MARK Cullen and Scott Morrison have been recognised as EFL 300-Game Player Life Members at the league’s Annual General Meeting held at the Karralyka Centre in East Ringwood on Thursday.
Jim Walker from the EFL Board presented Cullen and Morrison with their life memberships, following outstanding service to their respective EFL clubs.
MARK CULLEN
Cullen is one of the most decorated players in the EFL, with 255 games with Vermont and 52 with Silvan.
Affectionately known as ‘Chubbsy’, Cullen arrived at the Eagles as a 15-year-old, much to the dismay of his father, and Blackburn legend, Tom Cullen, who kicked over 700 goals from 200 games with the Panthers.
After a couple of promising junior years, the classy midfielder was selected by Carlton at pick 33 in the 1994 AFL National Draft. Much to the delight of Vermont, he re-joined the club in 1997 after two years playing in the reserves at Carlton and Richmond.
An extraordinary seven premierships followed during his 255-game stint with the Eagles, which included a club Best and Fairest in 2001 and club life membership in 2007.
In 2010, Cullen decided to step down from Division 1 and join Silvan – then the EFL’s newest club.
He has since had a significant impact on the Cats, winning the club’s Best and Fairest in 2011 and earning a position in the SEN Division 4 Team of the Year that same season. He was appointed captain of the senior side at the start of 2013.
SCOTT MORRISON
Morrison began his senior EFL journey with Croydon in 1992, playing 29 Colts games.
He took the step up to the Reserves team in 1994 and cemented his spot, playing 20 games for the season.
From then until 2009, Morrison was one of the club’s most reliable and charismatic players, finishing with 255 Reserves games and 18 senior matches.
Morrison moved a little further north to Kimberley Reserve in 2010 to join Chirnside Park. He has barely missed a beat over the past four years, playing 64 games, including 12 senior games. He has been the Panthers’ Reserves coach for the past three years.