After spending greater than 20 years as Collingwood president and most of his working life protecting the sport, Eddie McGuire has been awarded life membership of the AFL.
McGuire and legendary commentator Bruce McAvaney joined a number of long-serving gamers, together with Richmond’s triple-premiership captain Trent Cotchin, on being inducted as life members.
Despite not enjoying the sport, each McGuire and McAvaney had been included underneath the class of “Special Services to the Game” for decades-long careers dedicated to the AFL.
McGuire’s achievements within the sport transcend his work as Collingwood president, a place he assumed in 1998 and solely relinquished in 2021, together with his work as a journalist after which commentator.
But his efforts on the Magpies helped develop the membership into an Australian sporting powerhouse.
He oversaw the transfer from its suburban house at Victoria Park to the MCG in 1999 and the continued improvement of coaching amenities at Olympic Park.
Collingwood additionally now has eight groups – together with males’s and girls’s soccer groups, a netball staff, and wheelchair and neighborhood soccer groups.
McAvaney, who started one of many best commentary careers in Australian sport in 1978 in Adelaide, known as greater than 1000 AFL video games, together with 20 grand finals.
McGuire and McAvaney joined 5 gamers who certified for all times membership having performed 300 video games.
Collingwood premiership participant Steele Sidebottom, West Coast nice Josh Kennedy, North Melbourne finest and fairest Todd Goldstein and former Essendon, Port and St Kilda ruckman Paddy Ryder are all now AFL life members.
Former Victorian captain and long-serving administrator Lisa Hardman was additionally inducted underneath the “special services” class.
The new life members shall be welcomed and honoured on the AFL season launch in March.
NEW AFL LIFE MEMBERS
Trent Cotchin – 287 premiership video games and 15 pre-season video games performed for Richmond.
Todd Goldstein – 295 premiership video games and 19 pre-season video games performed for North Melbourne
Paddy Ryder – 281 premiership video games and 26 pre-season video games performed for Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda
Josh J. Kennedy – 293 premiership video games and 20 pre-season video games performed for the West Coast Eagles and Carlton
Steele Sidebottom – 289 premiership video games and 25 pre-season video games for Collingwood
Eddie McGuire
Bruce McAvaney
Lisa Hardeman
Source: www.news.com.au
