Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees may have to wait until next year to receive the honour
This year's Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees have been told of their inclusion, but may have to wait until next year to receive the honour. Glenn McFarlane explains how the scenario could play out.
This year's Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees have been told of their inclusion, but may have to wait until next year to receive the honour.
The AFL had scheduled the ceremony for Tuesday, June 23.
That seems almost certain to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic – with the AFL season postponed until at least May 31 but in all likelihood even longer – as the league looks at alternative options for one of the most important events on the AFL calendar.
It is believed the AFL will look to either stage this year's induction much later in the year or potentially even delay it until early next year.
There had already been plans for an extended ceremony – and even more inductions – in 2021 to mark 25 years since the inauguration of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in the AFL's centenary season in 1996.
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A decision when this year’s recipients will be honoured will not be made until there is more clarity around whether the AFL 2020 season goes ahead or not.
Meanwhile, much of Port Adelaide's 150th anniversary celebrations have been put on hold, but Power chief executive Keith Thomas said the club was thankful it held its gala dinner in February to honour the club's past greats and its history, dating back to 1870.
“The reality is that our 150th anniversary will forever be associated with this global health crisis, however, we’re hoping, and we’re very determined as an industry, to complete the season one way or another later in the year," Thomas said.
"Right now our 150th is about survival and we can’t dwell on the fact that we’re p----- off and don’t get the opportunity to do what we’d planned.
“The other thing I’d say is our fantastic members who want to help wherever they can, they’re going to spend a lot of time delving into the Port Adelaide reservoir of historical footage and data that we’ve collected as part of the 150th, and we’re going to make that a celebration, whether we’re playing of not. "
Originally published as Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees may have to wait until next year to receive the honour