The AFL inducted six players into the Australian Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night to recognise their stellar contribution to Australia’s only indigenous game.
Two West Australian players with Fremantle connections were inducted on the night with Maurice Rioli and Ray Sorrell receiving the honour.
The late Rioli, who was inducted in the Fremantle Football Club “Hall of Legends” in 2000, was the first indigenous player in 1982 to win the Norm Smith medal as best on ground in the then-VFL grand final.
Sorrell played 178 games for East and South Fremantle and was a dual Sandover Medallist in 1961 and 1963.
Other inductees include SANFL star Paul Bagshaw (seven premierships with Sturt), 1959 Brownlow Medallist Verdun Howell and two latter-day AFL multiple premiership winners in the Brisbane Lions’ Nigel Lappin and the Adelaide Crows’ Ben Hart.
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996 and serves to recognise players, coaches, umpires, administrators, and media representatives who have made an outstanding contribution to Australian football.
Background on the new inductees follows and all previous inductees and legends are listed in the 2016 AFL Record Season Guide.
Maurice Rioli
168 games for South Fremantle 1975-81 and 1988-90, kicking 133 goals.
118 games for Richmond 1982-87, kicking 80 goals.
13 games for Western Australia.
Seven games for Northern Territory.
Six games for Australia.
South Fremantle premiership 1980.
Simpson Medallist 1980, 1981, 1983.
Norm Smith Medallist 1982.
Richmond Best and Fairest 1982, 1983.
All Australian 1983 (carnival), 1983 (season), 1986 (carnival), 1988 (carnival).
South Fremantle captain 1988-89.
Indigenous Team of the Century, Centre.
Western Australia Hall of Fame (2004).
Northern Territory Hall of Fame, Legend (2010).
Ray Sorrell
155 games for East Fremantle 1956-63 and 1966-67, kicking 55 goals.
23 games for South Fremantle 1964-65, kicking eight goals.
18 games for Western Australia, kicking five goals.
East Fremantle Best and Fairest 1957, 1963.
All Australian 1958 (carnival), 1961 (carnival).
Sandover Medallist 1961, 1963.
Simpson Medallist 1962, 1963.
East Fremantle Team of the Century, Wing.
WA Hall of Fame (2004).
Paul Bagshaw
360 games for Sturt 1964-80, kicking 258 goals.
14 games for South Australia.
Sturt premiership 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1976.
Sturt best and fairest 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1977.
Sturt leading goalkicker 1978.
Sturt captain 1973-80.
Sturt Team of the Century (ruck rover).
SA Hall of Fame (2002).
Verdun Howell
67 games for City South 1952-57.
159 games for St Kilda 1958-68, kicking 59 goals.
Nine games for Victoria.
St Kilda premiership 1966.
Brownlow Medallist 1959.
St Kilda Best and Fairest 1959.
St Kilda Team of the Century (full back).
Claremont coach 1972-74.
Ben Hart
311 games for Adelaide Crows 1992-2006, kicking 45 goals.
27 games for North Adelaide 1990-92 and 2007, kicking four goals.
Eight games for South Australia, kicking 0 goals.
Four games for Australia.
Adelaide Crows’ premiership 1997, 1998.
Adelaide Crows’ best and fairest 1999, 2002.
All Australian 1992, 1993, 1999, 2002.
SA Hall of Fame (2012).
Nigel Lappin
279 games for the Brisbane Lions 1994-2008, kicking 174 goals.
Three games for Victoria, kicking two goals.
Two games for Australia.
Brisbane Lions premiership 2001, 2002, 2003.
Brisbane Lions best and fairest 2004.
Brisbane Lions captain 2007-08.
All Australian 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.
