As the AFL prepares to celebrate the game’s 150th anniversary, footy legend Ron Barassi has applied the final touch to the Australian Football Hall of Fame (AFHOF) in the National Sports Museum (NSM) ahead of its August 5 opening at the MCG .
Barassi and AFL chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou today installed the final object in the display case of Alex Jesaulenko, who was elevated to Legend status earlier this year.
The AFHOF was established in 1996 to recognise and enshrine those who have made a significant contribution to the game since its inception in 1858.
Now, footy fans will be able to pay homage to these greats at a new, permanent addition to the ‘Australia’s Game’ exhibition in the NSM.
An outstanding array of material from AFHOF Legends and those inducted in 2008 will be on display.
Some of the more notable items include the guernsey worn by Darrel Baldock during St Kilda’s 1966 premiership, a certificate presented to Haydn Bunton Snr. in 1931 recognising the first of his three Brownlow medals, John Coleman’s Essendon training bag and guernseys worn by Ron Barassi, Kevin Bartlett, Leigh Matthews and Ted Whitten.
There will also be artefacts from Roy Cazaly, Gordon Coventry, Jack Dyer, Graham Farmer, Peter Hudson, Bill Hutchison, Jock McHale, John Nicholls, Bob Pratt, Dick Reynolds, Barrie Robran, Bob Skilton, Norm Smith, Ian Stewart and more.
Plus, you’ll see the match ball used by Jesaulenko to kick his 100th goal in 1970.
"The Australian Football Hall of Fame has found a new, natural home at the National Sports Museum inside the MCG, the spiritual home of Australian football," said Gerry Kerlin, National Sports Museum general manager.
"The exhibition will give due reverence to those who have contributed to the history of Australia's only indigenous game."
Located adjacent to the existing Australia’s Game exhibition devoted to our favourite winter code, the AFHOF will open to the public on Tuesday August 5.