Beloved former Essendon recruiting manager and reserves coach Merv Keane will be inducted as an AFL Life Member at the upcoming 2019 Annual General Meeting in March, after the AFL Commission confirmed a total of eight new inductees on Wednesday morning. 

Keane will join esteemed company as an AFL Life Member, having made an extensive contribution to Australian Rules Football.

The three-time Richmond premiership player was named on the half-back flank in the Tigers' Team of the Century, before going on to coach Sturt in the in SANFL in the mid-late 1980s. Keane made his way to Essendon as reserves coach between 1989-1991 before returning to the Bombers in 2007 as the AFL Recruiting Manager until he finished in the role in 2018.

AFL Life Membership was conferred under the provision of 'Special Service to the Game' to Keane, as well as North Melbourne Team of the Century member and former North Melbourne CEO John Dugdale and SANFL Hall of Fame inductee and life member Wally Miller.

A total of five players and umpires qualified automatically after reaching 300 total AFL games during the 2018 season as an umpire or player - Ray Chamberlain, Lance Franklin, David Mundy, Scott Pendlebury and Heath Shaw.

Bill Hector was awarded the Jack Titus Service Award for outstanding service to football, for his 50 years’ service to the Western Bulldogs in various roles starting as a timekeeper in 1969 to most recently being the club’s senior doorman.

Keane will also be acknowledged at the annual AFL Season Launch event in March.

Merv Keane
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