AFL Life Membership Awards

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

The AFL will hold its AGM in March, at which time nine new life members (honored for their services to the game) will be announced. The newest inductees will be: recently retired triple premiership Geelong midfielder Joel Corey, former Brisbane Lions’ dual premiership player and current Geelong coach Chris Scott, North Melbourne premiership player and current Sydney Swans coach John Longmire, St Kilda’s Norm Smith Medalist Lenny Hayes, six-time Grand Final umpire Brett Rosebury and Sydney Swans’ dual premiership player Ryan O’Keefe. All qualified automatically during the 2013 season by reaching 300 games as a player, umpire or player and coach.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou congratulated the nominees and said he was looking forward to thanking each of them individually at the AGM.

Corey, the Cats’ best and fairest in 2005 and 2008, retired at the end of 2013 after playing 276 league games, 31 preseason games, one state game and two matches for Australia. He had a central midfield role in the Cats' premierships of 2007, 2009 and 2011 and was a dual All Australian in 2007-08. His former coach Chris Scott and current Sydney Swans coach John Longmire both qualified for Life Membership on the basis of their combined tally of premiership games, preseason games and state games, both as players and coaches.

Scott played 215 senior games for the Brisbane Lions between 1994-2007, including the club’s first two premierships in 2001 and 2002 (missing out in 2003 due to a groin injury), and has coached the Cats since 2011. He joined an exclusive club when he took the Cats to a premiership in his debut season as senior coach. Longmire played 200 senior games for North Melbourne between 1988-99, winning a premiership in his final senior game, and has coached the Swans since 2011, leading the Swans to the 2012 Premiership.

Hayes and O’Keefe will continue their decorated playing careers into 2014. Rosebury is currently among the leading umpires on the senior AFL list and his achievement in umpiring the last six consecutive Grand Finals is the best by any field umpire in the game’s history since Bob Scott umpired seven straight Grand Finals between 1929-35.

Based on the ‘special services’ provisions to the League or football, AFL Life Membership was also awarded to:

Brian Sierakowski, involved as a player and administrator at all levels of the game for 50 years. He played in St Kilda's 1966 Premiership, as well as a premiership with Subiaco in the WAFL. He is also a Subiaco life member, served as a West Coast club director, West Australian Football Commission Administrator and community football administrator.

David Smorgon, 16 years as President of the Western Bulldogs 1997-2012.

Dr Harry Unglik, 21 years as Club Medical Officer at North Melbourne 1981-2002 and Club Life Member, AFL Medical Director since 2002, member of the AFL Medical Officers Association since 1981.

The Jack Titus award for conspicuous service to the game will be presented to the Adelaide Crows’ Barrie Downs, who has been involved continuously at club level in SA since 1952 with South Adelaide and then West Adelaide and has served the Adelaide Crows since the club’s inception in November 1990.

Source: Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release, 2004 AFL Record Season Guide