AFL Merit awards announced

Canberra’s Keith Miller and Holbrook’s Bert Haynes have been awarded AFL Merit awards for their outstanding contribution to the game.

The AFL Merit award is one of the most prestigious in community football for volunteers who have devoted over ten years of service to the development of Australian football.

Miller, in his first year at Eastlake as captain and coach in 1978, went on to become a premiership player and a dual Mulrooney Medallist for the league’s best player. He also took out the Jesaulenko award for the best player in the 1982 grand final and represented the territory on a number of occasions. 

Following his outstanding playing career, Miller took on a junior development position with AFL ACT and the NSW/ACT RAMS before working in football manager roles at Queanbeyan and Eastlake.

Miller was also named in the AFL Canberra’s Legends team and in 2006 was inducted into the AFL Canberra Hall of Fame.

“I’m very chuffed about [the AFL Merit award] actually,” Miller said. “You get involved in footy not for these things but it’s very humbling to be recognised that you’ve contributed something towards the development of the game.

“I’ve got a great passion for the game and I just loved playing and coaching as well as the management and development positions … I’ve got a great desire to see the game develop.”

Miller has now semi-retired from his involvement in Australian football but attends matches on a weekly basis.

He said the establishment of the GWS GIANTS from 2012, who will play 40 games in Canberra over the next ten years, will help develop the game even further in the nation’s capital.

“It [GWS] is a pretty exciting prospect actually in terms of the development of the game in Canberra to actually have some ownership of a team,” he said.

“It’s an exciting development and I’m looking forward to it very much.”

The second recipient of the AFL Merit award, Bert Haynes, has also had a long and illustrious playing and managerial career.

In 51 years of service to the game, Haynes played over 380 games for Holbrook in the Farrer and Tallangatta Leagues and won both the league’s best and fairest and goal kicking medals.

Following his long playing career, Haynes took on a coaching position with the club before becoming president of Tallangatta and Hume Football Leagues.

The current vice president of Hume Football League said it’s a privilege to be recognised for the AFL Merit award.

“I’m very humbled,” Haynes said. “I’ve been involved in footy since 1960 so it’s been a long time. I’m very honoured to win it.

“We’re in a really strong AFL area down here in Southern NSW … the future is very bright.

“It’s GWS’ area here now and we’ve had a few boys who have already been signed up.

“We’ve had a lot of Swans players on lists – [Dennis Carroll, Rick Quade, Paul Kelly, Adam Schneider, Justin Koschitzke] – way back when the Swans first started up so it’s been really good.”

The national AFL Merit award dates back to 1931 and has seen the likes of David Parkin and Noel Judkins recognised.