Worsfold earns Hall of Fame nod - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Worsfold earns Hall of Fame nod

Justin Chadwick 06/08/2011 12:42:14 AM Comments (0)

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse and West Coast legend John Worsfold were among eight AFL greats inducted into the Eagles' inaugural Hall of Fame on Friday night.

Worsfold and Malthouse, whose captain-coach partnership led West Coast to premiership success in 1992 and '94, joined Glen Jakovich, Dean Kemp, Chris Lewis, Peter Matera, Guy McKenna and legendary trainer Bill Sutherland as inaugural inductees.

Malthouse enjoyed a 64 per cent winning percentage during his 243-game, 10-season stint in charge of the Eagles, guiding the club to the finals every year between 1990-99.

Worsfold played under Malthouse for much of his 209-game career and is now a premiership coach himself after leading West Coast to the 2006 flag.

The hard-nosed defender took over the captaincy as a 22-year-old in 1991 and was regarded as the epitome of West Coast in the 90s, with his daunting hip-and-shoulders striking fear into opposition players.

Worsfold is in his 10th year as coach and a lock-in to earn a multi-year contract extension, with the fifth-placed Eagles on track to make a big impact this year.

Kemp, snared with pick No.117 in the 1989 draft, was a mainstay of the Eagles' star-studded midfield throughout his 243-game career, winning the Norm Smith medal in West Coast's 1994 premiership win over Geelong.

Lewis was the second indigenous player in history behind St Kilda's Nicky Winmar to notch 200 games, finishing with 215 matches to his name while making a strong stance against racism throughout his career.

Jakovich, a two-times premiership defender and four-times best and fairest, remains West Coast's games record holder with 276 appearances.

His duels against North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey ranks as one of the highlight of football in the 1990s, with the two-time All-Australian arguably finishing with an ever-slight edge over the 'King'.

Matera will always be remembered for his dazzling runs off the wing.

Always the man for a big occasion, Matera bagged five goals and the Norm Smith medal in a mesmerising performance in the Eagles' 1992 flag.

The 253-game winger and five-times All-Australian combined with Kemp and Chris Mainwaring to form West Coast's outstanding centre line of the 90s.

McKenna, now the senior coach at Gold Coast, won five All-Australian jumpers as an ice-cool defender, always holding his nerve to provide vital composure down back.

He retired after 267 games as one of the most accomplished defenders of his time and is one of four West Coast players already inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

Sutherland was West Coast's head trainer between 1987-2007, with the snow-haired gentleman never missing a game during his 21-year tenure.

The night also saw former club skipper Ben Cousins make his first appearance at an Eagles' function since he was dumped at the end of 2007 as his drug addiction spiralled out of control.

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