EIGHT current players headline the group of new AFL life membership inductees.

Nine players automatically qualified for the honour during the 2007 season by reaching 300 games of service: Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis, former Fremantle captain Peter Bell, Sydney ruckman Peter Everitt, Essendon full-back Dustin Fletcher, Norm Smith Medallist Shannon Grant, triple Brisbane Lions' premiership player Nigel Lappin, 2007 All-Australian captain Andrew McLeod, current Kangaroos' captain Adam Simpson along with retired Carlton captain Anthony Koutoufides.

The commission also recognised outstanding service to the game by three people, awarding life membership to Geelong and former West Coast CEO Brian Cook, former Richmond captain and president Neville Crowe and Adelaide chairman Bill Sanders.

St Kilda's Ken Whiffin has also been awarded the Jack Titus Service Award for conspicuous service to game. 

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou said the commission was delighted to be recognising 13 outstanding contributors to the game.

"The AFL is always very conscious of its history and recognising those people who have done so much to make our game as strong as it is," Mr Demetriou said. 

"Life membership of the sport you have served is the ultimate acknowledgement by everyone in the game of your efforts and the new inductees are indeed extremely deserving."

300 Games

Jason Akermanis (Western Bulldogs)
267 games
26 pre-season games
Three State of Origin games
Four International Rules matches
2001, 2002, 2003 Brisbane Lions premierships
2001 Brownlow Medal
1999, 2005 Brisbane Lions best and fairest
1999, 2001, 2002, 2004 All Australian 

Peter Bell (Fremantle)
273 games 
29 pre-season games
Two State of Origin games
Two International Rules matches
1996, 1999 Kangaroos premierships
2000 Kangaroos best and fairest
2001, 2003, 2004 Fremantle best and fairest
1999, 2003 All Australian
2002-2006 Fremantle captain 

Peter Everitt (Sydney)
275 games
29 pre-season games
Three State of Origin games
Two International Rules matches
2001 St Kilda best and fairest
2004 Hawthorn best and fairest
1997, 1998, 2005 All Australian 

Dustin Fletcher (Essendon)
276 games
22 pre-season games
Four International Rules matches
1993, 2000 premierships
2000 best and fairest
2000, 2007 All Australian 

Shannon Grant (Kangaroos)
280 games
32 pre-season games
Two International Rules matches
1999 premiership
2001 best and fairest
1999 Norm Smith Medal
2005 All Australian 

Anthony Koutoufides (Carlton)
278 games
26 pre-season games
One State of Origin game
1995 premiership
2001, 2005 best and fairest
1995, 2000 All Australian
1998 leading goalkicker
2004 - 2006 captain 

Nigel Lappin (Brisbane Lions)
275 games
23 pre-season games
Three State of Origin games
Two International Rules matches
2001, 2002, 2003 premierships
2004 best and fairest
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 All Australian
2007 - current co-captain 

Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
283 games
25 pre-season games
One State of Origin game
Six International Rules matches
1997, 1998 premierships
1997, 2001, 2007 best and fairest
1997, 1998 Norm Smith Medal
1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 (captain) All Australian
2003 Michael Tuck Medal
2005 Jim Stynes Medal
Indigenous Team of the Century (ruck-rover, vice-captain)

Adam Simpson (Kangaroos)
267 games
32 pre-season games
Four International Rules matches
1996, 1999 premierships
2002 best and fairest
2004 - current captain 

Conspicuous contribution

Brian Cook
1972-74 Played with Box Hill FC
1975-76 Played reserves with Hawthorn FC
1977 Played reserves and four senior games with Melbourne FC
1978 Played with Caulfield FC
1979-80 Played with Subiaco FC
1981 Played with East Perth FC
1987-89 Chief Executive, WA Football Commission
1990-99 Chief Executive, West Coast Eagles FC
1999 - current Chief Executive Geelong FC 

Neville Crowe
1957-67 - 151 games for Richmond, 84 goals
1963-66 captain
1963, 1964, 1966 best and fairest
1966 All Australian
1987-93 Richmond FC president
2001 - current Richmond FC senior account executive 

Bill Sanders
1959-64 - 125 games for Woodville
1968 - Woodville team manager
1969 - 79 - Woodville committee, SANFL League Delegate
1982 - 90 - Woodville FC board, Club Chairman and SANFL League Director
1990 - 2001 - CEO, Adelaide FC
2003 - Adelaide FC Board
2004 - current - Adelaide FC Chairman 

Jack Titus Service Award

Ken Whiffin
Joined St Kilda 1964, as a trainer
44 years continuous service to the club, now working as head trainer