Adam Goodes named a Legend of Swans’ Hall of Fame during Sydney’s season launch
Adam Goodes has joined an elite group of Bloods Legends after being inducted in the Swans’ Hall of Fame with his selflessness and mental strength hailed by Sydney coach John Longmire.
Sydney
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Adam Goodes has joined an elite group of Bloods Legends with Sydney coach John Longmire hailing his selfless approach and mental strength.
The 39-year-old was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame and immediately elevated to Bloods Legend at the club’s season launch at The Star in Sydney.
During an 18-year career, he played a club record 372 games for the Swans and collected honours galore before retiring in 2015.
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Goodes joined an illustrious group of Swans Legends, which includes Bob Skilton, Bob Pratt, Paul Kelly, Peter Bedford, Herb Matthews, Ron Clegg and Peter Burns.
During his Swans career, Goodes kicked 464 goals, claimed two Brownlow Medals, two premierships, three Bob Skilton Medals, four All-Australian blazers, was a three-time club-leading goalkicker, an AFL Rising Star winner, named in the Indigenous Team of the Century and was the 2014 Australian of the Year.
In that time, he also co-founded the Goodes-O’Loughlin Foundation, which this year is helping to provide educational scholarships to 300 Indigenous Australians in Sydney and Adelaide.
There were tough periods too.
He was the target of a racist taunt at a game against Collingwood in 2013 and he retired in 2015 after a spell which saw booing from rival fans.
He declined the traditional lap of honour at that year’s grand final.
He later insisted that it was his choice to call it a day and that he had retired on his own terms.
On Wednesday night, the Swans coach had nothing but the highest praise for Goodes’ contribution.
“A couple of things that stood out to me about Adam, apart from his ability, was how mentally strong he was, particularly his ability to play with injury, he was just so incredibly tough to be able to go out there to train and play on a consistent basis,” John Longmire said.
“Adam was also incredibly selfless. He would do anything for the team and play any role, including towards the end of his career and going back to play reserves footy.
“When you consider how good a player he was and how much of a distinguished record he had, that was an incredible, selfless act to play reserves footy, he was the ultimate team man.
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be inducted into the Sydney Swans Hall of Fame than Adam.”
Goodes wasn’t the only Swan to be recognised, with David Ackerly and David McLeish also inducted into the Swans’ Hall of Fame.
Ackerly played 138 games for the Swans between 1979 and 1985 before joining North Melbourne.
Fellow defender McLeish played 213 games with South Melbourne between 1969 and 1980.
Super consistent, McLeish was nominated as a member of the club’s Team of the Century and played representative football with Victoria.
As well as honouring past heroes, the season launch saw the club’s 10 new recruits and draftees officially welcomed to the Swans.
The club’s 2019 draft class – Nick Blakey, James Rowbottom, Justin McInerney, Zac Foot, Durak Tucker, Harry Reynolds and Sam Wicks – and recruits Ryan Clarke, Jackson Thurlow and Daniel Menzel, joined all 2019 players in receiving their official guernseys ahead of the club’s premiership campaign, which will be led by co-captains Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe.
Originally published as Adam Goodes named a Legend of Swans’ Hall of Fame during Sydney’s season launch