The AFL today announced that nine new Life Members would be inducted at the 2014 Annual General Meeting in March for their services to Australian Football, after having their award confirmed by the AFL Commission. 

Recently-retired triple premiership Geelong Cats’ midfielder Joel Corey, former Brisbane Lions’ dual premiership player and now Geelong Cats’ coach Chris Scott, North Melbourne premiership player and now Sydney Swans coach John Longmire, St Kilda’s Norm Smith Medallist 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.

Life Membership was also conferred under the provision of ‘Special Service to the Game’ to AFL Medical Commissioner and former North Melbourne club medico Dr Harry Unglik, former Western Bulldogs club president David Smorgon and St Kilda premiership player and long-time administrator Brian Sierakowski.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou said the Commission congratulated 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, umpires and coaches and off-field for their service as administrators / officials.

Corey, the Cats’ best and fairest in 2005 and 2008, retired at the end of 2013 after playing 276 league games, 31 pre-season 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, pre-season games and state games, both as a player and a coach.

Scott played 215 senior games for the Brisbane Lions between 1994-2007, including the club’s first two premierships in 2001 and 2002, and has coached the Geelong Cats since the 2011 season, including winning a premiership in his debut year as senior coach.

Longmire played 200 senior games for North Melbourne between 1988-99, winning a premiership in his final senior game, and has led the Swans since the 2011 season, including being at the helm of the club’s 2012 premiership success.

Hayes and O’Keefe will continue their decorated playing careers into 2014 while 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. St Kilda premiership player, Subiaco premiership player and Life Member, West Coast Eagles club director, West Australian Football Commission Administrator and community football administrator.
• David Smorgon – 16 years as President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club between 1997-2012.
• Dr Harry Unglik – 21 years as Club Medical Officer at North Melbourne Football Club 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.

Ends

Patrick Keane