The AFL today announced that 12 new Life Members would be inducted at the 2021 Annual General Meeting in March for their services to Australian Football, after having their award confirmed by the AFL Commission at its meeting in December last year.

Life Membership was conferred under the provision of 'Special Service to the Game' to Richmond Club Director Emmett Dunne, long-time Carlton staff member Shane O’Sullivan and current AFL Boundary Umpire Coach Darren Wilson who becomes the first boundary umpire to be considered in the game’s history.

A total of nine players and coaches qualified automatically after having reached 300 total AFL games during the 2020 season as a player or coach – Travis Boak, Matthew Clarke, Tom Hawkins, Ken Hinkley, Shannon Hurn, Marc Murphy, Jack Riewoldt, Harry Taylor and Justin Westhoff.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan said the Commission congratulated each individual on their award and the game looked forward to thanking each personally again at the season launch in March for their contribution to football, both on-field as players and off-field for their service as administrators and officials.

The records for each person are as follows:
 
Game Qualification:

Travis Boak
283 premiership games for Port Adelaide, kicking 179 goals.
20 pre-season games for Port Adelaide .
3 x International games for Australia 2014, 2017.
2 x Club Best and Fairest 2011, 2019.
1 x State game for Victoria 2020.
Captain 2013 – 2018.
 
Matthew Clarke
258 premiership games for the Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Crows and St Kilda, kicking 38 goals.
25 pre-season games for the Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Crows and St Kilda.
4 x State of Origin games 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999.
1 x Club Best and Fairest 1997.
15 AFLW games coached for Adelaide Crows (Premiership Coach in 2019).
 
Tom Hawkins
277 premiership games for Geelong Cats, kicking 603 goals.
24 pre-season games for Geelong Cats.
2 x Premiership Player for Geelong 2009, 2011.
3 x All Australian 2012, 2019, 2020
9 x Club Leading Goalkicker 2012 – 2020
1 x Coleman Medallist 2020
1 x Club Best and Fairest 2012
1 x State of Origin for All Stars 2020.
 
Ken Hinkley 
132 premiership games for Fitzroy and Geelong Cats, kicking 79 goals.
Five pre-season games for Fitzroy and Geelong Cats.
Three State of Origin games for Victoria 1991, 1992.
1 x Club Best and Fairest 1992.
2 x All Australian 1991, 1992.
Captain 1995.
178 premiership games coached for Port Adelaide.
 
Shannon Hurn 
286 premiership games for the West Coast Eagles, kicking 50 goals.
22 pre-season games for the West Coast Eagles.
1 x Premiership Player for West Coast Eagles 2019.
2 x All Australian 2018, 2019 (VC).
Captain 2015 – 2019.
 
Marc Murphy
285 premiership games for Carlton, kicking 189 goals.
23 pre-season games for Carlton.
2 x Best and Fairest 2011, 2017.
1 x All Australian 2011
2 x International games 2008.
Captain 2013 – 2018.
 
Jack Riewoldt
283 premiership games for Richmond, kicking 664 goals.
19 pre-season games for Richmond.
3 x Premiership Player for Richmond 2017, 2019, 2020.
3 x All Australian 2010, 2015, 2018.
3 x Coleman Medallist 2010, 2013, 2018.
2 x Club Best and Fairest 2010, 2018.
2 x International games 2010.
1 x State of Origin game for All Stars 2020.
 
Harry Taylor
280 premiership games for Geelong Cats, kicking 75 goals.
27 pre-season games for Geelong Cats.
2 x Premiership Player for Geelong Cats 2009, 2011.
2 x All Australian 2010, 2013.
2 x International games 2014, 2015.
Jim Stynes Medallist 2015.
 
Justin Westhoff 
280 premiership games for Port Adelaide, kicking 313 goals.
23 pre-season games for Port Adelaide.
1 x Club Best and Fairest 2018.
 
Service Qualification:
 
Emmett Dunne
129 games for Richmond and Footscray, 1976-85, kicking 63 goals.
Footscray Reserves Captain/Coach 1986
Springvale (VFA) player 1987
 
1980 Premiership (Richmond)
1987 VFA Premiership (Springvale)
 
Footscray Match Committee Chair 1985-86
Richmond Reserves Coach 1988-92
Richmond Ruck Coach 1993-95
VFL/AFL Tribunal member 1997-2016
Richmond FC Club Director 2016 – current (Risk, Compliance and Integrity Committee / Chair, History and Tradition Committee).
 
Shane O’Sullivan
1979 – Joined Carlton FC, employed in the Football Department with primary responsibilities around Under 19 and Reserves players.
1981-82 – Assistant General Manager / CEO, Carlton FC.
1983 -86 – General Manager / CEO, Footscray FC.
1987 -92 – General Manager Football, Brisbane Bears FC (appointed from start-up).
1993 – Oakleigh Senior Coach (VFA).
1994 – 2004 – Carlton FC Recruiting Manager.
2005 -18 – Carlton FC Football Administration Manager.
2019 – current – Carlton FC Spirit of Carlton Manager (role services past players / life members).
2014 Jack Titus Award Winner.
 
Darren Wilson
404 AFL games umpired, 1996-2016
48 finals (record).
1998, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09 AFL Grand Finals (record 12).
1998-2003 SANFL Umpiring Development Officer
2010-16 AFL junior umpire mentor / U16 and U18 National Championships Umpires’ Coach
2017-19 AFLW Boundary Umpires Coach
2019 – current AFL Boundary Umpires Coach