Gillon McLachlan Honored as AFL Names 12 New Life Members

‘He’s a little bit like Sam Mitchell’ | 01:00

Former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is one of 12 people that will receive life membership to the league at this year’s season launch.

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The AFL on Thursday confirmed its list of 2024 life members, which included McLachlan after his 20-year full-time service to the AFL.

McLachlan started as the AFL’s general manager of commercial operations before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2008. Then after two years as the league’s deputy chief executive, McLachlan took charge of the AFL in April 2014 — right in the thick of the fallout to the Essendon supplements saga.

McLachlan left the AFL with a significant legacy, highlighted by the introduction of the AFLW competition in 2017 — and fast-tracking it to be an 18-team competition by the end of 2022 — and navigating two Covid-interrupted seasons in 2020 and 2021. He was also in the chair when the AFL purchased Marvel Stadium in 2016, which significantly helped the AFL financially when the 2020 season was paused due to COVID-19.

As chief executive, McLachlan also oversaw the introduction of Good Friday footy and the two twilight Grand Finals played during the Covid-interrupted seasons, while there’s been consistent record growth in club membership and northern state interest in the game.

Before departing his position in 2023, McLachlan helped strike a new $4.5b TV broadcast rights deal until the end of 2031, oversaw Tasmania being awarded a 19th AFL licence and helped introduce the now-annual Gather Round.

McLachlan is one of six life members who’ve earned their honours under the provision of ‘special service to the game’. The other five are inaugural Giants Chair Tony Shepherd, Geelong Team of the Century member and 25-year Geelong Falcons talent Michael Turner, long-time St Kilda medical officer Dr Ian Stone, Essendon premiership player and administrator Barry Capuano and 300-game goal umpire David Flegg.

Turner passed away with cancer in December last year, but was notified of his AFL life membership honour before he died.

Six players and umpires automatically qualified for life membership after reaching 300 total AFL games during the 2024 season. The game tally includes pre-season matches and other AFL sanctioned fixtures on top of home and away season games.

Retired trio Andrew Gaff, Liam Shiels and Zach Tuohy, as well as new Roo Jack Darling and dual premiership Cat Mitch Duncan, all passed the 300-game mark last year.

Former St Kilda player Leigh Fisher also crossed the threshold in 2024. After playing 55 games for St Kilda, Fisher started umpiring AFL matches in 2013, meaning he qualified for life membership with a combined 300-plus games.

Respected Saints figure and club life member Georgie Day was awarded the Jack Titus service award for her 45-year commitment to St Kilda. She’s the club’s heritage co-ordinator, while she’s held various club volunteer roles — including memorabilia and records database creation and being the lead support for AFLW players and all incoming Indigenous players into the club — since 1980. Day is the first female recipient of the Titus award since it was inaugurated in 1977.

“Life membership of the AFL is a high honour and recognises both quality of service across many years and an incredible love for the game and support for its growth and future success,” AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said.

“Each of our new life members has been a leader for our game in their work, has supported so many others around them, and been someone who has changed our game for the better.

“We look forward to welcoming them at our season launch in Sydney in March and to celebrate them in front of the football family as we welcome a new year for our game.”

LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Players: Jack Darling, Mitch Duncan, Andrew Gaff, Liam Shiels, Zach Tuohy

Umpires: Leigh Fisher (55 games as a player)

Special service to the game: Gillon McLachlan, Tony Shepherd, Barry Capuano, David Flegg, Dr Ian Stone, Michael Turner

JACK TITUS AWARD

Georgie Day