Kaitlyn Waldie named Dubbo Demons club president for 2024

Kaitlyn Waldie was named president of the Demons for the 2024 season after the club held their AGM (annual general meeting) on October 8.

Waldie will replace Tom Skinner in the role but for the Demons, the new committee is history-making.

Since being formed in 1981, the Demons have never had a female club president and now Waldie is tasked with leading the club for the next 12 months at least.

"I'm really looking forward to it actually, I was very humbled to get the votes to be elected and to just be nominated as president," she said.

A premiership winner with the Demons in 2023, Waldie has experienced a lot of success since joining the club.

Next season, five of the eight roles on the committee will be held by women.

Off the back of their mighty success women's side, Waldie believes they are just picking up where other former club members have left off.

"I think it is excellent, next year will be about the eighth year that the women have been involved," she said.

"I'm very used to the Victorian model where clubs have a football/netball club back home, which typically means there have been a lot of women involved in the committee at a club level.

"Realistically here, we've had a number of strong and powerful women in previous eras who have been involved.

"It's really good to see with the integration of the women's team in the competition that we can move into active roles within the club."

After moving from Victoria, the new Demons president started as a player before picking up roles on the committee in 2022.

READ ALSO:

In 2023, Waldie was vice-president of the club under Skinner's leadership and said her predecessor would still be around.

"I think Tom isn't necessarily stepping away, he could be moving into a different role," he said.

"I think the work that he and numerous other people at the club have put in over the past few years has given us a good structure to carry on.

"It's not like he is moving internationally, if anyone has any queries and contact him because they have for so long I'm sure he can pass it on and we can have open communication.

"We've got Joe Knagge as well, he's been on the executive for many years."

With still more than six months before the first match of the 2024 season, the Demons have had a record number of coaching applications.

Peter Martinoli has departed Dubbo just months after winning the title with the women's side while Terry Lyons will step away from coaching the men's Tier 1 side.

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.