PORT ADELAIDE has recognised six loyal club servants with life membership.
Captain Tom Jonas and the retiring Brad Ebert were given the honour at the club’s annual Best and Fairest event on Thursday night, alongside four long-time staff members including the outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Keith Thomas.
Jonas spoke on behalf of himself and Ebert and described it as an incredible honour.
“I never imagined I’d be standing here when I was running around the Parade as a 15-year-old,” he said.
“On our behalf, I’d just like to say how humbled we are to receive life membership for this great club.
“This year, more than ever, has made me and Brad realise just how lucky we are to be supported by such incredible family and friends at such an amazing club.
“In our journeys, we’ve come across a lot of coaches. For me it was (Geoff) Parker who took a punt on me – a kid who couldn’t kick – somehow he twisted Matty Primus’ arm (to sign me) and then it was Kenny getting Ebo back here and the others who have been instrumental along the way.
“The supporters, it goes without saying, there just is no Port Adelaide Football Club without you.
“And finally, my teammates past and present. You’re the reason we play, the reason we want to walk through the doors at Alberton every day for the past ten years, let’s just go a couple of steps further next year.
“I hope we’ve helped make the club a better place but I know without a shadow of a doubt that the club has certainly made us better people.”
Mr Thomas finishes at the club this week after more than nine years as CEO, having a long list of achievements including appointing Ken Hinkley as coach, overseeing the One Club strategy to reunite the SANFL and AFL arms of the club, guiding the club to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval, helped it surpass 60,000 members for the first time and taking it to China to play for premiership points.
His Executive Assistant Louise Broadbridge also received life membership.
Ms Broadbridge started as a receptionist with the club in 2005 and became the EA to the Consumer team. Since 2011 she has been in her current role as EA to the CEO and Directors and was praised for going over and above on many projects throughout her 15 years of service.
Others to receive life membership were Sarah Balkwill, who has performed various reception and Administration roles during 20 years at the club, most as an Executive Assistant, and Group Accountant Matthew Webb, who joined the club in 2000 alongside Ms Balkwill and went on to manage Port Adelaide’s licenced venues since 2017.
Both were described as dedicated club people who did all they could to improve the club.
Mr Thomas spoke on behalf of the life member recipients.
“I’ve got to say it’s an absolute privilege to be awarded an honour like this,” he said.
“I can speak from first-hand experience that these wonderful people are heart and soul Port Adelaide people, warrior to the cause and we have a saying inside the club that we bite off a heck of a lot and sometimes we don’t know how we’re going to do it but somehow it gets done.
“A lot of that comes down to the work of Webby, Sarah and Louie and their band of friends.
“As I said, we are incredibly privileged to receive life membership at a wonderful club like Port Adelaide and I can’t tell you how much this means.
“To Ebo and Tommy, what great company.”
Ebert’s accolades were celebrated earlier in the evening when he was given a fond farewell and spoke passionately about how much the club means to him.
He made his SANFL debut for Port Adelaide, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, uncles and cousin, back in 2007 and after four seasons at West Coast was traded back to Port Adelaide to play in the AFL at the end of 2011.
He finished with 260 AFL games including 184 for the Power across nine seasons before announcing his retirement after Port’s heartbreaking Preliminary Final loss to Richmond.
Jonas was initially rookie listed by Port Adelaide in 2011 and made his AFL debut in Round 21, 2011.
In his ten seasons at the club, he has played 155 AFL games and was made captain alongside Ollie Wines in 2019 before taking the role on by himself in 2020 and leading with aplomb.
2020 LIFE MEMBERS
Tom Jonas
Playing career
155 AFL Games (2011-present, debut 2011)
Captain 2019-2020
Fos Williams Medal 2017, 2018
Coaches’ Award 2012
Brad Ebert
Playing career
260 AFL games (2008-2020, debut 2008, 184 with Port Adelaide, 76 with West Coast)
140 AFL goals (107 for Port Adelaide, 33 for West Coast)
Fos Williams Medal 2012
John McCarthy Award 2014
Keith Thomas
Administration
Chief Executive Officer 2011-2020
Sarah Balkwill
Administration
Various reception and administration roles 2000-2020
Most recently Executive Assistant to GM – Commercial & Exec GM
Louise Broadbridge
Administration
Various reception and administration roles 2005-current
Currently Executive Assistant to CEO & Board of Directors
Matthew Webb
Administration and Licenced Venues
Various finance, IT and facilities roles 2000-2019
Most recently acting General Manager – Licensed Venues
