‘Contend every year’: New president outlines ambition for Blues

Although an AFL inquiry found Sayers’ X account was compromised, and he was not responsible for posting the image, he resigned as club president within a fortnight.

Priestley, who was viewed as a prospective successor to Sayers as soon as he joined the board at the end of 2021, said the situation that Sayers faced was difficult for all involved. Sayers has been in Italy with family.

“I’ve been in touch with Luke … I didn’t really know him before I was approached by the independent nominations committee to join the board. So I worked with him closely over the last three years, and just been really impressed in terms of the contribution he’s made to this footy club.

“So yeah I feel for him very much. On the board for 12 years, president for three and his dedication and passion, and importantly the energy he brought to the role. He was energetic in that role in terms of making sure we … needed to be doing everything we should be. So it’s been a really difficult situation for everybody.

“So I think we’ve hopefully got to a situation now that we can just respect the privacy of those involved because it was a pretty difficult time for everybody.”

Priestley was involved in last year’s appointment of Graham Wright as the club’s next CEO; a role he will assume later this year when Brian Cook departs.

The new president addressed staff and the players on Friday, telling them he would be a collaborative leader. Carlton insiders predicted he would be less flamboyant than the extroverted Sayers.

“I addressed all the staff and players here earlier, and one of the things I said is ‘this is’t about me, this is about all of us and how we come together, deliver in a collective sense our over-arching goals and objectives’. I would style myself sort of as a far more collaborative leader where I want to hear different people’s opinions and get full buy-in across the organisation.”

Priestley, who grew up in Brighton and played football for Old Brighton with his two brothers, described himself as “not somebody necessarily seeking profile, [but] wanting profile for the club and our achievements and what we’re trying to do as a collective.”

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Asked whether the Blues had relied too much on skipper Patrick Cripps, Priestley praised Cripps – “an amazing leader for us – but said the Blues were developing a “deep bench” and that the list management team had performed well.

“I think they’ve done a really good job over the last couple of years. We’re getting a really deep right across the club and right across the playing group.”

Priestley said he would “flip” his residency to mainly Melbourne to be president. “I’m still chairman of JP Morgan, I will have to go back to Sydney on certain days and weeks, but I would look to flip that so as president of the Carlton footy club I’m down here in Melbourne.”