Easts Tigers have announced that club CEO Des Morris has decided to retire, bringing to a close a remarkable career spanning forty years of service to the club and its members.
Morris will stand down as CEO following the appointment of his successor, commencing an orderly leadership transition, whereby Morris will remain with the club until the end of the 2016 season as Football Operations Manager.
His career with the Tigers spans more than 48 years, when a young fresh-faced back-rower made the trip from Ipswich’s Booval Swifts to the Coorparoo-based club, before becoming their most capped player with 226 games.
Morris played in the Tigers golden era, playing in six grand finals over an 11-year period. He was a member of the club’s 1972 premiership side, before captain/coaching the Tigers to premierships glory in 1977 and 1978.
In 1980, Morris moved to play with Wynnum Manly Seagulls before taking on the head coaching role, winning premierships in 1982 and 1984.
After six years with the Seagulls, Morris returned home to Langlands Park, holding various roles with the club, before taking on the position of CEO in 2007.
During this period, the Tigers have been regular final combatants and were premiership runners-up in 2013 and 2014.
“Des Morris has been a very strong leader and has managed the club through challenging times,” club president Keith Phillips said.
“The Management Committee is grateful for his immense and distinguished service to the club as CEO over the past 10 years.
“The club wishes Des and Fay all the very best for the future.”
Morris said it had “been a privilege to lead one of Queensland greatest clubs”.
“After four decades with the club, the last 10 as CEO, it’s now time to move on and spend more time with my family,” he said.
“I look forward to working with the new CEO for the remainder of the 2016 season.”
The Management Committee will conduct the process to choose Morris’s successor and will consider internal and external candidates for the role.
