The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the centenary year of the Australian Football League (AFL), to recognise people who have made significant contributions to Australian rules football. Its scope includes players, coaches, umpires, administrators and media representatives from any level of the game since 1858.
The inaugural induction comprised 136 people, 12 of whom were named Legends. At the 2026 ceremony, six people were inducted and Bill Walker became the 34th person elevated to Legend status.
Selection
Selection criteria The selection committee considers a candidate's record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character. The number of games played, coached or umpired, or the length of service by an administrator or media representative, is a consideration but is not determinative. Candidates may come from any Australian state or territory and from any Australian football competition.
Players in men's competitions become eligible after they have been retired for at least five years, while coaches, umpires, administrators and media representatives become eligible after retirement. Since 2024, AFL Women's players may be considered one year after retirement.
The official selection criteria provide that: a candidate's outstanding service and overall contribution to Australian football are to be considered; a candidate's individual record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character may be considered; games played, coached or umpired, and years of service, are considerations but are not determinative; a player, coach, umpire, administrator or media representative involved at any level of Australian football may be eligible; candidates are assessed on their overall contribution to Australian football rather than on one aspect alone.
In 2010, the Hall of Fame charter was amended. The principal changes were: The maximum number of inductees in a year was reduced from eight to six. This change was reversed in 2018. The minimum number of inductees who had retired within the preceding 10 years was reduced from three to two. This requirement was removed in 2018. The requirement to induct at least one umpire, administrator or media representative each year was changed to at least one person from those categories every two years. In 2018, the retirement requirement for media representatives and administrators was removed. The selection committee was made independent of the AFL Commission, with the committee's recommendations requiring the commission's endorsement rather than approval. Selectors were appointed to an initial three-year term and could be reappointed for two further three-year terms, for a maximum of nine years. At least 25 per cent of the selection committee was required to reside outside Victoria.
Selection committee In 2026, the selection committee was chaired by AFL Commission chair Craig Drummond. The other selectors were Graham Cornes, James Gallagher, Ross Glendinning, Debbie Lee, Karen Lyon, Andrew McLeod, Simon Madden, Alister Nicholson and Michael O'Loughlin, with Patrick Keane serving as secretary.
Legends The Legends category is reserved for inductees whose playing or coaching records are judged to have had a particularly significant positive impact on Australian football. It is the highest honour within the Hall of Fame and is restricted to players and coaches.
Although most Legends made their principal contributions in the VFL/AFL, the list also recognises careers centred in the SANFL, WAFL and Tasmanian competitions.
As of 2026, 34 people had been elevated to Legend status. This is numerically equivalent to approximately one Legend for every 393 players in VFL/AFL history (approximately 0.26%), although the distinction is rarer still when the broader history of Australian football—including leagues outside the VFL/AFL as well as coaches—are taken into account. Barry Cable was one of the 34 people elevated, but his Legend status was revoked in 2023.
The Hall of Fame charter limits Legends to a maximum of 10 per cent of all inductees and provides that only playing and coaching records may be considered for elevation.
