Chairman of the Australian Football League Commission, Mr Richard Goyder, today said the wider game of Australian Rules Football congratulated all those who had been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for their service across the community.
Former Essendon player and Melbourne coach Neale Daniher has been elevated to AO for his tireless and brilliant work around fund-raising for a cure for Motor Neurone Disease, which is highlighted by Monday’s BigFreeze Seven as the lead-up to the game between Melbourne and Collingwood.
“At community levels across our country, the AFL Commission is thrilled to see that women and men with three, four and five decades of commitment to local clubs and local leagues have been rewarded. People who have been pillars of umpiring, leaders within our indigenous communities, those who have donated thousands of hours to running a league or a club, and those who have given years to provide opportunities for girls and boys to become part of our game with the first steps in the sport, are deservedly acknowledged today.
“Our congratulations also go to our high achievers, who have provided both inspiration and aspiration for those coming after them.
“The AFL and our game also congratulates all those who have been honoured too for service in all other roles in every part of Australian life, for the example they set in their every-day lives.”
Brisbane Lions Deputy Chair, Sarah Kelly, was also among OAM honorees today. Sarah has been in integral part of BBFFC as a Board Member since 2014, and Deputy Chair since 2017. As well as her involvement with the club, Sarah has a long list of previous and current achievements.
The University of Queensland (UQ)
- Associate Professor of Law and Marketing, and Director of External Engagement, UQ Business School, since 2010.
- Associate Professor of Sports Law, TC Beirne School of Law, 2017-2019.
- Former Director, MBA Program, 2013-2017.
- Leader, UQ HYPE SPIN global sports technology accelerator and global advisory board member HYPE Sports innovation, current.
- Co-Chair and founder of a specialist inter-disciplinary research group on Trust, Ethics and Governance, since 2019.
Sports Marketing
- Visiting Fellow, Sports Marketing, Loughborough University, United Kingdom, (the premier sports university ranked 1 globally), current.
- Executive Director and Consultant, Global Esports Institute.
Sport and Tourism
- Director, Tourism and Events Queensland, since 2018.
- Director, Events Management Queensland, since 2019.
- Board Member, Queensland Minister's Sport Advisory Council, since 2018.
Community
- Non-Executive Director, Gregory Terrace Foundation, 2018.
- Non-executive Director, Institute for Australia-India Engagement
- Former Advisory Member, Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Professional Associations
- Member, National Education Advisory Committee, Australian Institute of Company Directors, since 2017.
- Member, Australia and New Zealand Marketing Association, Australia and New Zealand Sports Law Association, and the American Marketing Association, current.
- Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors
Full list of OAM below:
OAM
Dr Peter Baquie - Service to sports medicine. Previous roles as club doctor at Hawthorn (2005-12), Collingwood (2013-14) and North Melbourne (2014-20).
Colin Chirgwin - Service to youth. Roles at Doncaster Junior Football Club since 2001 as a life member of the club.
Jan Cooper - Service to Australian Rules Football. Three-decade career across administration of the game for women and girls. Member of the WA Women’s Hall of Fame and former AFL Football Woman of the Year and former AFLW premiership cup ambassador.
Kevin Curran - Service to Australian Rules Football. Began as an umpire in SA community football in 1967 and has filled roles from community to SANFL level from 1978 to his retirement in 2012.
Peter De Rauch - Service to Community Health and Australian Rules Football. Former Shareholder, Director, Committee member and Deputy Chair at North Melbourne FC and club patron since 2008.
William Doherty - Service to Australian Rules Football. Began as a player in 1945 and then filled roles as committee member, club president, league president in the West Gippsland league for the next four decades.
Mark Durdin - Service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Community roles include the Presidency of Deaf Australia Football for a decade, and the South Australia Deaf Football Club.
Phil Emery - Service to the Geelong community. Community roles included director of junior football with Ocean Grove Football Netball Club.
Robert Finn - Service to Goolwa community. Community roles included association delegate for Jabuk Football Club.
Richard Gloede - Service to Australian Rules Football. Roles variously from club roles to league roles at South Fremantle FC / Fremantle FC / West Australian Football Commission from 1978 - 2008.
Bec Goddard - Service to Australian Rules Football, Women in Sport. Inaugural AFLW Premiership coach with the Adelaide Crows and now Box Hill VFLW coach among long history of football roles.
Allan Guthrie - Service to the community. Among many community roles, Cowaramup Junior Football Club and Margaret River Super Rules.
Associate Professor Sarah Kelly - Service to Tertiary Education and Sports Administration. Among sports roles, board member of the Brisbane Lions and deputy chair since 2017.
Rosie King - Service to Sports Administration. Among many sporting roles, previous senior roles at the Geelong FC.
Michael Long - Service to Australian Rules Football and the Indigenous community. Since retiring as a player, founder and director of the Michael Long Foundation and the Michael Long Learning and Leadership centre.
Kevin Mitchell - Service to Australian Rules Football. Former VFL senior boundary umpire across 236 games, including eight grand finals, and then state director of VFL umpiring 1989-2013.
Lance Netherway - Service to the Wimmera Mallee community. Among many community roles, life member and former president of the Noradjuha-Quantong Football Club.
David Owen - Service to the Gouldburn community. Among many community roles, 30 years as an umpire and life member of the Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association.
Erin Phillips - Service to Australian Rules Football and Basketball. Since joining the AFLW inaugural season in 2017 after an outstanding international basketball career, has been a dual AFLW competition best and fairest, dual premiership player, dual grand final best and fairest.
David Shaw - Service to community health and Australian Rules Football. Former Essendon FC president, AFL Commissioner and Melbourne University FC president.
Patrick Smith - For service to the print media as a journalist. Leading AFL journalist and former selector for the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Rox Snare - Service to the community of Wynyard. Among many community roles, has been a player, coach and administrator with Wynyard FC since 1953 and Life Member and Hall of Fame inductee for the North West Football League.
Lawrie Woodman - Service to sport coaching and development. AFL Coaching Development Manager 2001-17 and member of the AFL Research Board, 2005-17.