Richmond president Peggy O'Neal has been awarded the one of the country's highest honours, appointed as an Officer of the order of Australia (General Division).
O'Neal, who is the current president of the Tigers, was the first ever female to take the role when she was given the top job in 2013.
While she was scrutinised in 2016 for re-signing Damian Hardwick after Richmond's disastrous season, where they finished 13th, it proved a masterstroke with the Tigers winning the flag for the first time in 35 years the following season.
O'Neal was awarded the honour on Monday as a part of the Queens Birthday awards. She was recognised for her service to Australian rules football, superannuation and finance law, as well as the advancement of women in leadership roles.
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“I’m very pleased and honoured to have been selected,” O’Neal told Richmond's website.
“I couldn’t quite believe what I was reading, it was very moving to think that behind the scenes, people had been working on this application and doing it on my behalf … I did shed a tear or two."
O'Neal added that there was “nothing better than being president of the Richmond Football Club”.
“Being part of a premiership year after not having won a premiership in so long… I don’t know that there’s any highlight greater than that,” O’Neal said.
“Everyone knows that law is my vocation … and I love practicing law … but I think I’m most proud of the other things, that you do because you love them.
“Being recognised for what I’ve done to promote the cause of women and their status in society is very meaningful to me.
“So, to have the community aspect recognised as well as the professional aspect, makes this all the more important to me.”
Tigers CEO Brendon Gale tweeted that the club was proud of O'Neal, while AFL Commission Chairman Richard Goyder said the Richmond president was a groundbreaker within footy.
The Order of Australia Medal is richly deserved recognition of Peggy O’Neal’s community/business leadership & contribution to Australia. A strong, principled, inclusive & selfless leader of the @Richmond_FC, we’re very proud of her & so grateful she’s our President.
— Brendon Gale (@brendongale25) June 9, 2019
“Peggy O’Neal is a trailblazer within Australian football, as the first woman to be elected as the President of an AFL club in our national competition,” Goyder said.
“Under her guidance, Richmond has set its sights on being a leader across our industry and has found premiership success, as well as a dominant role in the community with more than 100,000 members.
"The AFL congratulates her warmly on this well-deserved honour.”
