The AFL has announced that 10 new Life Members will be inducted at the 2003 Annual General Meetingon Thursday March 20 for their services to Australian Football, after having their award confirmed by the AFL Commission.
Of the new Life Members, eight qualified automatically during the 2002 AFL season by reaching 300 games of service -- those being all-time goals record holder Tony Lockett, dual Brisbane Lion premiership teammates Marcus Ashcroft and Alastair Lynch, former Richmond captain Matthew Knights, 1990 Brownlow Medallist Tony Liberatore, current Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams and senior AFL umpires Hayden Kennedy and Gavin Dore.
The Commission also recognised outstanding service to the game by two people and awarded Life Membership to AFL Legend of the Game Peter Hudson and triple Richmond premiership player Barry Richardson.
Separately, Fremantle's Con Regan has been awarded the Jack Titus Recognition of Service Award for his involvement with football in Fremantle stretching back to the early 1950s, beginning as a dual premiership player with East Fremantle in the WAFL through to his role with the AFL club today.
The award is named in honour of Jack 'Skinny' Titus, who scored 970 goals in 294 matches for Richmond between 1926 and 1943. He was then a club selection committee member from 1944 to 1977.
AFL Chief Executive Officer Wayne Jackson said the Commission was delighted to be recognising 11 outstanding contributors to the game.
"The AFL is always very conscious of its history and recognising those people who have done so much to make our game as strong as it is," Mr Jackson said.
"Life Membership of the sport you have served is the ultimate acknowledgement by everyone in the game of your efforts and the new inductees are indeed extremely deserving.
"Tony Lockett, Matthew Knights and Tony Liberatore have all left our game with wonderful reputations after gracing the AFL stage for so many years.
"Senior umpires Hayden Kennedy and Gavin Dore continue to be valued and strong members of our senior list while Marcus Ashcroft and Alastair Lynch will be chasing an historic third consecutive premiership with the Lions this year.
"Finally, I also wish to congratulate Mark Williams, who was the first South Australian to play 200 games of AFL football and who now earns life membership due to his senior coaching career with Port Adelaide."
300 games service
Marcus Ashcroft
Played 293 premiership games for the Brisbane Lions, 23 pre-season games for the Brisbane Lions, six State of Origin Matches and two International Matches for Australia since his debut in 1989.
Gavin Dore
Played 289 premiership games umpired, 27 pre-season games umpired and two State of Origin games umpired since his debut in 1986.
Hayden Kennedy
294 premiership games umpired, 22 pre-season games umpired and three State of Origin games umpired since his debut in 1988.
Matthew Knights
Played 279 premiership games for Richmond, 24 pre-season games for Richmond and six State of Origin matches between 1988 - 2002.
Tony Liberatore
Played 283 premiership games for the Western Bulldogs, 23 pre-season games for the Western Bulldogs and two State of Origin games between 1986-2002.
Tony Lockett
Played 281 premership games for St Kilda and Sydney, 17 pre-seasong ames for St Kilda and Sydney and five State of Origin games between 1983-99 and in 2002.
Alastair Lynch
Played 271 premiership games for Fitzroy and the Brisbane Lions, 24 pre-season games for Fitzroy and the Brisbane Lions, six State of Origin matches since his debut in 1988.
Mark Williams
Played 201 premiership games for Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions, 11 pre-season games for Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions and five State of Origin games between 1981-90.
Coached 94 premiership games for Port Adelaide from 1999-2002 and coached 17 pre-season games for Port Adelaide from 1999-2002.
Distinguished Service
Peter Hudson
Played 129 games for Hawthorn from 1967-74 and 1977, kicking 727 goals. State representative in 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1977. All Australian 1969. Hawthorn premiership player in 1971 and pre-season premiership player in 1968, 1969 and 1977, Six time Hawthorn leading goalkicker in 1967-71 and 1977. VFL Leading Goalkicking in 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1977 and joint holder of all-time record of 150 goals in a season. Hawthorn Best and Fairest 1968 and 1970. Named as Legend of the Game in 1999.
Barry Richardson
Played 126 games for Richmond from 1965 to 1975. Premiership player in 1967, 1969 and 1974. Coached Richmond reserves in 1976. Coached Richmond in 1977 and 1978. Chairman of match committee for Melbourne 1981-84 and 1996-97. Chairman of match committee for West Coast 1987. Chairman of match committee for Carlton 1998-1999. Chairman of match committee for Geelong 2000-2002. Melbourne Football Club Board Member 1988-90.
