‘He’s alive’: AFL apologises for Hall of Fame In Memoriam blunder

The AFL has apologised after a former player was prematurely mourned at the Hall of Fame despite being very much alive and well.

The AFL has apologised for prematurely mourning a former player’s death at this week’s Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday night the AFL inducted Dane Swan into the Hall of Fame and elevated Hawthorn’s Jason Dunstall to Legend status in a glittering ceremony in Melbourne.

Watch Carlton v Geelong FRI 7:40PM AEST | LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

The event is one of the most prestigious on the AFL calendar but it appears there was a major stuff up in the ‘In Memoriam’ segment acknowledging figures in the game who had passed away in the last year.

Speaking on Channel 7’s The Front Bar on Thursday night, Hawthorn great John Kennedy Jr couldn’t believe former Hawks player Michael Porter flashed up on the screen.

Porter played 78 games for Hawthorn and was a member of their 1971 VFL premiership team. The 79-year-old is believed to be alive and well.

Host Sam Pang said: “That 71 team, obviously a famous team and important team in Hawthorn’s history, but I believe John you have a cheerio you’d like to give to one of the players.”

Kennedy replied: “I’d like to send one out to Michael Porter who played in the 71 Grand Final. ‘Portholes’ they called him.

“He was noted as deceased last night on the AFL Hall of Fame, as one of the deceased people.

“The issue is he’s alive. So Portholes, if you’re listening mate or you’re up there in NSW, let us know when the wake is because we’ll be all there mate!”

Watch John Kennedy reveal the AFL Hall of Fame stuff up in the video above

John Kennedy Jr (left) said Porter is alive and well. Photo: Channel 7.

The Age reports Porter called former Hawks captain David Parkin, who was in the room for the Hall of Fame ceremony in Melbourne, to confirm he was alive and kicking.

A league spokesman said: “Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and thank him for his understanding.”

Elsewhere at the Hall of Fame, goalkicking legend Dunstall revealed he would have loved to play for Carlton, but the opportunity never arose and he began playing for Hawthorn.

“I barracked for Carlton,” Dunstall said.

“My mates and I all played for a club called Coorparoo back in Queensland, which had exactly the same jumper; a navy blue with a CFC so we were all Carlton supporters.

“I would have crawled over broken glass to play for them, but they never called me back, so in the end it ended up being Hawthorn and (I’m) eternally grateful for it.”

Jason Dunstall was elevated to legend status. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Collingwood icon Dane Swan stole the show with a typically loose and straight shooting speech.

A five-time All Australian and three-time best and fairest with over 258 games at Collingwood, Swan was also renowned for his indiscretions away from the footy field.

In a successful era for the club, Swan was a member of a group of players infamously known as the “Rat Pack”, which also featured Heath Shaw, Ben Johnson and Chris Tarrant, who were all at the ceremony.

Dane Swan stole the show at the AFL Hall of Fame. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Swan went on to quip that he “has to say” his three children are the best things in his life, before going on to thank his mates in the Rat Pack.

“Those three or four years when you’re with your best mates, the Rat Pack, who are here today, it felt like it went for six months,” he said.

“Biggest club in the country, I was playing OK, we played hard, we partied hard, we had a great time. We barely lost.

“I cherish those memories.”

Swan was a key part of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership, when the Pies fought out a draw with St Kilda before winning the replay by 56 points the following week.

Michael Graham, Chris McDermott, Ralph Robertson, Ray Schofield and Kelvin Templeton joined Swan in the Hall of Fame.

Originally published as ‘He’s alive’: AFL apologises for Hall of Fame In Memoriam blunder