News

Lloyd to be inducted as AFL Life Member

Friday, 29 January 2010
Staff writers for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

The AFL today announced that four new Life Members would be inducted at the 2010 Annual General Meeting next month for their services to Australian Football, after having their award confirmed by the AFL Commission.

Former Essendon captain and three-time Coleman Medallist Matthew Lloyd qualified automatically during the 2009 AFL season by reaching 300 games while the Commission also recognised outstanding service to the game by three people and awarded Life Membership to Ray Allsopp, Neil Balme and Laurie Dwyer.

Lloyd, who retired at the end of the 2009 AFL season with the seventh highest goal tally in VFL/AFL history with 926 goals, finished an outstanding career as a premiership player (2000), Coleman Medallist (2000, 2001 and 2003), Jim Stynes Medallist (2001) and the holder of 11 leading goal kicker awards for the Bombers.

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Allsopp has been involved in football for more than 50 years and was the central force in the development of the Victorian primary schools clinic scheme, which grew into VicKick and was the precursor to the AFL Auskick program. In 2009, more than 160,000 children across Australia were part of a NAB AFL Auskick program.

Neil Balme has been involved at senior level football across WA, SA and Victoria and the national competition for four decades, beginning as a player with Subiaco in WA before playing in two premierships with Richmond in the VFL in 1973-74. He coached Norwood in the SANFL to premierships in 1982 and 1984, going on to then coach Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL) and Melbourne (AFL). Most recently, he has worked as head of football operations at both Collingwood and the Geelong Cats.

Dwyer, a dual best and fairest with North Melbourne during his 201 games between 1956-70, has worked in football since the start of his playing career, serving variously for North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans as a team runner, club director, assistant secretary, development manager, assistant football manager, reserves coach and recruiting officer.

AFL Northern Territory Chairman Bob Elix has also been awarded the Jack Titus Service Award for Conspicuous Service to game, in recognition of his involvement with the game in the Northern Territory for four decades.

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

"The AFL has been priviliged to watch a great career in Matthew Lloyd, that finished at the end of the 2009 season. Matthew was a person who pulled people to our game with his skill and he will be missed by Essendon supporters and his achievements are recognised by all football fans," Mr Demetriou said.

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"Ray Allsopp, Neil Balme and Laurie Dwyer have served our game for more than 140 years between them, and each has done much to make our game stronger, either by bringing children to our game like Ray, working to strengthen our game in all our states such as Neil, and working to build a club's success as Laurie has done.

"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 Service

Matthew Lloyd (Essendon)

270 games

24 pre-season games

Three State of Origin games

Four International Rules matches

2000 Essendon premiership

2000, 2001, 2003 Coleman Medal

2001 Jim Stynes Medal

1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 Essendon leading goal kicker

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 All Australian

Conspicuous Service

Ray Allsopp

Worked in the game as a player, and then administrator, for more than 50 years

Key role in the development of the Victorian primary schools clinic scheme, the precursor to the development of VicKick

Neil Balme

1968 - Four games with Subiaco Football Club

1969-79 - 160 games with Richmond Football Club, including 1973 and 1974 premierships

1980-90 - Coach Norwood Football Club, contesting the finals in each season and premierships in 1982 and 1984

1991-92 - Inagural coach of Woodville-West Torrens

1993-97 - Coach Melbourne Football Club. AFL Team of the Year Coach 1994

1999-2006 - General Manager Football Operations Collingwood Football Club

2007 - current - General Manager Football Operations Geelong Cats Football Club

Laurie Dwyer

1956-70 - 201 games for North Melbourne, including two best and fairest awards

1975-79 - North Melbourne runner

1979 - North Melbourne club director

1980 - North Melbourne assistant club secretary

1981-84 - North Melbourne development officer

1985-86 - North Melbourne assistant football manager

1987-91 - North Melbourne reserves coach

1993-2006 - Sydney Swans recruiting officer

2007 - current - North Melbourne recruiting officer

Jack Titus Service Award

Bob Elix

1964-69 - Player with Port Adelaide (SANFL)

1970-71 - Captain Coach Darwin Football Club

1971-73 and 1976-77 - Coach Waratahs Football Club

1979-81 - Coach Nightcliff Football Club

1979 - Coach, Northern Territory

1990 - Coach University Football Club

1998 - Joined Board of AFL NT, Chairman since 2000

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LLOYDY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Mark Gibbons (posted 29/01/2010 11:39:49 AM)

All new Life Members have imposing records and are worthy recipients of the selection. Laurie Dwyer in particular was an exciting footballer to watch.

- Neil Poyner (posted 29/01/2010 11:51:50 AM)

A well-worth recognition, of a CHAMPION player. Good on ya Matthew, all the best for the future.

- Nick Tomaras (posted 29/01/2010 12:12:34 PM)

A wonderful career from one of the truly great players/people of the AFL. Well done Matthew, going to watch us just won't be the same anymore.

- Matt Pocock (posted 29/01/2010 12:25:55 PM)

Good job Lloydy!

- Joseph Attard (posted 29/01/2010 12:28:19 PM)

Did anyone else secretly hope that this would be an article about him changing his mind and rejoining the fold? LLOYD!!

- Duncan Eastey (posted 29/01/2010 12:38:22 PM)

no duncan im glad he retired he cant run or jump anymore thats why he retired but a great servent to the club well done on your life membership you deserve it.

- Brett Martin (posted 29/01/2010 2:44:13 PM)

Well done Lloydy :)))

- Efstathia Moutzouris (posted 29/01/2010 3:55:23 PM)

What a reward for the Great Man :-) Happy for you Matthew... Oh those bleating Hawk whingers will be "besides themselves" all posting in the feedback forums in both Vic papers!! I for one,will be ignoring them... again :-) Go Bombers!!

- Noel Shields (posted 29/01/2010 6:45:28 PM)

Congratulations Lloyd.No it wont be the same going to the game.Why,because we have a whole new batch of exciting kids to get excited about.Maybe a new lloyd in there somewhere.Lloyd would not have kept up with the pace of the game this yr,better to go out on a high than at the end of this year members bagging him saying he is too slow and cant get the ball.This way he leaves the game a true champion.Diane

- Diane Trask (posted 29/01/2010 9:13:13 PM)

congratulations to one of the greatest essendon players let alone one of the greatest afl players. ONE GOAL KICKING GUN THAT I WILL MISS, LLOYDDDDD!!!

- Andy Toma (posted 30/01/2010 3:04:48 PM)

So so so well deserved. You could back him from almost anywhere. Opposition supporters used to break down in tears when Lloydy put a vice-like grip on a mark. Even his name still makes them shudder! Always put in and led from the front, figuratively and literally. Passionate and principled. We will miss him but always have those memories. He was right to go and if it took a nudge then that was right, too. Look, he has no right to be that good AND that good-looking. Hirdy, too. Oh, it's just not fair! : - )

- Kris Bayne (posted 2/02/2010 12:38:12 AM)

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