The AFL is pleased to announce that four new life members will be inducted for their services to Australian Football, at next year’s Annual General Meeting in March 2024.
At their meeting in Melbourne last week on Brownlow Medal day, the AFL Commission accepted the recommendation of the Nominations Committee that Neil Craig, Peggy O'Neal, Kevin Sheehan and Greg Swann would be honoured with Life Membership, for their respective roles within the game.
They will formally be inducted at the 2024 Season Launch in Melbourne, along with the six players who qualified for Life Membership this year via 300 total games of service – Luke Breust, Dustin Martin, Luke Parker, Isaac Smith, Callan Ward and Jack Ziebell.
SERVICE QUALIFICATION
Neil Craig
319 games and 220 goals for Norwood, Sturt and North Adelaide, 1973-90
11 games for SA
Norwood premierships 1975, 1978
1977 Best and Fairest
Sturt captain 1985-86
SA captain 1984
SANFL Hall of Fame
Norwood coach 1991-1995
Assistant coach Adelaide Crows 1997- 2002
Senior Coach Adelaide Crows 2005-2011
Coaching Director Melbourne Football Club 2012-2013
General Manager, Performance Essendon Football Club 2014-2015
Director of Coaching, Development and Performance at Carlton 2016-2017
Gold Coast coaching consultant 2019-23
Peggy O’Neal
Joined the Richmond Football Club Board in 2005
President from 2013-2021, during which the Club won the 2017, 2019 and 2020 premierships and rebuilt its off-field status to build membership past 100k fans
2014, appointed to chair the Victorian Minister for Sport's year-long Inquiry into 'Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation' and until June 2018 was convenor of the Minister's Change Our Game Champions program
2018, appointed by the AFL to its inaugural Competition Committee which advises the AFL Commission on issues regarding the design and future of the AFL competition
2019, was appointed to the Australian Institute of Sport Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Advisory Committee
2020, member of the AFL Mental Health Steering Committee
Kevin Sheehan
47-year involvement in junior development and talent pathways after playing 108 games Geelong, plus 98 reserves games between 1974-82
Geelong
1976-79 - promotions officer
1980-81 - development manager
1982-83 - assistant coach and development manager
AFL
1983-87 - VFL development manager
1988-95 - VFDF general manager
1996-97 - AFL development manager
1998-2018 - AFL national talent manager
2019 - current - AFL Talent Advisor
Greg Swann
1986-96 – 87 games for Williamstown. Club President 1992-95
1996 – Fitzroy FC. Ran the club in receivership and completed the sale to the Brisbane Bears
1999 – 2007 - Collingwood CEO. Club membership doubled and revenue tripled. Moved club from Victoria Park to new centre at Olympic Park. Club agreement for Northern Stand at the MCG
2007 – 2014 – Carlton CEO. Membership build past 50k and revenue tripled. Establishment of elite training facility. Reduced historic club debt
2014 – current. Brisbane Lions CEO. Establishment of women’s team. Move of club to Springfield facility. Return to profitability
