THE Carlton Football Club can confirm that after 26 years within the AFL industry, Director of High Performance Andrew Russell will step away from football at the conclusion of the 2024 AFL season. 

Following six seasons at the Blues, in which time he led high performance, Russell will conclude his time at the Club, with his current contract set to expire at season’s end.

“Andrew has been a key leader at our club and within the industry over a long period of time, achieving six premierships across his career,” Carlton General Manager of Football Brad Lloyd said.

“We have seen significant transformation in our group during the past six years, and his passion, dedication and commitment to our players has been outstanding. 

“An ultimate professional, Andrew will continue to lead our high-performance program for the remainder of the season as we look to build some strong momentum heading into this next phase of our 2024 campaign.”

Russell said he took great pride in seeing the evolution of the playing group and the Club as a whole, since first arriving at IKON Park at the end of 2018.

“The transformation that has taken place at the Club, on and off the field has been significant,” Russell said.

“To see the athletes emerge as professionals, their drive and commitment towards a common goal now is really powerful, it has been fantastic to be part of their development over time.

“I have loved my time at this football club and look forward to maximising what we are able to achieve for the remainder of this season. Just like I’ve challenged hundreds of athletes to be their best, the time is right to challenge myself, step outside an industry I have been in since I was 21, and pursue the next challenge in high performance.”

Making this decision now gives the Club sufficient time to conduct its process to appoint a new senior figure in its high-performance program.