Former club senior recruiting coordinator and AFL great Merv Keane has been honoured with AFL Life Membership at the league’s season launch on Thursday night.
Keane received the honour at Melbourne Town Hall under the provision of ‘Special Service to the Game’ after more than 40 years of incredible commitment to football.
Keane had a sensational playing career with Richmond, playing in three premierships across 236 games and being named in the Team of the Century, but his contribution to the game had only just begun.
He would go on to coach Essendon’s reserves, Sturt, Williamstown, Calder Cannons and Western Jets, also briefly running for the Bombers before entering his 11-year stint in the recruiting team at The Hangar.
Keane departed the club in September last year to focus on raising awareness to health and wellbeing issues amongst young doctors, a cause close to his heart.
Lance Franklin, David Mundy, Scott Pendlebury, Heath Shaw, John Dugdale, Wally Miller and Ray Chamberlain also joined Keane as life members on Thursday.
MERV KEANE’S FOOTBALL CAREER
236 games for Richmond (VFL), 1972-84.
3 x Premiership Player 1973, 1974, 1980.
Team of the Century, Half Back Flank
Sturt (SANFL) senior coach 1985-88
Essendon reserves coach 1989-91
Western Jets (TAC Cup) coach 1992-94 and 2001-02
Calder Cannons (TAC Cup) coach 1995
Williamstown (VFA) coach 1996
Essendon AFL Recruiting Manager 2007-18
AFL Under 18 All Australian Team Selector 2008-18