Carlton Premiership players, former club officials and members of the current executive have heralded in the start of the 2026 AFL season, in a well-patronised gathering at Kew Golf Club for the annual Life Members Luncheon.
In what was the eighth such luncheon since its inception in 2019, everyone from the Blues’ oldest surviving Best & Fairest John Nicholls through to their most recent Premiership Captain Stephen Kernahan attended.
Also present were former players who were collectively part of each of the club’s past eight Grand Final conquests – amongst them Bill Bennett, Adrian Gallagher, Peter Jones, Phil Pinnell, Bryan Quirk, David Dickson, David McKay, Andy Lukas, Peter Brown, Rod Austin, Mark Maclure, Ken Hunter, Des Wayne Johnston, Paul Meldrum, Peter McConville, David Glascott, Tom Alvin, Ian Aitken, Shane Robertson, Fraser Murphy, Justin Madden, Greg Williams and Andrew McKay.
Conspicuous in the room was the dual Carlton Premiership Captain and former AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, and the former Captain and Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd, together with former President Mark LoGiudice. Carlton’s current President Rob Priestley and CEO Graham Wright also attended.
The contributions to Carlton of recently-deceased Life Members Peter Bosustow, Laurie Carter, Brian Kekovich and Robert Walls were also recognised, as were those of the late Warren Ralph.
The Carlton Life Members Luncheon was first convened in 2019 – an initiative driven by a committee comprising the club’s former Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gough, Frank Brosnan, Sharon McColl and Shane O’Sullivan.
