Paul Roos joins USAFL Australian Advisory Board

The Australian Advisory Board was set up in 2006 with a vision of inviting friends of the USAFL in Australia, who have stature in both business and football, to advise the USAFL on issues including business in Australia, the inner workings of the game in Australia and to increase the USAFL’s general understanding of everything football.

Paul Roos is a legend in modern day Australian Football, both for his playing and coaching career.

He played with Fitzroy and Sydney and was named All-Australian in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991 (captain), 1992 (captain) and 1996 and retired in 1998 having played 356 senior games.

Paul Roos has a strong history with the USAFL. He moved to the United States (his wife’s homeland) in 1999 and while there became involved with the newly formed United States Australian Football League. He travelled the country running coaching clinics and was the first National Coach of the American Revolution, leading them to a win over the Canadian Northwind.

Roos joined Sydney's coaching staff in 2001 under Rodney Eade, and took over the reigns for the final ten rounds in 2002. In his first full season in charge he took the team, in a rebuilding year, to a preliminary final against eventual premiers, the Brisbane Lions. In 2005 Roos tasted premiership success after almost a quarter of a century as player and coach as the Club won their first flag since 1933 with a four-point win over West Coast in what he described as "my greatest moment in football".

Roos then led his charges to back-to-back grand finals in 2006, though on the second occasion they lost to the Eagles by a heart-breaking solitary point.

Roos joins Terry O’Connor, Peter Schwab, Tom Potter and Tony Fairhead on the USAFL Australian Advisory Board.

Terry O’Connor is a retired barrister. He is the former Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia, was Chairman of the West Coast Eagles and is a former Commissioner of the Australian Football League. Peter Schwab has a rich history with the Australian Football League, as a player, coach and administrator. He played 171 games for Hawthorn between 1980 and 1991. In 1992 he became assistant coach at the Richmond Football Club, before becoming head coach at Hawthorn from 2000 to 2004. He currently coaches at Wesley College and was recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of Football Victoria Ltd. He is a life member of the AFL and has been chairman of the AFL Match Review Panel.

Tom Potter is the CEO and sole owner of Eagle Boys Pizza, Australia’s largest privately owned pizza chain, a company he formed in 1987. Tom has had a distinguished career in business serving on various private and public boards across Australia. He hails originally from Bendigo in Victoria and played Australian Football for approximately 30 years across most states and territories across Australia, including the Northern Territory. Tom has spent a vast amount of time living and working in the US over the last 15 years including a three year stint at Harvard Business School from 1994 to 1997. He is also a Commissioner of AFLQld and is keen to be involved with USAFL, particularly on the strategic side of new and emerging markets.

Tony Fairhead retired from a business career in finance and property investment throughout Australia and south-east Asia. He now runs his family investment company and has a close connection and commitment to the West Perth club in the WAFL. Tony and his wife, Ros, coordinate the hosting program for American Notre Dame students who attend Notre Dame Australia's campus in Fremantle. His interest in USFooty started from this connection.

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