2025 Life Members

This weekend, three more Subiaco greats will officially join 193 other legends as Life Members of the club, with their achievements and contributions to the Lions and its proud history more than warranting their inclusion in the illustrious group. The new inductions include a player, a coach and an administrator; proof that it takes more than on-field talent to create and uphold a special football club.

Former forward Ben Sokol headlines the additions. Sokol, who played exactly 150 games for Subi’s league side and retired at the end of the 2024 season, culminates an incredible career at the club with the Life Member honour. It will sit among a list of other titles and awards, among 3 Premierships, 2 Bernie Naylor Medals for most goals in a WAFL season, and a Simpson Medal for being the best on ground in the 2019 WAFL Grand Final.

“I was quite surprised that I was voted in so quickly!” Sokol reflected, thinking back to when he first heard the news last December. “But I’m extremely proud to join the names that have been inducted over the years. It was a very enjoyable journey and one I probably haven’t looked back on enough yet. There were many amazing times and I was lucky to be a part of a winning culture with some great coaches and amazing mates.”

“The bonds I made through my journey helped me as a player and person,” Sokol recounted. “Having Jarrad Schofield as my coach for my first 3 years helped me enormously; he taught me how to train hard and the basics that I needed to constantly do to play league football. Ryan Redfern, my forward coach during that time, was another mentor and massive influence in my early career. He gave me the confidence I needed and would back me week in week out 100%. He is still a mate to this day.”

“Then from 2019 onwards I had Beau Wardman as a head coach, he became a great mentor to me and helped my game immensely in my next chapter. He along with Nigel Hamilton have been a big part of my journey and I can’t thank them enough for being not only amazing coaches but also great mates.”

Nigel Hamilton is also entering Subiaco’s pantheon, joining a long list of coaches to join the Life Membership group. Still active at the club as the current Senior Assistant Coach and Midfield Coach, he has helped lead the club through 19 finals and 7 WAFL Grand Finals, and is still adding games to his tally.

“I was invited- no, I was told to attend the AGM, which I don’t normally attend, but I went and was honoured to hear my nomination read out!” Hamilton laughed.

“As they were reading out some of the stats, I hadn’t realised how many games I had coached in! My kids looked at me and said ‘Have you actually done that?’ and I could only say ‘I didn’t realise myself, boys.’ They add up pretty quickly!”

“I certainly didn’t arrive at the club in 2013 expecting that I’d be here so long and meet so many life-long friends. And the success, well that’s just a testament to the people here really.”

Hamilton has served in a variety of positions since joining the club over a decade ago, including Head Coach of the Reserves side, Backline Coach and a Chairman of Selectors, among other positions, before landing into his current roles.

“The culture of the club is special, it’s one where we’re looking and driving for success, and everyone is going the same direction,” Hamilton elaborated.

“But it’s the people that have kept me here since 2013. I was at the 2015 Premiership reunion the other night, and it was as if we played the game only last week. We’re all still good mates, it was great. The club, including the support team but especially the players, has also been really good to my kids and helped them along the way, so it’s absolutely the people that make this club special.”

CEO Peter Capes is the last addition to the group for 2025, with his 15th season at the helm of the Lions being his last one, as announced a few weeks ago. Having joined the club in 2010, his leadership and commitment to the Lions and its community has helped define the identity of the Subiaco Footy Club through an era that was both successful on-field and tumultuous off-field. While the Seniors, Reserves and Colts would collect a total of 10 Premiership flags during his tenure, Peter Capes also dealt with incredible hurdles in the boardroom; successfully renegotiating the lease on Subiaco Oval in 2011 to help the club’s financial security, transitioning the club from Subiaco Oval to Leederville Oval, and guiding the club through the unprecedented COVID-19 landscape.

“It’s been a privilege to be part of this Club,” Capes said when he announced his retirement from the position. “When I started in 2010, things weren’t easy, but I always believed in the people and the potential here. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and incredibly grateful for the friendships, memories, and moments along the way.”

Together, the new inductees represent one of Subiaco’s most successful on-field periods in its history, having all contributed to Subiaco’s trophy case from different parts of the club, whether it be playing, coaching or administration.

When asked about his favourite moment of his career at the club, Hamilton had a difficult time picking just one.

“There’s so many more moments I could mention,” he said with a chuckle.

“2018; being undefeated for an entire year is just a long highlight. That was an amazing group to be part of, when the Seniors, Reserves and Colts all won their Grand Finals.”

“2021; if I’m being honest, we were the 4th or 5th best list in the comp, but we got it done and won the Grand Final. That was just an incredible achievement.”

“Lachlan Delahunty, seeing him walk up on stage at the Sandover Medal night in 2019 was a proud moment. And of course, watching Liam Ryan take hangers every week in 2016 and 2017, before he was drafted to West Coast. There’s just so many to pick from.”

“And of course, the 2014 flag. Wayne Orsi [Backline Coach until 2016] and myself turned up there at the same time, met with Coach Jarrad Schofield and away we went. We put a list together, and we thought we’d be competitive and not much else. The club finished 8th the year before.”

“But then came Round 2, we’d won the first round and made the long journey to Geraldton to take on East Fremantle. But then we won that, and we thought ‘Well hang on… We might be alright here.’ And then we just kept on winning!”

Hamilton, however, looks past the flags and the cups and the medals.

“There’s more to coaching than just coaching,” Hamilton said. “One of the best parts of my job is seeing the guys come through the club, get their jobs, find a partner, move on into different things in life and seeing them succeed there.”

“But the best thing though is still watching a guy play his first game. Being a part of that kid’s development coming up to debuting, and on occasions getting drafted, watching the boys come through and become stronger people and confident men. Nothing beats that.”

Ben, Nigel, and Peter will be inducted into the Life Members on Saturday 28th June 2025.