'Thought it was a prank': Fresh class of Aussie sporting legends' classic reactions to Hall of Fame induction
Updated . First published at
AFL legend Jason Dunstall "thought it was a prank". Winter Olympic gold medallist Torah Bright described it as "trippy". Legendary goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer admitted he was "blindsided".
All three are highly decorated giants in their sport, yet the honour of being inducted into a Hall of Fame that crosses over, pitting the deeds of each athlete against champions from other sports, is something each of the new inductees holds dear.
Joining Dunstall, Schwarzer and Bright as the latest inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame are rugby league great Cameron Smith, netball legend Laura Geitz, tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt and highly regarded sports doctor Peter Harcourt.
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While each of them achieved incredible things in their sports and have collected plenty of honours along the way, a special reaction is reserved for being part of such an elite club as the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Jason Dunstall, Torah Bright Mark Schwarzer have been announced as 2025 inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Getty
Speaking with Wide World of Sports, Hawthorn icon Dunstall revealed he was given the news while sitting in the studios at Triple M.
The name that lit up on his phone was that of Sport Australia chairman, John Bertrand. But Dunstall didn't buy it.
"I thought it was a prank phone call, I honestly thought it was someone stitching me up," he told Wide World of Sports.
"But then, when I found out it wasn't, it was a very humbling experience. He was lovely the way he spoke about it, and it's a fantastic privilege ... this one was a bit out of the blue, it caught me by surprise."
Dunstall's reaction betrays a sheepishness about the company he now keeps in the Hall of Fame.
Former AFL player and Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall. Michael Dodge via Getty Images
"It's a little bit intimidating, almost to the point of embarrassment," he said.
"I mean, we're talking about sport across the full gamut here, aren't we? Football is only a national sport and not an international sport ... it's an incredible honour to be included among some of those just amazing, sports people that have represented Australia or just achieved so much in their chosen field."
Snowboarding trailblazer Bright was equally taken aback despite achieving something that few other Australians can match - a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, which she won on the halfpipe at the Vancouver Games in 2010. She almost repeated the effort four years later, claiming silver at Sochi 2014.
"It's so trippy, and like amazing, and kinda unexpected," she told Wide World of Sports.
"I was justifying every which way when I was receiving emails [from Sport Australia] to organise a time to catch up.
"I was like, 'Oh, they've got a mentorship program, they're probably just asking me to be a part of that', and my husband was like, 'No way, they are going to ask you to be inducted into the Hall of Fame'.
"So it was a genuine little squeal of surprise and such a wonderful celebration at this point in my life.
"For it to come now and to be a part of a really incredible legacy of Australian athletes and sporting culture, it is a huge honour."
Winter Olympian Torah Bright poses with her gold medal at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Getty
Schwarzer, who was the Socceroos' penalty saving hero in arguably the most important match involving Australia's men's team in the last 50 years, was equally blown away, saying his induction was something "I never dreamed of".
"It is not something that you feel is on your radar. It completely blindsided me, obviously very pleasantly.
"More so afterwards, once you get asked if you would like to be inducted and accept the nomination, that it kind of sinks in and you start to think about it a bit more. Obviously, you know about it, but once you see the names that are on the list, it becomes more special."
In reflecting on his place among Australia's sporting elite, Schwarzer revealed how he remembers that fateful playoff win against Uruguay, saving two penalties in the shootout before John Aloisi completed the job, sending a nation into raptures.
"The hairs on the back of my neck will always still stand up watching the key moments in that game," Schwarzer said.
"I never get sick of talking about it or watching it. It is a moment that was very special and is part of my life, part of history."
Former goalkeeper and Socceroos great Mark Schwarzer during the iconic shooutout against Uruguay in 2005.. Getty
It was one of those moments that we knew if we could qualify, it could change the course of football in Australia, the profile of us players, and it certainly did that, beyond our expectations.
"The players who had been a part of numerous failed campaigns to finally succeed at one … they are the moments that people will remember you for, whether you like it or not.
"That moment is definitely the most talked about when it comes to my career. I'm very happy for that to be the moment that people remember me for."
