Legendary coach or a legendary player? Mark Robinson looks at Hall of Fame legend candidates

IT’S a choice between four champion players and a champion of the sport. MARK ROBINSON says it’s time legendary coach Kevin Sheedy was a legend of the Australian football Hall of Fame.

Who will be named the AFL's next Hall of Fame legend.

IT’S a choice between four champion players and a champion of the sport.

They are Wayne Carey, Greg Williams, Gary Ablett Sr and Jason Dunstall. And, of course, legendary coach Kevin Sheedy.

One of them is expected to be the 28th legend of the AFL Hall of Fame to be announced at its annual celebration on May 29.

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It is always said the Hall of Fame, this year to be held in Melbourne, is the most cherished night on the football calendar and especially so when a legend is inducted.

This is one of those nights.

Last year it was Malcolm Blight and his acceptance speech, of a young lad growing up four blocks from Woodville Oval in Adelaide and who went on to conquer all the football mountains, was wistful, soulful, arrogant and funny.

Kevin Sheedy after breaking the VFL/AFL coaching record in 1998.

It was perfect Blighty.

Before him it was Tony Lockett. And before Lockett, it was Royce Hart and Barry Cable.

This year it is between Carey, Williams, Ablett, Dunstall and Sheedy, a list rich in everything we love about our players and our people.

Sheedy is the logical recipient if you accept the totality of his contribution to the game is greater than the individual accomplishments of the champion foursome.

Sheedy was no slouch as a player. He played 251 games, won three premierships and was a member of the Richmond Team of the Century.

The famous audio of his coach Tommy Hafey calling him a “back pocket plumber” undermined Sheedy’s talents.

Still, he wasn’t in the stratosphere of the other four.

Carey is arguably the game’s greatest player, Dunstall is the third-highest goalkicker, Ablett arguably the most mercurial and Williams the most creative.

It comes down to the Hall of Fame selectors to decide if Sheedy the coach and visionary is more worthy than the pure players.

There’s a strong argument for the legendary Essendon coach.

Last year he celebrated 50 years in the game with a gala dinner at the MCG and it’s in an environment like that when you realise the contribution he made to the game.

Six players and a legend will be inducted later this month.

Players who retired in 2012 are now eligible and that group is headed by one of the greatest full-backs of all time in Matthew Scarlett and three-time Brisbane Lions midfielder and 309-gamer Luke Power.

The Hall of Fame charter says at least two players who were “recently retired’’ must be chosen each year.

Matthew Scarlett with the 2011 premiership cup.

There’s a bunch of standouts ready to join the game’s elite and they are the toughest of decisions for selectors.

The listed is headed by Collingwood’s Thorold Merrett, North Melbourne’s John Dugdale and Melbourne’s Don Williams, a player Barassi described as the best footballer he played with at the Demons.

There are others such as St Kilda’s Trevor Barker, Carlton’s Ken Hunter, Richmond’s Geoff Raines. There’s Nicky Winmar, Gary Buckenara, Roger Merrett, Brent Crosswell, Wayne Johnson and Terry Wallace to also consider. Maybe even Ben Cousins.

There have been sensational footballers in the various state leagues, across many decades, who will also be considered.

It promises to be another terrific night of recognition and whoever is awarded the coveted elevation, it will have been well earned. This year points to Sheedy.

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