Club president David Carter praised Joyce for his immense contribution to the Hawks.

"Greg's a couple of years older than me, so I always looked up to him. He was a sensational player," he said.

"But he's just been a fantastic workman around the club. He's the best volunteer you could ever ask for, and it's just great when you've got someone like that because you don't have to worry about trying to find someone.

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"Every game-day he does the goal umpiring for the Seniors or the Reserves. He also does a lot of general maintenance around the club; mows lawns, tidies stuff up. He's just one of those beautiful behind the scenes workers that make sure everything goes along well."

Carter said the club was very stringent with the criteria for who became life members and that Joyce was a fitting addition to an exclusive list.

"Greg's gone above and beyond with everything he's done at the club, so we're very proud to have him as a life member," he said.

Tatyoon's list of life members began with Joyce's grandfather, Eddie, who founded the clubs and was the Hawks' first captain.

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Joyce said being given the life membership was a "great source of pride," for him.

He began playing for Tatyoon's Under 13 when he was only seven and in 1981 made his senior team debut, aged 15.

Joyce captained and coached the senior side in his final season as a player in 1993, and in 2000 would be named in the club's team of the century. But his influence of the field has perhaps been even greater.

"I became treasurer while I was still playing and later began umpiring. When my knees gave out I switched to foal umpiring and have been doing that ever since," Joyce said.

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Joyce also serves several other roles, including Auskick co-odinator, recreation reserve president, timekeeper, and club historian.

Joyce said the club had great significance to its members.

"We have got an incredibly close community at the club," he said.

"If you're not involved with the club you don't often see people. So, the club is where you see most of your neighbours and the community."

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Joyce was informed he was being made a life member in 2018, with it set to be awarded to him at the end of season presentations. However, Joyce would miss the awards as he travelled to see his beloved Richmond play in the finals.

In 2019 Richmond's final draw again clashed with presentation night, so it was decided Joyce would be presented the membership on the first match of the season in 2020. However, COVID-19 scuppered these plans.

Peter Armstrong spoke about Joyce and his contributions to the club at the presentation before Noel Barr presented Joyce with the membership.

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