Gary Ablett Jr. has been honored with induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, marking a significant milestone as he joins a prestigious group of six new members. This recognition comes 21 years after his father’s own induction into the Hall.
Among the other inductees are John Worsfold, who served as both captain and coach during West Coast’s premiership victories; Dustin Fletcher, a longtime player for Essendon; Indigenous football icon David Kantilla; prolific goal-scorer Tim Evans from Port Adelaide; and Hayden Kennedy, a five-time grand final umpire.
Gary Ablett Jr., a celebrated player for both Geelong and Gold Coast, has received this accolade for his outstanding contributions to Australian rules football. His induction was announced at a gala event held in Melbourne, coinciding with the elevation of West Australian football legend Bill Walker to Legend status.
Worsfold is noted for leading West Coast to its first two premierships in 1992 and 1994 and later coaching the team to a flag in 2006. Fletcher, a key member of the famed ‘Baby Bombers’ team, played a vital role in Essendon’s 1993 and 2000 premierships, ultimately becoming the fourth player in history to reach 400 AFL/VFL games.
Kantilla is celebrated for being the first Indigenous player to compete in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and played a total of 113 games for South Adelaide, in addition to a significant tenure with St Mary’s. Evans, originally from Tasmania, distinguished himself as a forward with Port Adelaide, where he won four SANFL premierships and scored over 1,000 goals.
Hayden Kennedy officiated in an impressive 495 AFL/VFL matches, including three state games, and served as the AFL umpires coach for nearly a decade. His experience encompassed 39 finals and five grand finals.
Ablett Jr., who hung up his boots in 2020, became eligible for Hall of Fame induction this year. He started his career with Geelong in 2001 as a father-son selection, stepping into the spotlight given his father Gary Ablett Sr.’s legendary status. Throughout his career, Ablett Jr. was instrumental in Geelong’s premiership wins in 2007 and 2009, the latter year also earning him his first Brownlow Medal.
In 2011, he transitioned to the Gold Coast Suns, where he served as the face of the club during its inaugural season and captained the team for six years, securing another Brownlow in 2013. Ablett returned to Geelong between 2018 and 2020, narrowly missing a third premiership in his final match due to an injury sustained shortly after the game commenced.
With eight All-Australian selections and multiple accolades including five AFL Players Association MVP awards, Ablett Jr. joins fellow Geelong premiership teammates Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright in the Hall of Fame, with the prospect of future inductees Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins on the horizon.
Gary Ablett Sr., himself an inductee since 2005, is celebrated for his remarkable achievement of scoring 1,031 goals over 248 games, despite facing challenges off the field. Walker’s induction as the 34th Legend of the game was previously announced, recognizing his four Sandover Medals and contributions to the Swan Districts club in the WAFL.
