AFL dynasty team’s wild Hall of Fame reality laid bare
The Australian Football Hall of Fame welcomed Gary Ablett Jr as a first ballot entrant on Tuesday night to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Ablett, arguably the best midfielder of the 21st century, won two Brownlow Medals, played in two premierships, was the inaugural captain of Gold Coast and made eight All-Australian teams.
Ablett jnr was the biggest name of the night. AFL Photos
Players can only be inducted into the Hall of Fame once they have been retired for five years, meaning 2021’s retirees becoming eligible next year.
Looking at those who will soon be up for debate, we’ve selected locks, likely inductees, those who may have to wait a few years and the wildcards to make it in. As you scroll through the list you’ll likely notice some common threads that tie together some of the players - most obviously the Hawthorn dynasty team that won premierships back-to-back-to-back in from 2013-15.
Let’s start with the first ballot locks, looking just at players and not other potential entrants at this stage.
The year in brackets indicates when they become eligible for selection, starting with the 2021 crop and going through to 2025.
First ballot locks
Shaun Burgoyne (2027), Joel Selwood (2028), Lance Franklin (2029), Dustin Martin (2030),Nathan Fyfe (2031)
Others, who we will get to later, might bob up as first ballot entrants, but these are five absolute locks that will headline the Hall of Fame between now and 2031.
Starting with Shaun Burgoyne, who played 407 games for Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, including four premierships. He secured his legacy as one of the game’s greatest big-match players.
Joel Selwood put together one of the greatest resumes in AFL history at Geelong. Four premierships, one as captain, six All-Australian blazers, skippering the team three times, most ever wins as an AFL captain, three-time best and fairest and the most finals ever played in (40).
Lance Franklin goes without saying after his 354 games for Hawthorn and Sydney where he kicked 1066 career goals. It’s hard to fathom a player in the modern game ever crossing that barrier again. He also made eight All-Australian teams, won four Coleman Medals and has two premiership flags.
Dustin Martin is also a lock thanks to his three Norm Smith Medals, the only player in history to achieve that feat. He won the Brownlow in 2017 and played 302 games for the Tigers. Fremantle’s Nathan Fyfe meanwhile may not have played as many games as those above, but won two Brownlow Medals and his peak was as high as what any player produced in the 21st century.
Locks (first ballot or soon after)
Eddie Betts (2027), Josh J Kennedy (2028), Jack Riewoldt (2029), Trent Cotchin (2029), Tom Hawkins (2030), Jeremy McGovern (2031)
Of this group, Eddie Betts, Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins could all be first ballot entrants, but given the sure-fire guys above they may miss by a year or two.
Eddie Betts at Carlton. Getty
Betts played 350 games for Adelaide and Carlton, kicking 640 goals and has become one of the leading Indigenous voices in the footy community. It would almost be fitting for him and Burgoyne to enter together next year.
Hawkins and Riewoldt sit on almost identical pedestals. They are 13th and 14th respectively on the all-time V/AFL goals table. Riewoldt has three premierships, three All-Australians and three Coleman Medals, while Hawkins has three premierships, five All-Australians and one Coleman Medal.
Cotchin meanwhile is a three-time premiership captain, was retroactively awarded the 2012 Brownlow Medal once Jobe Watson was disqualified and is a one-time All-Australian.
West Coast’s Josh Kennedy sits 23rd all-time for V/AFL goals kicked and his teammate Jeremy McGovern is a five-time All-Australian and premiership star.
Locks (but might have to wait a bit)
David Mundy (2028), Robbie Gray (2028), Isaac Smith (2029), Nic Naitanui (2029), Travis Boak (2031)
This group features players who are Hall of Fame certainties, whether it’s in the years following their eligibility or at some point down the line.
David Mundy, as the game’s record holder at Fremantle, has a strong claim, while many view Robbie Gray as potentially Port Adelaide’s greatest player of its AFL era.
His teammate Travis Boak fell just short of 400 games and captained the club for many years.
Nic Naitanui played the fewest games of anybody on this list, but his sheer impact on footy and the icon he became at the Eagles makes him a Hall of Famer (at some point).
Isaac Smith on sheer weight of accolades will get in eventually, having won four premierships and a Norm Smith Medal.
In the mix eventually
Josh P Kennedy (2028), Luke Shuey (2029), Todd Goldstein (2031), Callan Ward (2031)
These guys feel like they could become Hall of Famers at some point, but may not come under immediate consideration.
Todd Goldstein has a strong claim as the game’s all-time hit-outs leader, while the others gained great reputations for service to their respective clubs over a long period of time.
Luke Shuey played one of the great games of all-time in the 2018 grand final, winning the Norm Smith Medal and captained the Eagles.
Callan Ward as the inaugural captain of GWS could find himself in first of this group.
None of these players are guaranteed to make it into the elite club but they’re all within reach.
Todd Goldstein of the Bombers Getty
Wildcards to one day make it
Nathan Jones (2027), Shannon Hurn (2029), Zach Tuohy (2030), Rory Sloane (2030), Luke Breust (2031), Tom Mitchell (2031)
This group contains a bunch of players who played around 300 games and all have one or two accolades to their name that might see them come under long term consideration.
Nathan Jones and Rory Sloane for 300 games, captaincy and their service to Melbourne and Adelaide respectively, Luke Breust kicked 553 goals and Tom Mitchell won the 2018 Brownlow Medal.
Then there’s Zach Tuohy, who played 284 games for Carlton and Geelong, including the 2022 premiership, after being drafted out of Ireland, which feels like the kind of story that could warrant a Hall of Fame nod one day.
