The Tigers scored a major off-field coup yesterday by enticing Balme, one of the game’s most-respected administrators, to return to Punt Rd as general manager of football.

The Focus On Football group, who seek a spill of the Tigers’ board, claimed last week they were chasing Balme.

The onetime SANFL coach, who mentored Norwood to two premierships during a ten-year stint in the 1980s, has spent the past few years as Collingwood’s director of football.

But current Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale announced the two-time premiership ruckman at Richmond had been appointed following a football department review.

Balme coached Melbourne for five seasons in the mid-1990s before coming into his own as a backroom boss at Geelong and during two spells at Collingwood.

Shortly after the appointment, Gale was asked what effect it might have on the Focus On Football campaign.

“I’m not assuming anything and to be perfectly frank, I’m not really that interested,” Gale told 3AW.

“My job is to run the business and that’s what I’m doing.

“Well-informed change has been made … for us, it’s all about `17 now.”

Cardiologist Martin Hiscock, who leads Focus On Football, called on the board to release the full restructuring report and claimed an influence over Balme’s hiring.

“They may not be talking to us but they are certainly listening,” Hiscock said.

Gale quickly rejected Hiscock’s assertion.

“That’s being mischievous – this has been a while in the making,” Gale said.

“We identified a need to bring someone in of really strong experience and judgment to head up our footy program.

“Around the same time, the jungle drums were beating about `Gubby’ Allan’s potential role at Collingwood and at that point, I thought it was worth reaching out to Balmey.

Asked when he first approached Balme, Gale said: “towards the end of the season – weeks I guess – around round 22, 23.”

In taking the job, Balme has turned his back on a potential head of football role at AFL strugglers Brisbane and freed himself from a sticky situation at the Magpies.

Balme was usurped by veteran administrator Graeme Allan at Collingwood, only for Allan to be embroiled by an alleged missed drug test by No.1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield during his time at GWS Giants.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley admits he will miss Balme, saying he wanted to work with the respected AFL football boss for another year.

Balme has had consistent success in the administration role, most notably at Geelong, who won three premierships while he was their football boss.

Buckley said last night he had no say in the changes at Collingwood in the past few weeks, where veteran administrator Graeme Allan was appointed to run their football department.

Allen effectively took over the role from Balme, who was moved to a coaching director role.

“I wasn’t privy to the decision that was made because it’s made higher up the chain than me,” Buckley told AFL 360.

“I’m looking forward to working with ‘Gubby’ (Allen) but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish Balmey had accepted that director of coaching role for 12 months, selfishly.

“But I understand the reasons for him choosing to go to Richmond.”

Buckley heaped praise on Balme, who left Geelong in 2014 to return to Collingwood.

“I am (disappointed) because I enjoy ‘Balmey’,” Buckley said.

“He’s a great football person – he’s played a really important role for us over the last couple of years and for me personally.

“We’re in much better shape as a footy department than we were when he came in and like you’d hope to see whenever your time comes, he’ll leave us in a better place than (when) he came in.”

Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert said they were unhappy to lose Balme’s “wise counsel” after he chose not to take up a newly-created coaching director role.

Balme’s arrival at Punt Road means Dan Richardson loses his overarching football role to become general manager – football talent, answering to Balme but remaining an executive.

Matthew Clarke will become recruiting boss after this year’s draft, taking over from Francis Jackson.

Port Adelaide flag-winning coach Mark Williams, who held a senior development coach role with Richmond, along with assistants Greg Mellor and Ross Smith, have already left the club.

-AAP