St Kilda Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of club great Lenny Hayes as General Manager of Football ahead of the 2026 AFL season.
Hayes will work closely with Ross Lyon, who will continue to oversee coaching and list management. Club Executive Chris Ford, who has been in an interim football operations role, will also continue to support the wider program with football strategy and special projects.
Known and loved by the Saints faithful, Hayes brings more than two decades of football knowledge and experience to the position.
“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,” CEO Carl Dilena said.
Hayes first joined the Saints via pick No.11 in the 1998 national draft before going on to become one of the club’s most admired players and one of the standout midfielders of the modern era.
He played 297 games in the red, white and black before embarking on a coaching career at Greater Western Sydney. After five years with the Giants, Hayes returned to Moorabbin and has been a key member of the coaching panel since late 2022.
“Anyone who has had the privilege of working with Lenny understands his natural ability to build strong, trusting relationships,” Dilena said.
“His calm and measured approach, combined with his competitiveness and leadership, extends far beyond his achievements on the field and is a perfect fit for this role.
“His experience as a player, coach and now administrator brings a rare depth of perspective and care to his decision making, and we are excited to see that come to life.
“Lenny will transition into the position effective immediately, and we move forward with great confidence in his capability and character.”
Hayes said he welcomed the opportunity.
“Having spent more than half my life working inside football programs, I am really excited to step into this role,” Hayes said.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Carl and Ross and doing everything I can to help maintain a high-performance environment.
“Football programs are only as strong as the people within them, so my focus will be on ensuring our staff, and in turn our players, are in the best position to succeed on and off the field.”
HAYES CAREER SNAPSHOT
Drafted: Pick No.11, 1998
AFL debut: Round 5, 1999
St Kilda captain: 2004, 2007
Norm Smith Medal: 2010 (first grand final)
Trevor Barker Award: 2003, 2010, 2012
All-Australian: 2003, 2005, 2009
Australian Football Hall of Fame induction: 2020
St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame induction: 2019
Greater Western Sydney assistant coach: 2016 to 2020
St Kilda assistant and development coach: 2022 to present
