Former Essendon captain, two-time Premiership player and five-time All-Australian James Hird officially became a Legend of the Essendon Football Club tonight after being inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame at the annual Induction Dinner and Season Launch held at Palladium at Crown.
Hird, who played 253 games for the Bombers between 1992 and 2007, said he was honoured to become the club’s 21st Legend.
“It is very humbling and a great honour to be inducted into a club that has been such an important part of my life,” Hird said.
“My family has had a personal connection to Essendon Football Club over three generations and I’ve barracked for, played for and loved this club since I was a child so to be recognised in the Hall of Fame alongside so many champions is a real honour.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this club’s journey. I appreciate what the club has given me over my playing career and now as coach, I am genuinely excited about now working with our list and the rest of the coaching panel, football department, board and administration to take this club forward to its next era of success.”
The 2011 Season Launch also included the induction of former players Hugh Torney, Ken Fletcher and David Shaw as members of the club’s Hall of Fame.
Torney debuted for Essendon in 1933 and played 173 games for the club in a ruck role. Torney represented the club in three Grand Finals between 1941 and 1943, winning a Premiership in 1942.
Fletcher served Essendon Football Club in a variety of capacities for 30 years including a versatile and committed player, a dedicated captain, a specialist coach, U19s coach and later a club committeeman for 10 years. He played 264 games for the club from 1967 to 1980 as a full-back and later in the back pocket and on the wing.
Shaw served the Essendon Football Club in a variety of roles in a period spanning 38 years. He played 177 games over 11 seasons and was a club administrator for another 17 seasons. Debuting in 1959, Shaw represented the club in both the 1962 and 1965 Premierships. On retirement, Shaw served the club in a variety of administrative capacities including the role of club president. Under Shaw’s Essendon presidency, membership more than doubled. It was by far the greatest increase in membership by any club in the competition at that time.
JAMES HIRD
- Drafted with selection 79 in the 1990 National Draft, making his AFL debut in 1992
- Played 253 games from 1992 to 2007
- Premiership player: 1993, 2000
- Captain from 1998 – 2005
- Essendon Best and Fairest: 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003 (joint), 2007
- Essendon Leading Goal-kicker: 1995, 1996
- Brownlow Medal: 1996
- All-Australian: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003
- Brownlow votes: 125
- Ranked at number three in the all-time Champions of Essendon
HUGH TORNEY
- Inducted as the eighth member of the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame
- Played 173 games from 1933 to 1943
- Premiership player: 1942
- EFC Best and Fairest: 1940
- Runner up in the 1940 Brownlow Medal
- Three-time Victorian representative: 1937, 1939, 1941
- Brownlow votes: 63
- Ranked at number 26 in the all-time Champions of Essendon
KEN FLETCHER
- Inducted as the ninth member of the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame
- Played 264 games from 1967 to 1980
- EFC Best and Fairest: 1978
- EFC Captain: 1977 to 1979
- EFC Vice-Captain: 1966, 1980
- Specialist coach: 1983
- U19s coach: 1984-85
- Committee member: 1987-96
- Brownlow votes: 56
- Eight-time Victorian representative
- EFC Most consistent player: 1970, 1971, 1972
- Best clubman: 1975, 1980
DAVID SHAW
- Inducted as the tenth member of the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame
- Played 177 games from 1959 to 1968
- Premiership player: 1962, 1964
- Committee member: 1971-74, 1984-86
- EFC Vice-President: 1987-92
- President: 1993-96
