The Australian Football League tonight announced seven-time Essendon Best and Fairest Winner Bill Hutchison had been elevated to 'Legend of the Game'. Hutchison was named as only the 18th 'Legend of the Game', the highest honour which can be bestowed within the sport, at the annual Australian Football Hall of Fame induction in Melbourne tonight.

Hutchison joins Ron Barassi jnr, Kevin Bartlett, Haydn Bunton snr, Roy Cazaly, John Coleman, Gordon Coventry, Jack Dyer, Graham Farmer, Peter Hudson, Leigh Matthews, John Nicholls, Bob Pratt, Dick Reynolds, Barrie Robran, Bob Skilton, Ian Stewart and Ted Whitten snr as one of the 18 Legends of the Game. The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996 and serves to recognise players, coaches, umpires, administrators and media representatives who have made an outstanding contribution to Australian football.

A Hall of Fame Legend is a special category to honour those players who have had a most significant impact on the game and caused Australian Football to change for the better. The presentations to the new inductees into the Hall of Fame and the announcement of Hutchison as a Legend of the Game was made by AFL Commission Chairman Ron Evans at a dinner at the Regent Theatre Ballroom.

LEGEND OF THE GAME:

Bill Hutchison
290 games with Essendon 1942-57 for 496 goals. 30 games for Victoria for 67 goals. Essendon Premiership 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950. All Australian 1950, 1953, 1956. Brownlow Medal 1952, 1953. Essendon Best and Fairest 1946, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956. Essendon Leading Goalkicker 1948. Essendon Team of the Century. Essendon captain 1951 - 1957. Victorian captain 1953, 1956.