HAWTHORN president and former premier Jeff Kennett took a swipe at AFL boss Andrew Demetriou yesterday for touting outgoing Premier Steve Bracks as a potential league commissioner.

Kennett — who was deposed by Bracks in the 1999 Victorian election — said Demetriou's comments that Bracks was "well-credentialled" for a role on the AFL Commission were "absolutely extraordinary". Kennett told Triple M yesterday that Demetriou was flouting the AFL's request that board appointment talks should remain private.

"The presidents and the commission met only two weeks ago and it was agreed there that nobody was going to make any comment — we'd allow the election process to take its course and then we'd look at who was the preferred candidate," Kennett said.

There are two vacancies on the commission, left by late chairman Ron Evans and retiring commissioner Colin Carter, with up to 12 names on a shortlist of potential replacements.

Kennett said commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick wanted no public comment on the selections.

"I think everyone has kept to the agreement since then, except Andrew," Kennett said. "I think there comes a time when Andrew ought to understand that if he's going to ask people to keep things confidential he ought to set the example himself."

Demetriou had said Bracks, who officially quits politics today, would have to be considered for the role "now he has become available".

Asked whether the commission was becoming a Labor boys' club, Kennett said: "As far as I'm concerned, I'm happy to have the best people available participate in any role within the AFL — politics should not be an issue.

"My disappointment with Andrew is it's only two weeks ago we all met, we were told what the process was going to be and we all agreed that there would be no public comment.

"Andrew's got to learn that if he wants to continue to lead, you've got to lead by example rather than continually break the rules that he sets himself."