A private meeting between the AFL club presidents on Tuesday has ended up being a frosty and tense affair.

The AFL’s northern-based clubs are “disgusted” with St Kilda after coach Ross Lyon’s “nepo baby” attack on Gold Coast ahead of those two teams’ battle on the weekend.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tensions flare at AFL presidents’ private meeting.

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Veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson has shared details of the secret meeting on Seven’s The Agenda Setters, lifting the lid on the tensions within.

Wilson said the semi-regular meeting (which the presidents hold without the AFL Commission because “they don’t believe they’re being listened”) “began in tension”.

“The presidents want to set the agenda ... before they go and meet with the Commission, as they will in early June, when the Hall of Fame night is upon us,” Wilson said.

“Obviously there was massive tension going into the meeting today with St Kilda president, Andrew Bassat, and the majority of the northern clubs, in fact, all of the northern clubs, the two Sydney clubs, specifically Gold Coast and even Brisbane,” Wilson said.

“Andrew Bassat has done what I thought no one could ever do. He’s united Brisbane and the Gold Coast. He’s united Dave Matthews, the GWS CEO, and Mark Evans, the Gold Coast CEO, because they are all disgusted at what St Kilda did over the weekend.

“They’re angry, and they’re even more angry to hear, as we reported last night (on Seven), that the AFL could even be even tougher on their academy rules, and they’ve said they’re going to be, going into next year and potentially father-son (draft picks).”

Bassat is the self-appointed spokesperson for the meetings where the presidents are meant to be discussing their thoughts on the next AFL Commission chair to replace the outgoing Richard Goyder.

Wilson said she did not believe, however,, the northern clubs let the discussion around the academies and draft picks hijack today’s meeting.

“They didn’t (thash the academy conversation out). And it was said privately that Bob East, the chairman of the Gold Coast, and Andrew Bassat would have to take things off air,” Wilson said.

“Everyone has been sworn to secrecy about this meeting.

“I called Andrew Bassat. He spoke to me, but refused to discuss what went down and was really disappointed that I even knew the meeting had taken place, but anyway, it was basically conveyed to St Kilda and Andrew Bassat that you might call these meetings, you might chair these meetings, but you do not represent all of us.”

Wilson said that message was “bad news” in the hunt to find the replacement for Goyder.

“Because it cannot be said that the clubs are united, and it cannot be said the clubs are behind Andrew Bassat, the man who was called himself the self-appointed spokesman (for the presidents).”

Bassat’s strategy was to get everyone behind him and united in the pursuit of a new Commission chair.

The Agenda Setters revealed on Monday night that St Kilda had a new “imprimatur” which was to be tougher as a club and “unapologetic” and to stand up to rivals.

But Wilson said Bassat had told the other club presidents he could “separate” that stance from what he’s trying to do in the chase for Goyder’s replacement.

Wilson revealed the candidates for the next chairman and said her favourite was now former Collingwood president Jeff Browne.

She said Andrew Pridham, the chair of Sydney (“who does not get on at all with Andrew Bassat”) was also in the mix as was Port Adelaide chair David Koch.

Former AFL commissioner and Victorian Governor Linda Dessau, former Richmond premiership president Peggy O’Neal, former Collingwood premiership president Eddie McGuire, former Bulldogs premiership president Peter Gordon, former Geelong president Craig Drummond, and well-known businessman and former head of the Australian Sports Commission John Wiley were the other high-quality candidates.

“There’s a lot of quality candidates, but they’ve all got negatives on (them),” Wilson said.

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“I think a lot of clubs were really keen on Andrew Pridham ... (but) my belief is that Jeff Browne, who’s had some health issues, (is now the favourite).

“He’s had, as I said, health issues, but he’s in terrific form now, and I think he’s now considering taking over as chairman of the AFL commission again.

“It’s a role he has been mooted as doing before very strongly and now might seriously consider doing it again.”

Pridham and Bassat as well as North Melbourne president Sonja Hood are among the names on the selection panel for the Commission chair.

Wilson said it was going to be a disaster and there was “paranoia on both sides”.