The Gold Coast SUNS have inducted three new Life Members at the 2023 Club Champion.
Tony Cochrane AM, Sam Day and Rory Thompson have all been bestowed the highest honour of Life Membership for their contributions to the Gold Coast Football Club.
Cochrane served as a board member of the Gold Coast SUNS for nine years, including seven as Chairman.
Under his tenure the SUNS were successful in securing brand new training and administration facilities, gaining an AFLW license, setting year-on-year membership records, overseeing the development of the club’s SUNS Academy and playing a part in relocating the AFL competition to Queensland during the Covid-affected seasons.
Day qualified for Life Membership after playing his 150th AFL match for the SUNS in Round 22 against the Sydney Swans.
Originally drafted by the club with pick 3 in 2011, Day became the fifth player to reach the 150-game milestone for the club in a unique journey which included a serious hip injury in 2017.
Thompson retired in 2022 as the longest-serving player in club history, having been with the SUNS since the 2009 TAC Cup season as an 18-year-old.
The key defender is a Gold Coast local and played 106 AFL games for the club, ultimately retiring due to persistent knee injuries.
Since retiring, Thompson has remained at the club, adding value in Academy and AFLW coaching while also being involved in the club’s commercial programs.
Thompson and Day become the seventh and eighth Gold Coast SUNS players to accept Life Membership, while Cochrane becomes the second former Chairman to receive the honour.
Gold Coast SUNS Life Members:
John Witheriff
Bob Gordon
Jarrod Harbrow
Alan ‘Doc’ Mackenzie
Michael Rischitelli
Bob East
Paul Scurrah
David Swallow
Alex Sexton
Gary Ablett
Touk Miller
Tony Cochrane
Sam Day
Rory Thompson
