The AFL Hall of Fame: Who Gets In (and Who Doesn't) Part Two

OK, Part One was easy, now it gets a bit tougher. First off let’s go with ones that probably should’ve been included in Part One.

The “Maybe I was Harsh” Category.

Dustin Fletcher (will be 300+ games, 2xAA, 2x Premiership)
Close your eyes. Your side is playing Essendon. Your full forward looks set to take a mark 25m out straight in front. If like you’re like me you’re also seeing a long gangly arm come though at the last minute to make a spoil. Fletcher was a great full back, who excelled at being bloody annoying – like all good full backs.

Simon Goodwin (243 Games, 4xAA, 2 x Premiership, 3x CC)
Really, Goodwin should be in. Hasn’t played as many games as Brent Harvey or Brad Johnson, but certainly as good.

Matthew Scarlet (211 Games, 4xAA, 1 x Premiership, 1xCC)
Fullback of the decade – give him another 3 seasons and he’ll be a motza for the Hall.

Warren Tredrea (250+ games, 500+ goals, 4xAA, 1x Premiership, 3xCC)
Tredrea has his knockers, but he has kicked more goals than Dermott Brereton, Alex Jesaulenko or Gary Lyon, and 4 all-Australians in row as centre-half forward can’t be ignored

The “Could Go Either way” Category

Tyson Edwards (will be 300+ Games, 2x Premiership)
Edwards has been Mr Dependable for the Crows, and is certainly one of those players most supporters would like in their side. But no all-Australian, no club champion medal, means he’ll have to get through on the basis of longevity and consistency. To be honest there’s a few others I’d vote for before him.

Michael O’Loughlin (possible 300 Games, 2xAA, 1xPremiership)
A player who could go mad and win a game, and then also go missing, But if he gets to 300 games, with the 2 all-Australians, you had to say he’s more likely than not to get in (I mean Dean Kemp is in the Hall...)

Adam Simpson (possible 300 Games, 1xAA, 2x Premiership)
Another player who if he gets in will be more on the basis of longevity than brilliance.

The “Will Need Kind Thoughts and Prayers to Get in” Category.

Scott Lucas (256 Games, 450+ goals, 2xCC, 1x Premiership)
The lack of an all-Australian selection hurts, and he looks like finishing up this year. 500 goals would put him in.

Brendan Fevola (2xAA, poss 700+ Goals)
Fev has only kicked 501 goals, but given his penchant for kicking goals he could get to 700. If he does it’d be hard to keep him out. (But that is a big “if”)

Barry Hall (242 games, 3xAA, 588 goals, 1xCC, 1x Premiership)
Hall has had a damn good career by any measure. Hall of Fame though? Maybe – might want to play another season at least. In roughly the same amount of games Saverio Rocca kicked 748 goals, so perhaps Barry is not quite up to the Hall level...

Now the fun part.

The “Wouldn’t get my Vote” Category

Shane O’Bree (220 games)
Sure he might get to 300 games, but he won’t get to the Hall.

Leo Barry (234 games, 2xAA)
Hmm, a close one. I’d leave him out – his mark in the 2005 Grand Final should be in the Hall, but not him.

Luke Power (222 games, 1xAA, 3xPremierships),
Lots of premierships, but he lacks the numbers of all-Australian selections of Voss, Black or Akermanis.

Anthony Rocca (412 goals, 1xColeman)
I’d put his older brother in the Hall well before I’d bother considering this Rocca.

And the rest of those I’d leave out:

Daniel Bradshaw (500+Goals, 2xPrem), Chad Cornes (2xAA, 200+ games) though if he plays 300+ I’ll think again, Darren Millburn (250+, 1xAA), Brendan Lade (2xAA), Darren Glass (2xAA) only 171 games, so there’s time for him to get there, Tom Harley (captain Prem, 1xAA), Joel Corey (181 games, 2xAA) – was drafted the same year as Pavlich and Jonathon Brown, and would need to get close to 300 games to be considered, Steven Johnson (1x Norm Smith, 2xAA), is still youngish so is a chance to add to his trophy cabinet – but winning a Norm Smith isn’t an automatic entry, Joel Bowden (258 games, 2xAA, 2xCC), he might be handicapped by playing for Richmond so maybe I’m being harsh, Kane Johnson (220 games, 2x prem, 1xCC) meh he should’ve stayed with the Crows.

The “Keep Going, You’re on the Way There” Category

Luke Hodge (137 games, 1x Norm Smith, 2xAA, 1xCC)
The trophy cabinet is looking good. Let’s hope for longevity.

Joel Selwood (50 games, 1xAA, Rising Star)
Number 7 in the 2006 Draft; bet at least 5 clubs are feeling stupid.

Bryce Gibbs (48 games)
Carlton however would still be pretty happy with Gibbs as their number 1 pick. He looks the goods for a 300 game career, and a full trophy cabinet.

Lance Franklin (86 games, 254 goals, 1xAA, 1xColeman, 1x Premiership, 1xCC)
After 86 games he’s already a superstar but the key will be how long he keeps it up for. Since 2007 he has averaged 3.88 goals a game, keep that up for 150 more games and he’s looking at 800+ goals (top 10 all-time).

Jarryd Roughead (88 games, 149 goals, 1x Premiership)
With Franklin could be one of the all-time great partnerships. Since 2007 he’s averaged 2.5 goals a game. Keep that up for another 150 games and he’ll have 500+ goals (more than Dermot Brereton).

Adam Cooney (115 games, 2008 Brownlow, 1xAA)
A Brownlow after so few games. The trick though is whether he is a Scott West or Shane Woewodin.
***
So now with all the current players out of the way (or at least on the ballot under my system) , that would leave the Hall of Fame "History Committee" to decide on all the pre-1990 players who should be on. Let me give them a few parochial hints:

Peter Carey (467 games !!!, 2xAA, 3xCC)
Seriously, how easy a decision is this??

Michael Aish (307 games, 2xAA, 1x Magery Medal, 4xCC)
One of the great "would've liked to see how well he would've played in the VFL" players.

Garry McIntosh (371 games, 2x Magery Medalist, 1x highest vote winner in Magery Medal, 5xCC)
I have absolutely no doubt he would have ruled the VFL, but nevertheless, he still should be in the Hall.