The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established with 136 inductees. As of 2006, this figure had grown to 176, including 18 "Legends". While those involved in the game from its inception in 1858 are theoretically eligible, no one outside of the major leagues - the Australian Football League (VFL/AFL), the Victorian Football League (VFA/VFL), the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) - has been recognised to date. See also: 1995 in sports, other events of 1996, 1997 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace wins the Suzuka NASCAR Thunder 100 at Suzuka City November 24, the first NASCAR... The Australian Football League (AFL) is the Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... The Big Men Fly - high marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the most important skill in Aussie Rules Footy Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... VFL/AFL is the term used to refer to the competition established in 1897, which was originally known as the Victorian Football League. ... The Victorian Football League, formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA), is a second-tier Australian rules football league. ... The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league for Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ...

Selection Criteria

A committee considers candidates on the basis of their ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character. While the number of games played, coached or umpired, or years of service in the case of administrators and media representatives, is a consideration, it alone does not determine eligibility. Players must be retired from the game for at least three years before they become eligible for induction, while coaches, umpires, administrators and media representatives are eligible immediately upon retirement. The committee considers candidates from all the states and territories of Australia and from all Australian Football competitions within Australia.

The following excerpt from the official Hall of Fame website highlights the main criteria used by the committee in selecting inductees to the Hall of Fame:

The Committee shall consider a candidate’s outstanding service and overall contribution to the game of Australian Football in determining a candidate’s eligibility for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Without limiting clause 5.1, the Committee may consider a candidate’s individual record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character.

The number of football games played, coached or umpired or the years of service provided shall only be a consideration and shall not be determinative in assessing a candidate’s eligibility.

A player, coach, umpire, administrator or media representative involved at any level of Australian Football may be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Candidates shall be adjudged on the basis of their overall contribution to Australian Football, as opposed to one specific aspect.

Inductees

For a full list of inductees into the Hall of Fame, see List of Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees. This is a listing of inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. ...

Legends

The Legends category is reserved for those who are deemed to have had a positive impact on the game of Australian rules. The title of Legend is intended to be bestowed on no more than 10% of the total inductees of the Hall of Fame (the actual percentage of "Legends" to total inductees is currently 10.23%). All "Legends" enshrined to date represent former players of the VFL/AFL, with the exception of Barrie Robran who played the whole of his career in the SANFL. Being named as a "Legend" of the Australian Football Hall of Fame is the highest honour which can be bestowed onto an Australian footballer. Barrie Robran (born September 25, 1947) is a former Australian rules footballer. ...

The Hall of Fame was established in 1996 with 12 initial "Legends". These were: Ron Barassi, Haydn Bunton Senior, Roy Cazaly, John Coleman, Jack Dyer, Polly Farmer, Leigh Matthews, John Nicholls, Bob Pratt, Dick Reynolds, Bob Skilton and Ted Whitten (see above list for further details). Ronald Dale Barassi (born 27 February 1936) is an Australian rules football player and coach. ... Haydn Bunton Senior (1911-1955) was an Australian rules football player regarded by some observers as the games greatest ever player. ... Roy Cazaly was an Australian rules football player famous his high marks, and for giving rise to the phrase Up there Cazaly. Cazaly was born in Albert Park, a suburb of Melbourne on January 13, 1893. ... John Coleman (1929 - 1973) is widely considered to be the greatest full-forward to ever play Australian Rules football. ... John Raymond Dyer senior (November 15, 1913 - August 23, 2003), better known as Jack Dyer, was one of the best-known figures of Australian rules football, as an outstanding player, as a coach, and later in the broadcast media. ... Graham Polly Farmer (born March 10, 1935) is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. ... Leigh R. Matthews (born March 1, 1952) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Australian Rules footballers of all time, playing for Hawthorn in the VFL from 1969 to 1985. ... John Nicholls (born August 13, 1939) is a former champion Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton Football Club in the 1960s and 1970s. ... Bob Pratt (August 31, 1912–January 6, 2001) is a former Australian rules footballer. ... Big Dick Reynolds (born June 20, 1915, died September 2, 2002) was an Australian Rules player and coach. ... Bob Skilton (born 1938) was an Australian Rules football player who played as a rover for South Melbourne and Victoria between 1956 and 1971. ... Edward James Ted Whitten (born July 27, 1933, died August 17, 1995) was an Australian rules football player, considered by many as being one of the greatest players of all time: in 1966, he was the first inductee to the Australian Football Hall of Fame and given Legend status. ...

The following have been promoted to the status of "Legend" since 1996: Ian Stewart (1997), Gordon Coventry (1998), Peter Hudson (1999), Kevin Bartlett (2000), Barrie Robran (2001), Bill Hutchison (2003), Jock McHale (2005) and Darrel Baldock (2006). Ian H. Stewart (born July 30, 1943) is a former Australian rules footballer. ... Gordon Coventry was an Australian Rules Football player who played the full-forward position for the Collingwood Football Club in the great Collingwood teams of the 1920s and 1930s. ... Peter Hudson (born February 19, 1946) is arguably the greatest Australian rules full-forward in the games history. ... Kevin Bartlett (born March 6, 1947) was an Australian Rules Football player between 1965 and 1983. ... Barrie Robran (born September 25, 1947) is a former Australian rules footballer. ... Bill Hutchison (April 28, 1923–June 18, 1982) was a Australian rules footballer. ... James Jock McHale, (December 12, 1882 - 4 October 1953) was an Australian rules player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League. ... Darrel John Baldock (born September 29, 1938 in Devonport, Tasmania). ...

Induction ceremony

Every year there is a special Hall of Fame dinner to announce and welcome the new inductees to the Hall of Fame.

Controversy

Gary Ablett's induction was deferred until 2005 due to a controversy associated with the death of a young woman acquaintance shortly after his retirement, which was felt to be likely to bring the Hall into disrepute. When he was inducted in 2005, Gary Ablett did not attend the dinner and Geelong CEO Brian Cook accepted his induction on his behalf. For the sons of this AFL football player, see Gary Ablett Jr. ... The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League with a rich history. ... Brian Cook (born November 14, 1955) is a former Australian Rules Football player and now administrator, currently CEO of the Geelong Football Club. ...

AFL World

AFL World (formerly Hall of Fame and Sensation), located at Queen Victoria Village in Melbourne, Australia, the AFL Hall of Fame and Sensation is a place where merchandise can be purchased and a massive array of activities are available. It provides video details of all clubs from their beginnings and biographies on all members of the Hall Of Fame. Advertising for the building was mainly done by Matthew Lloyd. Queen Victoria Village, generally known as QV Village or just QV, is a developing precinct in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... Matthew James Lloyd (born April 16, 1978) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for and is captain of the Essendon Bombers in the Australian Football League. ...

Activities include:

• A guided tour of simulations allowing you to experience playing as a footballer
• A Simulation that allows you to kick (or miss) a significant goal in footballing history
• Do your own commentary for a selected goal
• The Handball challenge

External links

• Official Hall of Fame website
• List of Inductees