It was the honour he didn't see coming.
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Camperdown legend Peter Conheady was awarded a Hampden league life membership on Monday night at the league's annual general meeting.
It was the first league AGM he missed in 18 or 19 years.
"On Monday night we had our club AGM on in Camperdown the same night so I was unable to go to the league one - we sent a couple of other representatives," he said.
"So Monday night when I'm sitting at home after our club AGM, I got the phone call from Trish Butters from the league executive to inform me of what had transpired at the league meeting."
He said he was shocked to receive the accolade because it meant he would be joining a group that includes the league's football and netball superstars.
"I'm no sportsperson at all," he said.
"In fact, last night one of my daughters asked me did I ever play footy."
While Conheady may not have been a on-field superstar, he has certainly been an off-field one.
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The new life member said former Hampden president Ross Price and executive member Ray Carter helped get him involved in league duties in 1990.
Conheady was a graphic and applied art student Warrnambool's Deakin University, Price a lecturer and Carter was painting on campus.
"Often I'd find myself in the corridors at Deakin while Ray was painting the corridor talking footy instead of sitting in the lecture theatre and listening to what I probably should have been listening to," he said with a laugh.
"I was doing the statistics at Camperdown at the time for our senior footy side and he asked me would I do the the stats for the Hampden interleague team.
"From that period of time, I've done lots of different roles to varying degrees of input."
His roles have included hosting Maskell Medal days and Judd Cup nights.
Conheady's said starting up the league Hall of Fame had been the highlight.
The Hall of Fame chairman said he instigated that with former league president Bob Guiney and former vice- president Peter Manoel.
"Having the task of going to knock on someone's door or ring them up to inform them that they are going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the league, is a real highlight," he said.
"I have a real passion for the history of our club at Camperdown and of the league and that's probably led to my involvement with the Hall of Fame."
The former Campderdown president's (2003-2007) club highlight has been working with "a hardcore group of people who were determined to improve our facilities at Leura Oval".
He said there had been upgrades to the oval, change rooms, function centre, netball courts as well as the addition of a digital scoreboard.
"We're about to embark on a lighting project," he said.
He added the lights would be up to AFL standard.
Conheady said his life membership was not just a reward for him.
"You can't do what you do without the support of your family," he said.
"It's recognition for us all, not just me individually."
Conheady has daughters Maggie, 16, and Sophie, 13, with his wife Donna.
Maggie and Sophie play netball for the Magpies and Donna is one of the club's netball coordinators.
Conheady has been on the Camperdown Football Netball Club committee since 1989.
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