PORT ADELAIDE has recognised loyal club servants Matthew Lokan and Jeremy Clayton with life membership at its 2021 Best and Fairest event.
Lokan and Clayton were added to the select list of life members in front of nearly 800 people at the annual presentation of the John Cahill and A.R. McLean medals at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Currently the club’s SANFL coach as well as an AFL development coach, Lokan qualified for life membership thanks to his eleven years of service as a player and coach.
Having risen through the club’s junior teams, Lokan made his SANFL debut in 2002 before being selected by Collingwood with pick 70 in that year’s AFL National Draft.
He played 46 AFL games, including the 2003 Grand Final, during three seasons with Collingwood before returning to Alberton to again play with the SANFL Magpies.
After two seasons as the playing coach of the Belconnen Magpies in the North East Australian Football League and time as Football Manager and Coach of the Glenelg Football Club, Lokan came back to Port Adelaide to take up his current role at the end of the 2017 season.
Speaking upon receiving the honour, Lokan said it meant so much to him and his family to be recognised by the club he grew up supporting and dreaming of playing for.
“I just want to thank the football club for this award,” he said. “Growing up on the (Lefevre) Peninsula my dream was to grow up and play for the football club.
“I grew up wanting to wear the number 17 for Port Adelaide and I was fortunate enough to be able to do that.
“I was fortunate enough to play for Port Adelaide and lucky enough now to be able to coach at this great club.
“It means so much to (my family) this footy club and it’s certainly a massive privilege to be a life member of this football club.”
Clayton fell short of qualifying for life membership due to the change in SANFL rules surrounding the players Port Adelaide could contract.
His eight years of service to the club commenced in 2005 when he arrived following his time with North Melbourne in the AFL.
He played 127 games, winning five club best and fairest awards and the 2005 Magarey Medal as the SANFL’s fairest and finest player.
Since his retirement at the end of 2012, Clayton has been an active member of the club’s past players committee.
Clayton said while he and Lokan hadn’t enjoyed the ultimate success with the club, being a life member of Port Adelaide was one of his proudest achievements.
“Considering I came here for 12 months and I was pretty keen to get back to Victoria, and 17 years later I’m still in love with this club.
“My mum, when I said I was coming over here… she goes ‘you’ll be there forever because that’s the kind of person you are’, I’m a loyal person.
“Four is about normal in terms of the number of premierships (that Port players get to win). Lokes and I weren’t that lucky but this honour well and truly goes up on the mantle piece as one of the proudest things I’ve achieved in football.”
2021 LIFE MEMBERS
Matthew Lokan
Playing career
112 SANFL games (2002, 2006-2011)
Coaching career
SANFL Coach (2018-present)
AFL Development Coach (2018-present)
Jeremy Clayton
Playing career
127 SANFL games (2005-2012)
5x A.R. McLean Medallist as SANFL Best and Fairest
Magarey Medallist (2005)
