Phil Mullen was a popular and important figure in the history of the Sydney Swans.

Born in Geelong, Phil was a talented footballer and cricketer, and he excelled as a player and coach in both sports. He was the playing coach of Barwon Heads in the Bellarine League, where he led them to a Grand Final. Following his move to Melbourne the following year having accepted a job at Campbells Soup Co, Phil coached Melbourne based Powerhouse Football Club in the Amateur League to their first Premiership in over a decade.

Phil’s career at Campbells Soup saw him appointed as National Sales Manager at Arnott’s at a time that the global consumer company was increasing its control over the iconic Australian company that it first became a shareholder of in the 1980s. This role saw Phil move to Sydney in 1993, leaving behind life in Victoria and thankfully also his love of Geelong! Enter life in Australia’s greatest city, Sydney, a city Phil which embraced wholeheartedly.  

In 1997, following a high-level disagreement with his board, Phil departed Arnott’s. Phil had recommended that Tim Tam packets should have 12 biscuits rather than the traditional 11. The board prevailed and the people of Australia were forced to continue to have an odd number of biscuits in each pack – extending endless family arguments over biscuit sharing. Phil was a man of logic, compassion and equitable chocolate biscuit consumption.

Arnott’s loss was the Sydney Swans’ gain. In 1997 Phil was appointed by CEO Kelvin Templeton to the newly created position of Player Welfare Manager. When Phil commenced this role, he was the first full-time welfare manager in the AFL’s history – a role that he would define over the next decade. 

In this role Phil was typically the first point of contact for players arriving at their new club. Many players, such as Jason Ball, Heath Grundy, Jude Bolton, Tadhg Kennelly, Michael O’Loughlin, Nick Smith, Ryan O’Keefe, Luke Ablett, Jarrad McVeigh, Ted Richards, Paul Williams, Nick Davis, Brett Kirk, Ben Mathews, Leo Barry, Barry Hall and Adam Goodes tell stories of Phil collecting them at the airport or meeting him first at the club upon their arrival in Sydney.

Phil was a master at mentoring and supporting players and their families.  He would assist with housing, jobs for spouses and dealing with home sickness. He instigated bonding activities such as parent dinners in each of the states that players originated, something that is today a mainstay in our player welfare model.  

Phil became a trusted and much-loved confidant, friend and mentor to many of the players at the club. In fact, he was considered a father figure by many players. This was the case with all players but headlined by many of our most celebrated champions. Tony Lockett, who became one of Phil’s closest friends after his football career ended, famously did not acknowledge Phil in his first year at the club, only to eventually succumb to Phil’s warmth and empathy, and they became inseparable.

Phil was not only a fantastic welfare manager, but he would also ultimately undertake many and varied roles at the club. Phil was highly versatile and always willing to roll his sleeves up and assist whenever and wherever needed. These roles included working in marketing and sponsorship, something that he had undertaken for so many years at Campbells Soup. Many a sponsor was identified or retained by Phil, always eager to offer personal friendship alongside a fair commercial arrangement.

Prior to the appointment of Myles Baron-Hay as CEO, Phil was appointed as interim CEO in 2003, filling an important void at a time of management challenges at the club.  He became a director of the ill-fated Club Swans in Kings Cross, a role that he undertook with trepidation, but willingness to help when needed.

Phil’s football brain and versatility were acknowledged when he was invited to play the game day role of monitoring player match ups on the bench during games. Playing his role as “holding the magnet board” on game day saw him, for many years sitting on the bench, headphone connected to an often-excited coaches’ box. The things he must have heard over the years! Phil was there on the bench in both the 2005 and 2006 grand finals.

Much loved by everyone at the club, Phil was foremost a player’s man. He would spend many nights entertaining players at his home, with dinners prepared by his loving wife Astrid. He would have a warm handshake with one hand and a quality glass of chardonnay in the other.

Players displayed their love and respect for Phil, performing rituals of the day reserved for only the most loved football department staff. Sticky taping his office furniture and filing cabinet draws, making all inoperable. At away games it was not unusual for Phil to return to his hotel room only to find that all of the furniture had been moved to the balcony or was upside down (this does not happen now!).

In 2009 Phil reluctantly retired from the Swans following a serious health issue diagnosed in 2008. That year he was honoured with Life Membership, which was presented to him at his home by Tony Lockett, Paul Kelly, Barry Hall and Andrew Pridham.

Following a remarkable recovery from what was considered to be terminal cancer (Phil was an extremely tough man), he entered the player management business. His client list was Swans royalty. The willingness of the likes of Tony Lockett, Jarrad McVeigh, Barry Hall, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Heath Grundy, Paul Kelly, Paul Bevan, Lewis Johnston, Tom Mitchell, Callum Mills, Xavier Richards and Rodney Eade to trust Phil Mullen’s “Kicking on Sports Management” (later in partnership with Stride Sports Management) was a testament to the trust so many Swans people had in him.

Phil was a man who was trustworthy, trusted, respected and loved. His word was his bond, and he was always honest and straightforward with people, be the news good or bad.

Since leaving the club Phil sat at almost every Sydney Swans game at the SCG in box 4009 in the Brewongle Stand, with Chairman Andrew Pridham on his left and wife Astrid on his right. As game day nerves and focus were ever present and of course necessary, he rarely spoke during a game – just the occasional grunt or giggle. This was much appreciated by the Chairman. He will not be sitting there next season, but his legacy and impact on our club will remain on display for eternity.

No greater supporter and friend of the Sydney Swans has existed than Phillip Mullen.

Phil Mullen’s funeral will be held at 2:30pm on Thursday, October 31 at Blessed Sacrament Church, Mosman. Ironically, we will say goodbye on Halloween to a great man who could be scary at times but always a treat to spend time with.