Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

[comrade]

Boo!

Couldn't give a hoot about his supposed achievements in progressing the game on a national level - he tried to kill our club and for that he'll always be enemy number 1.

With Ian Collins a close second

UP YOURS, OAKLEY

[chef]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Up yours Oakley!

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

[Happy Days]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Who were the other inductees?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Who were the other inductees?

Greats honoured with Hall of Fame induction

THE EIGHT inductees into the AFL Hall of Fame for 2009 come from diverse backgrounds and different eras, but are all champions in their own right.

Adelaide premiership captain Mark Bickley, Essendon great Paul Salmon, West Coast stalwart Guy McKenna, Hawthorn favourite Chris Langford, Carlton team of the century member Ken Hands, SANFL giant Peter Carey, Brownlow Medallist Bill Morris and League powerbroker Ross Oakley make up the latest intake.

No-one was awarded Legend status this year.

Bickley enters the Hall after playing 272 games for the Crows and writing his name into the history books as the club's first premiership captain.

He held the cup aloft for the first time in 1997 and, under the tutelage of fellow Hall of Famer Malcolm Blight, did so again the very next year.

A three-time All-Australian, Salmon played 324 games and kicked 561 goals in a career that began at Windy Hill in 1983 and included a five-year stint with Hawthorn.

The 'Big Fish' tasted premiership success with the Bombers in 1985 and 1993. He crossed to Hawthorn in 1996, took out his new club's best and fairest award in his first season and backed it up with his second in 1997.

Salmon was the Dons' leading goalkicker on seven occasions.

McKenna was such a consistent contributor over the course of his 13-year career with West Coast that nine seasons separated his two best and fairest awards.

He took part in the club's inaugural premiership success in 1992 and was there again in 1994. He played in 267 games, skippered the Eagles 68 times and won All-Australian honours on four occasions.

Langford was the Hawks' tough and uncompromising full-back during a golden era for the club.

The four-time All-Australian played in 25 finals, was part of four premiership sides and claimed two EJ Whitten Medals.

Hands is a member of Carlton's team of the century having played a role in the club's premiership triumphs of 1945 and 1947.

He also captained the Blues on 99 occasions and took out the John Nicholls Medal in 1953.

Carey, a goliath in stature and of the South Australian game, played an Australian record 448 matches for Glenelg.

He was judged best on ground for a six-goal performance in the Tigers' 1973 premiership and skippered the side to back-to-back triumphs in 1985 and 1986.

Morris played 140 games for Richmond and took out the Jack Dyer Medal three times (1945, 1948 and 1950), but his crowning achievement was the Brownlow Medal in 1948.

Oakley was at the forefront of the competition's shift from a suburban league to a national power during his time as chief executive officer between 1986 and 1996.

The former St Kilda player took control of soon-to-be AFL during a volatile period of revolution and was responsible for dramatic changes. They included vast increases in the value of television rights, club membership numbers and match attendances through strategic marketing.

He also oversaw the introduction of West Coast and the Brisbane Bears (1987), Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and Port Adelaide (1997), as well as the 1996 merger between the Bears and Fitzroy.

At the end of his reign, the League was distributing $23.68 million to the clubs: a far cry from the $10.4 million they received a decade earlier.

[Bornadog]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Boo!

Couldn't give a hoot about his supposed achievements in progressing the game on a national level - he tried to kill our club and for that he'll always be enemy number 1.

With Ian Collins a close second

UP YOURS, OAKLEY

What a Joke to put him in the HOF.

[KT31]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Isn't it great after Brayshaw pushing the Carey agenda nobody listened ?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Isn't it great after Brayshaw pushing the Carey agenda nobody listened ?

Carey did get nominated!

[Scraggers]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

My whole back window of my HX panelvan was covered in this sticker ... and never a truer word was said; for what you tried to do to Footscray ...

UP YOURS OAKLEY !!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Bickley was a pretty good player but never even got one best and fairest or all Australian.
There are so many HOFers now, its diminishing its value.
Surely if they have such a laxed criteria for the HOF then why the is legend status so difficult for someone(Lou Richards) whose influence on the football was great and is truely a legend of the game.

Heard Kevin Bartlett yesterday say they shouldn't change the criteria to include 'media'. Lou was more than just the media in the height of the 70s and 80s.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Heard Kevin Bartlett yesterday say they should change the criteria to include 'media'. Lou was more than just the media in the height of the 70s and 80s.

No he didn't.

KB was asked by a caller if he thinks that the criteria to be a legend should be changed, and he said no.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Only slightly less nauseous than if Ian Collins was bestowed such an award.

UP YOURS OAKLEY

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

No he didn't.

KB was asked by a caller if he thinks that the criteria to be a legend should be changed, and he said no.

Sorry my bad, I left out out n't on should. will fix.

My point is he very precious about he how individually wants and sees the game to be. He has too much influence on the rules and HOF comittee.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

Bickley was a pretty good player but never even got one best and fairest or all Australian.
There are so many HOFers now, its diminishing its value.
Surely if they have such a lacked criteria for the HOF then why the is legend status so difficult for someone(Lou Richards) whose influence on the football was great and is truely a legend of the game.

Heard Kevin Bartlett yesterday say they shouldn't change the criteria to include 'media'. Lou was more than just the media in the height of the 70s and 80s.

There's 227 of them now and 21(22?) legends.

It seems anyone who managed to hang around a while automatically gets in.

8 new inductees per year? Way too many.

[Mantis]

Re: Ross Oakley - HOF inductee

It seems anyone who managed to hang around a while automatically gets in.

8 new inductees per year? Way too many.

Yep it seems a good ordinary player who played around 200 games will be bestowed a HOP induction at some point of time.

Makes the award seem less worthy when every Tom, Dick & Harry is part of this 'elite' group.