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Just ahead of Round 12, the Sydney Swans held their Hall of Fame dinner. The event was held in Melbourne for the first time in a decade. The club added four new inductees and elevated eight others to Champion status. This a new category, being introduced this year to recognize those with outstanding achievements and who have made significant contributions to the club, but who may not yet qualify for Legend due to a lack of games played.

The four new inductees were Daryn Cresswell, Peter Reville, Arthur Hiskins and Tom Bushell. Elevated were Tony Lockett, Roy Cazaly, Laurie Nash, Barry Round, Greg Williams, Gerard Healy, Michael O’Loughlin and Brett Kirk.

The Inductees

Daryn Cresswell joined the Swans in 1991 and was one of the key players to help the Swans go from easy beats to their amazing 1996 season which saw them in their first Grand Final since 1945. The consistent and durable Cresswell played 244 games. He finished in the top four in the best and fairest count eight times, winning the Bob Skilton Medal in 1994.

Peter Reville played 156 games for South Melbourne 1925-1934, including the 1933 Grand Final victory over Richmond. A brilliant half-forward, he kicked 207 goals for the Swans. He is considered one of the club's greatest forwards alongside Laurie Nash and Bob Pratt. He was vice-captain in the 1933 premiership and was voted as one of the best on ground.

Arthur “Poddy” Hiskins played 185 games and kicked 56 goals for South Melbourne 1908-1923. His career was interrupted by WWI military service. He was a member of the premiership team in 1909 and was considered one of the best plyers of his era. Hiskins was appointed captain-coach of South Melbourne in 1920 and retired in 1923 at the age of 37.

Tom Bushell played for South Melbourne 1881-1892. It was a time of great success for the club in the old VFA as they won premierships in 1881, 1885, 1888, 1889 and 1890. Bushell was the club’s leading goal scorer in 1882 and 1883, and was the club's third highest goalkicker prior to the VFL era.

Roy Cazaly was one of the best-known footballers in the country and was an inaugural inductee as an AFL Legend in 1996, the first year of the AFL Hall of Fame. He played 99 games from 1921-27 and was captain-coach in 1922. He was the first winner of the Swans Club Champion award in 1926. Australian singer Mike Brady wrote and recorded "Up There Cazaly" in his honor.

Laurie Nash was also an inaugural inductee into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996. He played 99 games with the Swans including the 1933 premiership and was named center half forward in Sydney’s Team of the Century. Before being named for Bob Skilton, the club best and fairest award was called the Laurie Nash Medal

Barry Round was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2001 and played 193 games for Swans. Round won the Brownlow Medal in 1981, won the club best and fairest in 1979 and 1981. He was named as the ruck in Sydney’s Team of the Century. In acknowledgement of Round’s significant contributions on and off the field, Sydney's best clubman award is named in his honor.

Greg Williams was selected in the AFL’s Team of Century in 1996 and inducted into Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2001. He played 107 games for the Swans and won the Brownlow in 1986. He was named center in Sydney’s Team of the Century and was All-Australian six times.

Gerard Healy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He played 81 games for the Swans and won the 1988 Brownlow Medal. Healy was the Swans Club Champion 1986 - 1988 and was named to a half-forward flank in Sydney’s Team of the Century. Like Williams, he was named All-Australian six times.

Tony Lockett was elevated to AFL Legend in 2015. He played 98 games for the Swans after crossing from St Kilda and kicked 462 goals for the club. In 1999 at the SCG, aged 33, Lockett broke Gordon Coventry’s 62-year VFL/AFL goalkicking record when he kicked his 1300th goal. Selected as full forward in Sydney’s Team of the Century, Lockett is a three time All Australian and dual Coleman medalist (league leading goal kicker).

Michael O’Loughlin was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2015. He was the first player to play 300 games for the Swans, and finished with 303 games and 521 goals. A 2005 premiership player, O’Loughlin was Sydney Swans Club Champion in 1998, is a dual All Australian and member of the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century. The Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal for the best on ground in Sydney’s Marn Grook game is named in his honor. [Ed. note: See our Footy FAQ for more AFL history.]

Brett Kirk played 241 games for the Swans 1999-2010 and has been a major influence in driving the club’s culture. Kirk is a 2005 premiership player and was captain 2005-10. He was Club Champion in 2005 and 2007, is an All Australian and in 2019 he was named in the Greatest NSW Team of All Time. The Brett Kirk Medal is awarded to the best on ground player in the Sydney Derby between the Swans and GWS.

Each year, the club also names three Heritage items. They were:

Jared Crouch’s 194 consecutive games. Another member of the 2005 premiership team, Crouch played 223 games for the Swans. He consecutive run started with his debut game in 1998;

Lance Franklin's 1000th goal, kicked in March of this year. He is just the sixth player in the history of the game to kick 1000 goals;

The Best VFA Team, consisting of players who were instrumental in South's success in the old VFA. They are:

Richard (Chopper) Doran (1884/1888-94)
Henry (Sonny) Elms (1882-95, co-captain)
Charles (Chris) Thomas (1880-84)
George Major (1880-82)
George (Bud) Williamson (1895-6)
Jimmy (Diddley) Young (1880-94)
Fred McKnight (1881/1883-5/91-94)
William (Billy) Windley (1886/1888-96) (1897-1905)
Herb Howson (1893-96) , (1897-1908)
Richard (Fred) Waugh (1893)
Dennis (Dinny) McKay (1886-91, 1894-97)
Henry (Harry) Latchford (1880-82/84)
Fred Graves (1883-88)
Edgar Barnett (1889-92)
Tom Bushell (1881-90/92)
Richard Gibson  (1891-98)
Peter (the Great) Burns (1885-91, co-captain),
Henry (Harry) Purdy (1885-91) 

Interchange bench: Archie (Bantam) McMurray (1889-91) , Matthew (Legs & Wings) Minchin, (1880-82/84-88), Richard (Jumbo) Kerr (1888-93), William Spencer (1886-93) 

 Source: Loretta Johns, Sydney Media Release

 

 
 

Article last changed on Tuesday, June 07, 2022 - 10:39 AM EDT


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