Legends Inductee Year elevated Games Goals Premierships HighlightsPlayerCoachDarrel Baldock2006 352 senior club games East Devonport (71) Latrobe (158) St Kilda (119) New Norfolk (4) 237 VFL goals St Kilda (237) premierships VFL (1) St Kilda 1966 NWFU (4) Latrobe 1969 1970 (TSP) 1971 1972 premierships
NWFU (4) Latrobe 1969 1970 (TSP) 1971 1972Representative honours: 2× All-Australian (1961, 1966) Victoria (10 games) Tasmania (15 games)
League honours:
3× Wander Medal (1957, 1959, 1971)
Club honours:
St Kilda captain (1963–1968) 3× St Kilda best and fairest (1962, 1963, 1965) 4× St Kilda leading goalkicker (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965) Coaching record: St Kilda 1987–1989 (18–44–0)Ron Barassi 1996 254 games Melbourne (204) Carlton (50) goals Melbourne (295) Carlton (35) premierships VFL (6) Melbourne 1955 1956 1957 1959 1960 1964 premierships VFL (4) Carlton 1968 1970 North Melbourne 1975 1977Representative honours: 3× All-Australian (1956, 1958, 1961) Australia (4 games) Victoria (19 games) Club honours Melbourne captain (1960–1964) 2× Melbourne best and fairest (1961, 1964) 2× Melbourne leading goalkicker (1958, 1959) Coaching record: Carlton 1965–1971 (99–47–1) North Melbourne 1973–1980 (129–66–3) Melbourne 1981–1985 (33–77–0) Sydney 1993–1995 (13–46–0)Kevin Bartlett2000 403 games Richmond (403) goals Richmond (778) premierships VFL (5) Richmond 1967 1969 1973 1974 1980Representative honours: Australia (4 games) Victoria (20 games) League honours: Norm Smith Medal (1980) Club honours: Richmond captain (1979) 5× Richmond best and fairest (1967, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1977) 4× Richmond leading goalkicker (1974, 1975, 1977, 1983) Coaching record: Richmond 1988–1991 (27–61–0)Malcolm Blight2017 341 games Woodville (163) North Melbourne (178) goals Woodville (359) North Melbourne (444) premierships VFL (2) North Melbourne 1975 1977 premierships AFL (2) Adelaide 1997 1998Representative honours: 3× All-Australian (1972, 1982, 1985) 2× All-Australian coach (1997, 1998) South Australia (9 games) Victoria (7 games) League honours: Magarey Medal (1972) Brownlow Medal (1978) Coleman Medal (1982) Ken Farmer Medal (1985) Club honours 2× Woodville best and fairest (1972, 1985) North Melbourne best and fairest (1978) 4× North Melbourne leading goalkicker (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982) North Melbourne Championship of Australia winner (1975) Coaching record: North Melbourne player-coach 1981 (6–10–0) Woodville player-coach 1983–85, coach 1986–1987 (29–62–0) Geelong 1989–1994 (89–56–0) Adelaide 1997–1999 (41–33–0) St Kilda 2001 (3–12–0)Haydn Bunton Sr.1996 208 games Fitzroy (119) Subiaco (72) Port Adelaide (17) goals Fitzroy (207) Subiaco (190) Port Adelaide (30)Representative honours: Victoria (12 games) Western Australia (6 games) League honours: 3× Brownlow Medal (1931, 1932, 1935) 3× Sandover Medal (1938, 1939, 1941) Club honours: Fitzroy captain (1932, 1936–1937) Subiaco captain (1938–1939, 1941) 2× Fitzroy best and fairest (1934, 1935) 3× Subiaco best and fairest (1938, 1939, 1941) 2× Fitzroy leading goalkicker (1936, 1937) 4× Subiaco leading goalkicker (1938, 1939, 1940, 1941) Coaching record: Fitzroy 1936 (2‐16-0) Subiaco 1938–1939, 1941 (18–42–0) North Adelaide 1947–1948 (13–21–0)Roy Cazaly1996 198 games St Kilda (99) South Melbourne (99) goals St Kilda (38) South Melbourne (129)Representative honours: Victoria (13 games) Tasmania (5 games) Club honours: St Kilda captain (1920) St Kilda best and fairest (1918) South Melbourne best and fairest (1923) South Melbourne leading goalkicker (1921, 1922) Coaching record: South Melbourne 1922, 1937–1938 (12–38–2) Hawthorn 1942–1943 (10–20–0)John Coleman1996 98 games Essendon (98) goals Essendon (537) premierships VFL (2) Essendon 1949 1950 premierships VFL (2) Essendon 1962 1965Representative honours: All-Australian (1953) Victoria (12 games) League honours: 5× VFL leading goalkicker (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953) Club honours: Essendon best and fairest (1949) 6× Essendon leading goalkicker (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954) Coaching record: Essendon 1961–1967 (91–40–3)Gordon Coventry1998 306 games Collingwood (306) goals Collingwood (1299) premierships VFL (5) Collingwood 1927 1928 1929 1930 1935Representative honours: Victoria (25 games) League honours: 6× VFL leading goalkicker (1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1933) Club honours: Collingwood best and fairest (1933) 16× Collingwood leading goalkicker (1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937)Jason Dunstall2024269 games Hawthorn (269)1254 goals Hawthorn (1254)4 premierships VFL/AFL (4) Hawthorn 1986 1988 1989 1991Representative honours:
Victoria (3 games, 14 goals) Queensland (4 games, 10 goals) Allies (1 game, 0 goals)
Club honours AFLPA MVP: 1992 3× Coleman Medal: 1988, 1989, 1992 2× All-Australian team: 1992, 1994 Hawthorn captain: 1995–1998 4× Peter Crimmins Memorial Trophy: 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993 12× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 1986–1996, 1998 Simpson Medal: 1989 E. J. Whitten Medal: 1989 Hawthorn Hall of Fame – Legend status Hawthorn Team of the CenturyJack Dyer1996 312 games Richmond (312) goals Richmond (443) premierships VFL (2) Richmond 1934 1943 premierships VFL (1) Richmond 1943Representative honours: Victoria (16 games) Club honours: Richmond captain (1941–1949) 7× Richmond best and fairest (1932, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1946) Richmond leading goalkicker (1947, 1948) Coaching record: Richmond 1941–1952 (135–89–2)Russell Ebert2022 417 games Port Adelaide (392) North Melbourne (25) goals Port Adelaide (294) North Melbourne (15) premierships SANFL (3) Port Adelaide 1977 1980 1981Representative honours: South Australia (29 games) South Australia state coach 1996, 1997, 1998 League honours: 4× Magarey Medal (1971, 1974, 1976, 1980) Jack Oatey Medal (1981) Club honours: Port Adelaide captain (1974–1978, 1983–1985) 6× Port Adelaide best and fairest (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1981) Port Adelaide leading goalkicker (1968) Coaching record: Port Adelaide 1983–1987 (64–52–0) Woodville 1988–1990 (24–40–0)Graham Farmer1996356 games East Perth (176) Geelong (101) West Perth (79) goals East Perth (157) Geelong (65) West Perth (55) premierships WAFL (5) East Perth 1956 1958 1959 West Perth 1969 1971 VFL (1) Geelong 1963 premierships WAFL (2) West Perth 1969 1971Representative honours: Tassie Medal (1956) 3× All-Australian (1956, 1958, 1961) 2× Simpson Medal (1956, 1961) Australia (4 games) Western Australia (31) Victoria (5) League honours: 3× Sandover Medal (1956, 1957, 1960) 2× Simpson Medal (1959, 1969) Club honours: Geelong captain (1965–1967) West Perth captain (1968–1971) 7× East Perth best and fairest (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961) 2× Geelong best and fairest (1963, 1964) West Perth best and fairest (1969) Coaching record: Western Australia 1977 (1–1–0) West Perth 1968–1971 (60–29–2) Geelong 1973–1975 (24–42–0) East Perth 1976–1977 (30–15–0)Ken Farmer 2025 224 games North Adelaide (224) goals North Adelaide (1417) premierships SANFL (2) North Adelaide 1930 1931 premierships SANFL (2) North Adelaide 1949 1952Representative honours: South Australia (17) Club honours: North Adelaide captain (1934–35, 1937–38, 1941) North Adelaide best and fairest (1936) 13× North Adelaide leading goalkicker (1929–1941) Coaching record: North Adelaide 1949–1952 (53–23–0)Royce Hart2013 188 games Richmond (187) Glenelg (1) goals Richmond (369) Glenelg (2) premierships VFL (4) Richmond 1967 1969 1973 1974Representative honours: All-Australian (1969) Australia (4 games) Victoria (11)