Kevin Merifield inducted as a WAFL Life Member

We are thrilled that Kevin Merifield was inducted as a WAFL Life Member on Monday night, capping an association with the Subiaco Football Club that has run continuously since he first pulled on the maroon and gold in 1957.

The honour recognises a contribution that spans nearly every facet of club life: 213 League games as a player, two seasons as club captain in the 1960s, a term as club president, more than a decade as patron, and a defining role in the campaign that kept the club alive during one of its most uncertain periods.

Merifield’s playing career alone would mark him as a club great. His 213 games sit 10th on Subiaco’s all-time list, and he represented Western Australia on four occasions at state level, a mark of the regard in which he was held during his era. He captained the club in 1963 and 1965, and was named a Subiaco life member in 1968, the year his playing days ended.

From player to president

Merifield’s contribution did not end with retirement. He served as President of the Subiaco Football Club between 1980 and 1982, a period that placed him at the centre of the club’s governance during a formative stretch of its history. In the years that followed, he remained a fixture of the club as a volunteer, committee member and mentor, and is counted among Subiaco’s revered “Diehards”, an honour reserved for those judged to have made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the club.

Perhaps the most significant chapter of Merifield’s post-playing contribution came during the “Save Subi” campaign, when he played a central role in advocating for the club’s survival at a time when its future was genuinely in doubt. That period is still remembered within the club community as a test of loyalty and resolve, and Merifield’s part in it is regarded as one of the clearest examples of his commitment to Subiaco beyond the football field.

Patron, alongside Margaret

From 2011 to 2025, Merifield served as club Patron alongside his wife, Margaret. The role kept him visibly connected to the club across a further fourteen years, helping preserve the traditions and relationships that link successive generations of players, administrators and members. In 2006, he was named a Subiaco Ball Legend in recognition of his standing in the club’s history.

A career of milestones

1957 — Debuts for Subiaco Football Club

1963 — Named club captain

1965 — Named club captain for a second time

1968 — Plays final League game; named a Subiaco life member

1980–82 — Serves as Subiaco Football Club President

2006 — Named a Subiaco Ball Legend

2011–25 — Serves as club Patron alongside wife Margaret

2026 — Inducted as a WAFL Life Member

Subiaco Football Club nominated Merifield for WAFL Life Membership on the basis of his playing record, his leadership as captain and later as president, his representation of Western Australia, and decades of ongoing volunteer and governance contribution to the club. On Monday night, that nomination was recognised with the WAFL’s highest individual honour.