Cheryl Critchley

Cheryl Critchley is a Melbourne journalist and author of more than 30 years. A lifelong Richmond supporter, she loves football but is concerned about how its corporatisation affects grassroots fans, particularly when it comes to having a voice about the game’s direction and securing Grand Final tickets when their team competes.

With her husband, Brian Roy, and her children Jess, Bec and Ben, Cheryl is a Richmond Football Club and Cheer Squad member, attends most games and writes about footy in publications such as The Footy Almanac. She also wrote a book about the corporatisation of the AFL, Our Footy, Real Fans Vs Big Bucks.

Cheryl is passionate about fans – the game’s biggest single stakeholder – having a say in how football is run now and in the future. The pandemic has added new challenges for the AFL and supporters, with many club, AFL and stadium members paying for memberships they couldn’t use at times. This makes it even more important for their views considered by the AFL, clubs, and stadium management as the game moves forward post-COVID-19.

Professionally, Cheryl has had eight books published and written for a range of publications including major newspapers, magazines, and news and corporate websites. She is also a communications specialist and uses these skills in her role as AFLFA media officer.