Nicky Winmar

Nearly 30 years after Nicky Winmar's famous stand against racism, the Australian Football Hall of Fame honours the footballer as well as the fighter.

He is in the WA, NT and Indigenous teams of the century. The late Ted Tyson kicked 1203 goals in 228 games for West Perth, at the Hudson-esque rate of 5.25. And the late Terry Cashion won seven best and fairests as a rover for four Tasmanian clubs on either side of World War II and is in the Tasmanian team of the century. As the VFL/AFL games record-holder, he demanded a seat at the table. It could have been him floating to the fall of the ball and screwing another goal around his body: left foot or right, it was all the same. At his best, he was a sublime footballer, light, balanced and skilful, the acme of what was then a recognisably West Australian style. Also less remembered is that Winmar did not play for the next three weeks because of a fallout with the club. This might explain why it has taken more than 20 years for him to achieve Hall of Fame honours. With less support than he would get now, Winmar’s footy journey was tempestuous, and his life since has had its ups and downs. Go back now and you can hear the commentators’ voices rise with the crowd’s in anticipation whenever he went near the ball. There’s Brent “Boomer” Harvey flitting and bouncing around the North Melbourne packs for 21 years. He was a catalyst. The jumper has become a museum artefact.