Media Release

For Immediate Release

AFL Cairns honours Rick Hanlon with Life Membership

AFL Cairns is proud to announce that Rick Hanlon has been awarded Life Membership in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Australian Rules Football and his extraordinary dedication to youth development across North Queensland.

Rick was formally presented with his Life Membership on Sunday night at the AFL Cairns Presentation Night, where the football community came together to celebrate the achievements of the 2025 season.

Rick first moved to Cairns in 1998 as the AFL’s North Queensland Regional Manager, immediately driving growth across the region by more than doubling junior participation within his first five years. Since 2003, Rick has served as Program Manager at AFL Cape York, pioneering programs that provide Indigenous youth with pathways in education, sport, and wellbeing.

Among his most enduring achievements are the establishment of AFL Cape York House for Boys (2013) and AFL Cape York House for Girls (2019), world-class facilities that have supported hundreds of young men and women from Cape York, the Torres Strait and the Gulf Savannah to pursue education and life opportunities in a culturally supportive environment.

Rick’s contribution has been recognised at every level of the game and community, including the Australian Sports Medal (2000), AFL Queensland Staff Member of the Year (2015), Order of Australia Medal (2017), Cairns Citizen of the Year (2022), and induction into the AFL Queensland Hall of Fame (2023).

AFL Cairns Chairman, David Williams, said the honour reflects not only Rick’s football achievements but also his impact on the broader community.

“Rick has dedicated his life to ensuring football is a vehicle for opportunity, especially for Indigenous youth. His leadership, passion and vision have left an indelible mark on our game and our region. Life Membership is the highest recognition AFL Cairns can bestow, and Rick is a most deserving recipient.”

Rick joins an esteemed group of Life Members whose service has shaped the game in Far North Queensland, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

ENDS