gillon McLachlan explains his resignation as AFL chief executive

Gillon McLachlan will resign as chief executive of the AFL.  

McLachlan is expected to leave the top job at the end of the season. 

The 49-year old succeeded Andrew Demetriou as the game's chief executive in 2014. 

Under his stewardship, the code established AFLW, navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and purchased Docklands Stadium.

In his previous role as Demetriou's deputy, he was instrumental in the league's expansion to 18 teams 

Follow the action via the video on top of this story or via our live blog.

To leave a comment on the blog, please log in or sign up for an ABC account.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Over the last few years we have waited for many live press conferences from Gillon McLachlan as he guided people through a string of announcements about fixtures and restrictions and movements due to COVID.

But nothing like this one.

Here he is now.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Gillon McLachlan has been an establishment leader. The footy fan and administrator who’s also a polo player, the man who turns up at the races in a flat cap and corduroy jacket, the nephew of former Howard Government minister Ian McLachlan, and the deputy to former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou — McLachlan stepped into the AFL’s top role in mid-2014.

He has overseen a time of growth for AFL, including the introduction and expansion of AFLW, rising ratings, and the purchase of Docklands Stadium.

There have been some mis-steps, too, such as the much-maligned AFL X experiment.

But the biggest challenge McLachlan and the league has faced has been the turmoil of COVID-19.

The pandemic saw teams and players disrupted repeatedly, the game’s biggest stadia shuttered and silent.

Matches were played to the echo of players' voices without fans to cheer them on, an AFLW season was halted and left