The 2009 Mulrooney Medal Night saw four new inductees added to the AFL Canberra Hall of Fame.
Robert Franklin:
• Played Junior football at Woden/Manuka
• Started senior football in 1971 at 17 years of age with Manuka
• Played 256 senior games – club record for Manuka
• Best and Fairest in 1976 and 1978 and runner up in 1980
• Played in 6 Premierships – 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1981.
• Best finals player in 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1981
• Represented ACT 31 times
• Selected in the AFL Canberra Team of the Century
• Finished 3rd in the Mulrooney Medal on 2 occasions
• Life member of Manuka Football Club
Robert played in key forward and defensive positions and is best remembered as a dominant centre half back and full back. His clashes with Kevin “Cowboy” Neale in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s were legendary with Robert being the only local player who could match Kevin’s size and strength.
Guy Cannon
Guy’s career reads as follows:
• Played Junior Football at Woden/Manuka and Manuka/Weston
• Started senior football in 1988 at 17 years of age with Manuka Weston
• Club Captain Southern District and Eastlake 1996 – 2004
• Captain Coach Eastlake 1998 – 2002
• Premiership Coach Eastlake 2001
• Winner of 8 senior club best and fairest awards
- 1989 Manuka/Weston
- 1992-93 Southern District
- 1996,1997,1999,2000 & 2001 Eastlake
Mulrooney Medal 2000
• Alex Jesaulenko Trophy (Best on Ground) 1989 Grand Final
• Played in 5 Grand Finals
• Represented ACT 25 times, Captain ACT 1998 - 2000
• Played with Perth (WAFL) 1994-95 & Sydney Swans supplementary list 1993
• AFL Canberra Life Member 2002
• Games record holder at Eastlake 262 games
• 2006-2008 – NSW/ACT State U16 coach
Guy is one of the most respected and humble football personalities of the modern era, a person of the highest character who has carried himself with distinction both on and off the football arena.
Alan Muir
Alan Muir was the Clubs record 1st grade games record holder for 31 years with a total of 225 games. Alan commenced his senior playing career in 1947 and played in three successive Intermediate Premiership teams – 1947, 1948 and 1949 before graduating into the Tigers senior grade teams. In addition to playing in six grand finals including the 1953, 1954 and 1956 Premiership teams he represented the ACT for over a decade mainly in his preferred centre half back position.
Alan held many positions as a club official in his 60 years of involvement including the following:
• President – 1951
• Secretary 1959 – 1961
• Senior Vice President – 1981
• Publicity Officer – 1950, 1957 – 1961, 1984 – 2005
• Member of Building Committee – 1978 – 1980
• ACTAFL, AFL Canberra Tribunal Delegate – 1985 – 2005
Alan’s long association with Australian Football in Canberra and with the Tigers Club in particular has been recognised by the following:
• Admitted to the Tigers 100 Club – 1982
• Admitted to the ACTAFL 200 Club – 1982
• Awarded QTAFL Life Membership – 1985
• Awarded QTAFC Merit Award – 1987
• Inducted into the Tigers Wall of Fame – 1987
• Awarded ACTAFL Media Award - 1999
• Received the Australian Sports Medal - 2000
• Inducted to the ACT Sports Hall of Fame – 2000
• The Tigers Under 18 Grade Best & Fairest became known as the Alan Muir Medal - 2001
• Received Recognition for 50 Years Service from the AFL - 2002
Alan Muir was a gentleman in the true sense of the word; a loyal club person and devoted football follower. Alan’s vast knowledge of our great game and that of the Tigers Club was unsurpassed.
Bill Mahoney
Bill Mahoney was a staunch follower and committee person of the Manuka Football Club. He held many executive positions in the organisation including President during the sixties and seventies – a period of enormous success for the Club.
Bill was elected onto the ACT Australian Football League (now AFL Canberra) as Secretary and served in that position for three years 1969 to 1971 and again in 1975 before being elected Vice president and then President of the League a position he held for 11 years (1978 – 1988).
Bill was instrumental in the development of Football Park in Woden which became the headquarters of the League. This included new change room facilities on the far side of the ground, the construction of a Licensed Club with a viewing area and grandstand and the relocation of the ACTAFL Office from Dickson to an Office within the facility.
Football Park became the venue for all finals of the League including the Grand Finals from 1982 through to the Year 2000.
Bill had tremendous vision for our game in the National Capital. He along with the Secretary of the League at the time – Jack O’Dea gained funding from the VFL (now AFL) for the position of a full time General Manager which enabled the League to operate in a more professional manner on a day to day basis.
His astute business manner, unbiased and friendly disposition to all involved in our game and his ability to create harmony amongst all clubs provided the basis for a strong and viable League. He was President of the ACTAFL during a highly successful period including that of the 1980 defeat of a VFL team by the ACT Representative team at Manuka Oval.
Pictured: Brian Quade (AFL Canberra Chair), Ian Muir (son of Hall of Fame Inductee, Alan Muir), Guy Cannon and Robert Franklin. Absent: Bill Mahoney
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