THE AFL has today announced the recipients of Life Membership and the Jack Titus Award for 2026, with the outstanding contributors to Australian Football to be recognised at the AFL Season Launch on Wednesday 4 March in Sydney.

AFL Life Membership is one of the game’s highest honours, recognising sustained and significant service to Australian Football, or qualification through the achievement of 300 official AFL games.

At its meeting in December, the AFL Commission endorsed the awarding of Life Membership to the following:

  • South Melbourne/Sydney Swans 1983 All Australian and best and fairest Mark Browning
  • AFL boundary umpire games record holder Ian Burrows
  • Long-serving recruiter Scott Clayton
  • 1976 Brownlow Medallist and inaugural West Coast Chief Executive and Graham Moss
  • Four-time All Australian Aaron Sandilands
  • Senior match-day official and club doctor Dr Garry Zimmerman, who has served three AFL clubs since 1981 and made a significant contribution to player health and wellbeing across more than four decades.

These inductees follow Executive Chairman of Seven West Media Kerry Stokes, who was announced as a Life Member at the AAMI AFL Origin Welcome Dinner in February. Stokes has overseen the long-term free-to-air broadcast partnership between Seven Network and AFL and has contributed to the sustained growth of both the AFL and AFLW competitions.

The following individuals have qualified for AFL Life Membership after surpassing 300 official AFL games as player, coach or umpire (including premiership, recognised pre-season and sanctioned representative matches) as at the end of the 2025 season:

  • Mark Blicavs – 295 premiership, 14 pre-season, 1 State game (310 total)
  • Jeremy Cameron – 280 premiership, 19 pre-season, 1 State game (300 total)
  • Jeff Dalgleish – 274 premiership umpiring, 24 pre-season, 4 AFLW matches (302 total)
  • Jack Gunston – 283 premiership, 18 pre-season, 2 International Rules (303 total)
  • Craig McRae – 293 premiership, 14 pre-season, 1 State, 2 International Rules (310 total)
  • Lachie Neale – 294 premiership, 16 pre-season, 1 State game (311 total)
  • Matthew Nicks – 305 premiership, 13 pre-season, 1 International Rules (319 total)
  • Rhyce Shaw – 266 AFL, 8 AFLW, 27 pre-season (301 total)
  • Taylor Walker – 301 premiership, 19 pre-season, 1 State game (321 total)
  • Dayne Zorko – 304 premiership, 14 pre-season, 2 International Rules (320 total)

The AFL is also pleased to announce Colin Hooper and Sharon Stephens as joint recipients of the 2026 Jack Titus Award, which recognises outstanding service to Australian Football beyond playing careers.

Hooper has volunteered continuously at Essendon Football Club for more than 50 years, serving in roles including runner, sprint coach, interchange steward and assistant property steward, and contributing to match-day operations and player support since 1972.

Stephens has delivered more than 40 years of service across SANFL and AFL competitions in ground operations and match-day management, including more than two decades as the senior operations lead for games at Adelaide Oval. In 2018, she became the first female Life Member in SANFL history.

The AFL congratulates all 2026 Life Members and Jack Titus Award recipients on their exceptional dedication to the sport. Collectively, their contributions reflect the service that underpins Australian Football that sustains and strengthens the game at every level.

Colin Hooper – Jack Titus Award

  • 54 years continuous volunteer service at Essendon FC in various club football department roles
  • 1972-1980: Essendon runner and club sprint coach
  • 1981–2020: Club interchange steward, while maintaining roles assisting players in pre-game warm up
  • 2020–current: assistant property steward
  • First appointed by Des Tuddenham in 1972, then worked with successive coaches Bill Stephen, Barry Davis, Kevin Sheedy, Matthew Knights, James Hird, Mark Thompson, John Worsfold, Ben Rutten and Brad Scott

Sharon Stephens – Jack Titus Award

  • 40 years’ service in ground operations/administration roles at senior state league and AFL level.
  • 1980-94: various SANFL roles, primarily in ground operations
  • 1995-2015: SANFL Ground Manager Football Park, responsible for all AFL/SANFL games at Football Park
  • 2015–2020: Stadium Manager, Adelaide Oval, responsible for all AFL games at the venue, marking 25 consecutive seasons as the primary match-day operations person for all senior football played in South Australia.
  • 2018: First female life member in SANFL history.

Mark Browning - AFL Life Membership

  • 251 games for South Melbourne/Sydney Swans between 1975-87
  • 8 games for Victoria
  • 1983 best and fairest
  • 1983 All Australian
  • 1984-85 captain
  • Service: Hobart captain/coach 1988-92 (1990 premiership), Southport coach 1994-95, appointed AFLQ Coaching and Talent Manager 1996 (30 years)

Ian Burrows - AFL Life Membership

  • 444 matches as an AFL boundary umpire (league record)
  • Career spanning 2006 – current
  • 47 finals (2nd all time)
  • 10 AFL Grand Finals

Scott Clayton - AFL Life Membership

  • 40 games for Hobart 1979-80
  • 160 games for Fitzroy 1981-90
  • Hobart premiership 1980
  • Fitzroy best and fairest 1990
  • Recruiting: Brisbane Bears/Lions Recruiting Manager, 1991-97, Western Bulldogs Recruiting/List Manager, 1999-2008, Gold Coast Recruiting/List Manager, 2009-2017, West Coast Vic-Based Recruiting Officer 2018-19, North Melbourne Recruiting/List Manager 2019-2025, Tasmania Talent Consultant 2025 - current

Graham Moss - AFL Life Membership

  • 254 games for Claremont 1969-72, 1977-83
  • 84 games for Essendon 1973-76
  • 23 games for WA
  • Five games for Victoria
  • Three-time Essendon best and fairest
  • Four-time Claremont best and fairest
  • 1976 Brownlow Medal
  • 1981 premiership captain-coach
  • Administration: West Coast inaugural Chief Executive 1986-88, West Australian Sports Centre Trust CEO 1988-2008, Claremont FC Chief Executive 2015-18, ongoing roles as Claremont past player association and Chair, Claremont FC centenary committee

Aaron Sandilands - AFL Life Membership

  • 271 games for Fremantle (plus 25 official pre-season games) between 2003-19
  • Four-time All Australian
  • Two-time best and fairest (2009, 2015)
  • Charity: Player Ambassador for Starlight Children’s Foundation for 20+ years and has continued for the past six years following retirement. Personal fundraising of more than $120,000 for Starlight and key involvement in club fundraising for Starlight of more than $3.4m across past two decades.

Dr Gary Zimmerman - AFL Life Membership

  • Essendon club doctor 1981-87
  • Richmond club doctor 1987-93
  • Western Bulldogs club doctor 1993–current.
  • Senior match day official role at more than 1000 AFL premiership and pre-season matches.

Kerry Stokes - AFL Life Membership

  • Seven’s initiatives in covering the game have significantly assisted in building the sport, in special events such as Anzac Day, Dreamtime, King’s Birthday, Opening Round and Gather Round, as well as expanded coverage of all AFL finals matches.
  • A backer for the launch of the AFLW and free to air coverage across its first decade;
  • Key driver of Friday and Saturday night primary channel broadcasts into New South Wales and Queensland on free to air television from more than two decades ago
  • Supported for expansion teams in both the Gold Coast Suns and the GWS Giants;
  • Support for major broadcast changes, such as Friday night football, Thursday night football, public holiday events and other showcase events – all during his stewardship
  • Support friendship and mentoring for a succession of industry leaders across decades