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The AFL (Australia Football League) Hall of Fame and Legend are the two honours given to individuals who have had a significant impact on the sport of Australian rules football.
Whilst the Hall of Fame list comprises players, coaches, umpires, administrators, and media figures who made huge contributions to the sport, the Legend category is solely available for players and coaches.
Since its inception in 1996, over 300 individuals have been inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame. However, only 32 Hall of Famers have been elevated to Legend status.
Former Hawthorns forward John Dunstall is the most recent Hall of Famer to be elevated to Legend status. With 1,254 goals in 269 games and four premierships, Dunstall is regarded as one of the greatest Australian rules footballers ever.
But this article will focus on five AFL Hall of Famers who could be next in line for the Legend status after Dunstall.
5 AFL Hall of Famers who could be elevated to Legend status next
#5 Michael Aish
Michael Aish is a former Aussie rules star who played for Norwood Football Club in the SANFL (South Australian National Football League).
Aish is a two-time SANFL premiership winner, who scored 449 goals in 307 appearances for Norwood.
Most players elevated to Legend status played the majority of their careers in the AFL/VFL, except for three: Merv MacIntosh, Barrie Robran, and Jack Oatey.
Aish was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 and could become the next player outside the AFL to be conferred with the honours of Legend.
#4 Mark Williams
Mark Williams made a significant impact in Australian football as a player and a coach, making his mark in the SANFL and the AFL.
As a player, he featured for West Adelaide and Port Adelaide, while representing Collingwood and Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League. On the sidelines, Williams was the coach of Glenelg, Port Adelaide, and Werribee.
He won four SANF premiership titles with Port Adelaide as a player in the SANFL, and after the Powers switched to the AFL in 1997, he also led them to the title in 2004.
Williams was inducted into the South Australian Hall of Fame and the Australian Hall of Fame in 2013.
#3 Greg Williams
Only a handful of players can boast of winning the prestigious Brownlow Medal on two occasions and Greg Williams is one of them (1986 and 1994).
At his peak, Williams was one of the most prominent figures in Aussie footy. He represented Geelong, Sydney, and Carlton, making a combined total of 250 appearances and scoring 217 kick goals for the three clubs.
Williams played a vital role in Carlton's 1995 premiership win and won the Norm Smith Medal for his outstanding display in that year's Grand Final. He was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2001 and is one of the favorites on the list of players to be elevated to Legend status.
#2 Gary Ablett Sr.
Another AFL Hall of Famer who could be elevated to legendary status is Geelong legend Gary Ablett Sr.
Ablett is regarded as Geelong's greatest player ever and one of Australia football's best. He started his Aussie career with the Hawthorns in 1982 but switched to play for the Cats two years later where he became an icon.
At Geelong, Ablett became a prolific kicker, and by the end of his career, kicked a terrific 1,031 goals in 248 games. He is currently fifth on the all-time leading goalscorers list in Australian rules.
Although he never won a premiership, Ablett is still regarded as an AFL legend because of his numerous individual records. Ablett Sr. was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
#1 Wayne Carey
Nicknamed "The King or Duck," Wayne Carey is one of the most prolific centre-half forwards Australian football has ever seen.
Carey played for North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Club but is fondly known for his years with the Kangaroos where he won two premierships (1996, 1999).
He's a two-time AFL MVP (Leigh Matthews Trophy) and was the club's leading goal kicker for five seasons between 1995-2000. He recorded 671 goals in 244 games for North Melbourne before controversially leaving the club in 2002 to join Adelaide.
Although he became eligible for Hall of Fame induction, Carey was not inducted until 2010, largely due to his off-field issues.
