Which players should be chosen in Adelaide’s inaugural Hall of Fame? It’s going to be tricky for the selection panel, says David Burtenshaw.
Where to start is the easiest part. Where to stop is not so simple.
Adelaide’s decision to launch a Hall of Fame as a key event for the Club’s 25th season celebrations leads to the inevitable debate about who, and how many, should be inducted.
If the limit was only two players, the greatest Crows players of the first 24 seasons stand out – 2003 Brownlow Medallist Mark Ricciuto and Club games record holder Andrew McLeod.
But from there the list of possible inductees swells to an impressive group of All Australians, Club Champions, 300-gamers, captains and premiership stars.
Simon Goodwin’s three Club Champion awards ranks him equal to McLeod and Ricciuto for Gold Jackets. Ben Hart is the only other multiple Club Champion winner among the past players. Tyson Edwards didn’t win a Club Champion award but finished runner up three times. Goodwin, Hart and Edwards all played in two premierships.
Mark Bickley captained the Crows in its two premierships. Nigel Smart was Adelaide’s first All Australian.
Other Crows played fewer games but made a huge impact.
What about Tony Modra? He missed the premierships but kicked 440 goals from 118 games.
Darren Jarman booted 11 goals in two winning grand finals. Chris McDermott was the inaugural Crows captain. Shaun Rehn’s career was interrupted by three knee reconstructions but he was Adelaide’s greatest ruckman.
No doubt fans will find other Crows to add to these names but the challenge for our Hall of Fame selectors is to get the number right, as it is expected that there will be no more inductees until 2020.
Bookings for the April 29 Hall of Fame event are now open http://bit.ly/HOFbookings
Leading player candidates, ranked by games played:
Andrew McLeod: 340 games, 275 goals. Club games record holder, three-time Club Champion, five-time All Australia, two premierships, two Norm Smith Medals.
Tyson Edwards: 321 games, 192 goals, two premierships, three-time Club Champion runner-up.
Mark Ricciuto: 312 games, 292 goals, 2003 Brownlow Medallist, three-time Club Champion, eight-time All Australian, most games as captain (142), one premiership.
Ben Hart: 311 games, 45 goals, two-time Club Champion, four-time All Australian, two premierships, youngest player to represent the Crows.
Nigel Smart: 278 games, 116 goals, three-time All Australian (first Adelaide All Australian in 1991, two premierships.
Simon Goodwin: 275 games. 162 goals, three-time Club Champion, five-time All Australian, two premierships.
Mark Bickley: 272 games, 77 goals, two-time premiership player and captain.
Shaun Rehn: 134 games, 55 goals, two-time premiership player, once Club Champion, two-time All Australian.
Darren Jarman: 121 games, 264 goals, two-time premiership player, once All Australian, two premierships, three-time leading goalkicker.
Tony Modra: 118 games, 440 goals, Club goals record holder, most goals in a game (13, twice), five-time leading goalkicker, Coleman Medal 1997, two-time All Australian.
Chris McDermott: 117 games, 25 goals, inaugural Crows captain, once Club Champion, once All Australian.
Who would you select?
