Coaching giant Kevin Sheedy declared a Legend during AFL Hall of Fame 2018 induction

Kevin Sheedy’s reputation as a true believer in making Australian football the national game — particularly with the start of the Crows in 1991 — is legendary and now officially recognised with his status as the 28th Legend in the Australian football Hall of Fame.

• AFL Hall of Fame 2018 — relive the night

Kevin Sheedy’s reputation as a true believer in making Australian football the national game — particularly with the start of the Crows in 1991 — is legendary and now officially recognised with his status as the 28th Legend in the Australian football Hall of Fame.

Sheedy’s rise to “Legend” honours capped the induction of six new members of the Australian Hall of Fame.

This includes “The Dominator” Wayne Johnston who finished his league football career with Sturt in the SANFL.

The Hall hailed recent AFL greats, Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett and Melbourne goalkicking great David Neitz, Hawthorn premiership player and former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach Terry Wallace, Johnston and WA football heroes Bernie Naylor and Mel Whinnen.

Kevin Sheedy speaking after he was inducted as a Legend at the 2018 Australian football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in Melbourne on Tuesday night. AAP Image/Joe Castro

It is the first time since 2000 that no South Australian was inducted to the Hall.

Sheedy’s acknowledgment as a “Legend” recognises his contribution to Australian football well beyond his premiership success as a player at Richmond and as a coach at Essendon to honour his national agenda for the game and indigenous issues.

This was highlighted in Adelaide in the summer of 1990-91 when the Crows were seeking acceptance as the newest entry to the expanded VFL competition that was rebadged as the AFL.

Sheedy offered to endorse the Crows with Essendon giving Adelaide its first taste of the “big league” with a trial game at Football Park. The crowd of almost 50,000 left the Adelaide hierarchy — and quickly assembled playing group — with a new appreciation of the challenges posed with a national competition.

AFL Hall of Fame 2018 inductees (back left) David Neitz, Matthew Scarlett, Terry Wallace, (front left) Wayne Johnston, Legend Kevin Sheedy, and Mel Whinnen in Melbourne on Tuesday night. AAP Image/Joe Castro

“It was ‘Sheeds’ who put up that initiative — and it highlighted his progressive and innovative thinking,” said Bill Sanders, the Crows’ inaugural chief executive.

“That moment created a meaningful relationship between the Adelaide and Essendon football clubs at a time when we were seeking acceptance as a new football club, not just a new team.”

Sheedy’s total record in Australian football fulfils the Hall of Fame charter that demands “Legend” status be handed to those who “caused the game to change significantly for the better”.

Sheedy was first inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2008.

The SANFL note in the Hall of Fame comes with Johnston who played three league games with Sturt in an injury ruined move to Unley in 1991. This closed a more successful league football career of 209 VFL games at Carlton where Johnston was the Blues captain from 1984-1985 and played in four premierships (1979, 1981, 1982 and 1987).