Received life membership in 2024.
Mark Jillard’s connection to the club runs deep. His father, Footscray team of the century member and Victorian representative, John Jillard, was Ainslie’s senior coach from 1973 to 1975.
Mark has played over 200 games for the club across four senior grades, playing over 50 games of Second Grade and over 100 in Third Grade. Mark’s longevity playing football is truly astonishing. Mark won the Third-Grade B&F in 2005 and then incredibly a decade later finsished runner up for the same award in 2015 – a testament to his consistency over time. This is also particularly impressive when you consider Mark spent much of his time playing as a dominant one-on-one defender, locking up the opposition best forward week-in-week out.
Ever-reliable, Mark was pulled into the Second Grade team for the 2013 finals campaign where they were eventual premiers. The following season that experience proved invaluable as he was part of a formidable Third Grade back line that conceded just 42 points in a grand final triumph.
Life Membership for Mark recongises his deep-rooted connection to Ainslie and long-standing commitment to the many respective sides he represented throughout his career.