The North Melbourne Football Club would like to thank Laura Kane for her service after she was offered the new role of General Manager, Competition Management in the AFL’s restructured football operations team.
Kane has filled a number of roles during her time with the Kangaroos, and most recently served on the club’s executive after being promoted early this year to the position of General Manager of Strategy and Football Operations. This position focused on strategic projects across the football department and the broader club.
In recognition of her impressive portfolio of work at North Melbourne, Kane was this year appointed to the AFL Competition Committee ahead of season 2022.
Among her most notable achievements, in 2017 Kane led North Melbourne’s historic application for an AFLW licence. The successful submission saw the club play in the fledgling competition for the first time in 2019.
North Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Ben Amarfio thanked Kane for her time at the club.
“It’s vitally important that as an industry we do more to encourage and foster opportunities for women to flourish, particularly in senior management roles,” Amarfio said.
“In my nearly two years at North Melbourne I’ve been privileged to work closely with Laura across a number of large, club-shaping projects.
“Laura has been a massive contributor and we’re sad to see her go. She’s had a huge impact across not just the football department, but across every team within the club.
“We’re proud of the work that Laura has done in football and we see this appointment as due recognition of her achievements individually, but also an endorsement of what’s happening here at North Melbourne.”
Kane said she has been proud to call herself a North Melbourne person and that she leaves knowing the club is in great hands and on the right path now.
“It’s a bittersweet day. I’m obviously incredibly excited by the opportunity that awaits but I’m also sad to be leaving a place that I love which has become home for me over the past six years,” Kane said.
“The entire North Melbourne community welcomed me with open arms and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to work at such a great club.
“The hardest part about leaving is that we are genuinely on the path to brighter days and it’s sad knowing I won’t be here to enjoy the fruits of the incredible amount of hard work that’s been done in recent years.
“Under Ben, ‘Nobes’ (AFL coach David Noble) and ‘Crock’ (AFLW coach Darren Crocker) the club has never been in a better position and I wish them and our men’s and women’s teams every success.”
