Sydney superstar Lance Franklin headlines four current players – and one umpire – to be inducted as Life Members at the AFL's Annual General Meeting in March.
Franklin, Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, Greater Western Sydney defender Heath Shaw, Fremantle midfielder David Mundy, and umpire Ray Chamberlain have all had their awards confirmed by the AFL Commission.
The quartet of players, along with Chamberlain, qualified automatically after reaching 300 total AFL games last season.
It's just another award in Franklin's decorated career that includes two premierships, four Coleman Medals, eight All Australian selections and 917 goals, good enough for eighth on the all-time list.
Pendlebury won the Norm Smith Medal in helping Collingwood to the 2010 premiership and has won five best and fairest awards and five All Australian selections.
His former teammates Shaw was also part of that 2010 flag and played arguably his best football when switching to GWS, earning two All Australian jackets and a best and fairest.
Like Pendlebury, Mundy has been a one-club player, winning a best and fairest in 2010 and All Australian selection in 2015 and serving as Dockers captain in 2016.
Three others will also be inducted.
Life Membership was conferred under the provision of 'Special Service to the Game' to North Melbourne Team of the Century member and former Roos CEO John Dugdale, Richmond Team of the Century member and long-time Essendon recruiting manager Merv Keane, and SANFL Hall of Fame inductee and life member Wally Miller.
Bill Hector was awarded the Jack Titus Service Award for outstanding service to football for his 50 years’ service to the Western Bulldogs in various roles starting as a timekeeper in 1969 to most recently being the club's senior doorman.
