The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have unveiled a seventh life member, announcing chairman Laurence Lancini as the latest entrant to this special group.
Cowboys football manager Peter Parr made the announcement at the club’s 2016 season corporate launch, just eight days out from the start of the Cowboys' National Rugby League premiership defence.
Mr Lancini, club chairman since 2003 and a former long-term chairman of the Cowboys Leagues Club, joins Paul Bowman (2007), Barry Buchanan (2008), Matt Bowen (2010), Aaron Payne (2012), Johnathan Thurston (2014) and Matt Scott (2015) as life members of the club and the second non-playing member, alongside Mr Buchanan.
The chairman was bestowed the life membership after the other six life members got together and agreed their elite group of club servants should grow by one member.
“I feel really proud and honoured to have been made a life member, but as I said up there (on the stage), I didn’t start the club, nor do I take to the field every week and do the hard yards,” Mr Lancini said.
“I don’t believe I do anything different to what all good supporters do. It’s a great club. It’s a great part of this community and region, and I’m certainly proud to be a part of it.”
In announcing the life membership in front of 750 special guests, sponsors, partners, players and staff at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre, Mr Parr said Mr Lancini’s defining characteristic was that he also put the club first.
“Now it’s time to put him first,” Mr Parr said.
The life membership announcement was among the highlights of the launch, with former Test cricket fast bowler Merv Hughes the guest speaker.
Main image: Life members Johnathan Thurston, Matthew Bowen, Barry Buchanan, Laurence Lancini, Paul Bowman, Aaron Payne and Matthew Scott
