World Footy News

The Australian Football League (AFL) last night announced that decorated premiership player, goalkicker and premiership coach Malcolm Blight had been named an official Legend of the Game.

Blight, 67, was a star of both the SANFL and VFL across an 18-season career between 1968-85 representing Woodville and North Melbourne, before going on to coach in the SANFL, VFL and AFL with five clubs, and leading the Adelaide Crows to their first two premierships.

Blight, now the 27th Legend of the Game, won both the Magarey Medal (SANFL) and Brownlow Medal (VFL) as the best player in the two respective leagues, while also winning the Ken Farmer Medal (SANFL) and John Coleman Medal (VFL/AFL) for also topping the goalkicking in both competitions – a record unmatched by any player in the game’s history. 

A further six people were inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at tonight's function in Adelaide – Brett Allen, Simon Goodwin, John Halbert, Barry Hall, Anthony Stevens and Ron Todd.

The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996 and serves to recognise players, coaches, umpires, administrators, and media representatives who have made an outstanding contribution to Australian football.

Background on the new inductees follows and all previous inductees and legends are listed in the 2017 AFL Record Season Guide.  

Legend – Malcolm Blight –

162 games for Woodville, 1968-73 and 1983-85, kicking 363 goals.

178 games for North Melbourne, 1974-82, kicking 444 goals.

Seven games for South Australia, kicking 19 goals.

Seven games for Victoria, kicking 11 goals.

North Melbourne premierships 1975, 1977.

Woodville Best and Fairest 1972, 1985.

North Melbourne Best and Fairest 1978.

Woodville Leading Goalkicker 1983, 1985.

North Melbourne Leading Goalkicker 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982.

Magarey Medallist 1972.

Brownlow Medallist 1978.

John Coleman Medallist 1982.

Ken Farmer Medallist 1985.

All Australian 1972 (carnival), 1982, 1985 (carnival).

Woodville captain 1983-85.

North Melbourne Team of the Century, Half Forward.

North Melbourne coach 1981, 16 games.

Woodville coach 1983-87, 114 games.

Geelong Cats’ coach 1989-94, 145 games.

Adelaide Crows’ coach 1997-99, 74 games.

St Kilda coach 2001, 15 games.

Adelaide Crows premierships 1997, 1998.

 

Brett Allen  

Umpired 347 AFL matches from 1992-2007.

Umpired Seven AFL Grand Finals, in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.

Umpired 37 AFL Finals Series Matches (equal 3rd all time).

All Australian Umpire in 1999, 2000, 2002 & 2006.

Umpired Two State of Origin matches.

Umpired Four International Rules tests .

 

Simon Goodwin –

275 games for Adelaide Crows 1997-2010, kicking 162 goals.

18 games for South Adelaide 1995-98, kicking one goal.

One game for South Australia, kicking zero goals.

Three games for Australia.

Adelaide Crows premiership 1997, 1998.

Adelaide Crows best and fairest 2000, 2005, 2006.

All Australian 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009.

Michael Tuck Medallist 2006.

Adelaide Crows captain 2008-10.

Melbourne coach 2017 - current.

 

John Halbert –

244 games for Sturt 1955-68, kicking 253 goals.

16 games for South Australia.

Sturt premiership 1966.

Magarey Medallist 1961.

Sturt Best and Fairest 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964.

All Australian 1961 (carnival).

Sturt captain 1962-68.

Sturt Team of the Century, Centre Half Forward.

Glenelg coach 1979-82.

Sturt coach 1983-84.

 

Barry Hall –

88 games for St Kilda, 1996-2001, kicking 144 goals.

162 games for Sydney Swans, 2002-09, kicking 467 goals.

39 games for Western Bulldogs, 2010-11, kicking 135 goals.

Four games for Australia.

Sydney Swans premiership 2005.

Sydney Swans best and fairest 2004.

St Kilda leading goalkicker 1999, 2001.

Sydney Swans leading goalkicker 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2008.

Western Bulldogs leading goalkicker 2010, 2011.

Sydney Swans captain 2005-2007.

All Australian 2004, 2005, 2006 (vice-captain), 2010.

 

Anthony Stevens –

292 games for North Melbourne 1989-2004, kicking 127 goals.

Four games for Victoria, kicking zero goals.

Two games for Australia.

North Melbourne premiership 1996, 1999.

North Melbourne Best and Fairest 1997, 1999.

All Australian 1998.

North Melbourne captain 2002-03.

North Melbourne Team of the Century, Ruck Rover.

 

Ron Todd -

76 games for Collingwood 1935-39, kicking 327 goals.

141 games for Williamstown 1940-49, kicking 672 goals.

Collingwood premiership 1936.

Williamstown premiership 1945, 1949.

Collingwood leading goalkicker 1938, 1939.

Williamstown leading goalkicker 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949.

VFL leading goalkicker medallist 1938, 1939.

VFA leading goalkicker 1945, 1946

Williamstown captain /coach 1948-49.

Williamstown Team of the Century, Centre Half Forward.