AFL Commission Chair Richard Goyder today announced that Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall – one of just six men in VFL/AFL history to have kicked more than 1000 goals – would be elevated to Legend Status at the Hall of Fame induction in Melbourne on June 18 later this year.
Dunstall, a four-time premiership player, four-time best and fairest winner with the Hawks and four-time All Australian, joined Mr Goyder for the announcement in Melbourne today.
“I’m absolutely thrilled, it is the highest honour you can imagine,” Dunstall said.
“The AFL has been a massive part of my life.”
Dunstall credited his success to his Hawthorn teammates and the Premiership sides he played in as part of as his greatest achievements in the game.
Mr Goyder said the AFL Commission unanimously endorsed the recommendation of the Hall of Fame nominations’ committee at its meeting in Sydney last month, and his elevation was being announced now to enable the game to celebrate Dunstall and thank him for his enormous contribution.
“It is an enormous task to ask a new Legend to keep this news confidential for many months and we preferred for football to be able to celebrate him over the coming months, before his formal elevation in June at the Hall of Fame function,” Mr Goyder said.
“Jason is one just six players in VFL / AFL history to have kicked more than 1000 goals, sitting third on the all-time list behind only fellow Legends Tony Lockett and Gordon Coventry.
“As a four-time premiership player for Hawthorn, four-time club best and fairest, three-time Coleman Medallist and 12-time leading goalkicker for the Hawks, he is a Legend by any measure in our sport.
“It is extraordinary to think he kicked double figures in 16 separate games and his 17 goals against Richmond at Waverley in 1992 is the equal second-highest tally in a VFL/AFL game in history.
“Forwards have always held a special appeal for footy fans through the generations and he sits easily alongside the great goalkickers of the past like Coventry, Pratt and Coleman, and names across the game like Robertson, Naylor and Farmer.
“Football congratulates Jason on his brilliance and thanks him for everything he has given football, as our next official Legend of the Game.”
Jason Dunstall was the fastest of the six players in VFL/AFL history to kick 1000 goals, reaching the milestone in nine years and 142 days, nearly three years quicker than next-best Tony Lockett (12 years, 133 days).
