The AFL Commission will consider 13 nominations for induction as Life Members for their services to Australian Football at the 2015 Annual General Meeting in March.
Of that group, 10 qualified automatically during the 2014 season by reaching 300 games service as either an umpire, player or player and coach – Jimmy Bartel, Leon Cameron, Kane Cornes, Dean Cox, Nick Dal Santo, Corey Enright, Nick Riewoldt, Brenton Sanderson, Justin Schmitt and Brad Scott.
Life Membership was also recommended under the provision of ‘Special Service to the Game’ to long-time club administrators Graeme Allan and Greg Miller and former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou.
AFL Chief Executive Officer Gill McLachlan said he wished to congratulate each individual on his award and that the game looked forward to thanking each of them personally again for their contribution to football, both on-field as players and coaches and off-field for their service as administrators / officials.
Bartel, Cornes, Dal Santo, Enright, Riewoldt and umpire Schmitt all reached 300 total games during last season with a combination of their premiership matches, pre-season games and any international or state games. Cox retired at the end of 2014 after a stellar career highlighted by six All Australian selections.
Cameron, Sanderson and Scott all qualified for Life Membership on the basis of their combined tally of premiership games, pre-season games and state games, both as a player and a coach.
Graeme Allan played 141 games for Fitzroy and Collingwood between 1975-86, before moving into football administration. Since his retirement as a player, he has worked as Football Manager at Collingwood, the Brisbane Lions and the GWS Giants, being involved in four premierships.
Greg Miller played 52 games for South Melbourne between 1972-76 before taking on a role as the club’s recruiting manager from 1979-84. He served as North Melbourne football manager and then CEO between1985-2001, before working at Richmond as Football Manager from 2002-2008.
Andrew Demetriou played 106 games for North Melbourne and Hawthorn between 1981-88 before joining the AFLPA as CEO in 1998. He joined the AFL as Football Operations Manager in 2000 and was appointed CEO in 2003, filling the role for 11 years. In his time as CEO, the Gold Coast Suns and the GWS Giants joined the national competition, the AFL broadcast rights agreement went from $400 million to $1.18 billion, while major stadium projects valued at more than $1.5 billion were completed across the country.
The Jack Titus award for conspicuous service to the game will be presented to Carlton’s Shane O’Sullivan, who has given 35 years of continuous service to three separate clubs, including the last two decades back with Carlton after stints with Footscray and the then-Brisbane Bears.
Player / Coach / Umpire Records:
Jimmy Bartel (Geelong Cats) – 272 premiership games, 27 pre-season games, one state game. 2007, 2009, 2011 premierships. 2007 Brownlow Medal. 2011 Norm Smith Medal. 2007, 2008 All Australian.
Leon Cameron (Western Bulldogs / Richmond / GWS Giants) – 256 premiership games as a player with Western Bulldogs and Richmond. 22 premiership games as a coach with GWS Giants. 26 pre-season games as a player with Western Bulldogs and Richmond. Two pre-season games as a coach with GWS Giants. One state game as a player. 1993 Best and Fairest (Western Bulldogs).
Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) – 293 premiership games, 26 pre-season games, one state game. 2004 premiership. 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 Best and Fairest. 2005, 2007 All Australian.
Dean Cox (West Coast) – 290 premiership games, 25 pre-season games, one state game. 2006 premiership. 2008 Best and Fairest. 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 All Australian.
Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda/North Melbourne) – 285 premiership games, 20 pre-season games, two international games. 2005, 2009, 2011 All Australian.
Corey Enright (Geelong Cats) – 288 premiership games, 33 pre-season games, one state game. 2007, 2009, 2011 premierships. 2009, 2011 Best and Fairest. 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 All Australian.
Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) – 281 premiership games, 23 pre-season games, three international games. 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014 Best and Fairest. 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 Leading Goal Kicker. 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 (Captain), 2014 (Vice-Captain) All Australian. 2005, 2008-14 Club Captain. 2002 AFL Rising Star. 2004 AFLPA MVP.
Brenton Sanderson (Adelaide Crows/Collingwood/Geelong Cats) – 209 premiership games as a player with Adelaide Crows, Collingwood and Geelong Cats. 69 premiership games as a coach with Adelaide Crows. 28 pre-season games as a player with Adelaide Crows, Collingwood and Geelong Cats. 11 pre-season games as a coach with Adelaide Crows. Two international games as a player. 2001 Best and Fairest (Geelong Cats).
Justin Schmitt (Umpire) – 283 premiership games as an umpire. 29 pre-season games as an umpire.
Brad Scott (Hawthorn/Brisbane Lions/North Melbourne) – 168 premiership games as a player with Hawthorn and Brisbane Lions. 114 premiership games as a coach with North Melbourne. 11 pre-season games as a player with Brisbane Lions. 14 pre-season games as a coach with North Melbourne. Two international games as a player. 2001, 2002 Premierships (Brisbane Lions).