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🇦🇺 Australia /Sports

Erin Phillips and Bruce McAvaney receive SANFL’s highest honour

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Erin Phillips became the first woman inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame, joining commentator Bruce McAvaney and former players Neil Button and Tony Burgan.
  • Phillips captained Adelaide in the inaugural AFLW season, won three premierships and later became Port Adelaide’s first AFLW captain.
  • Norwood’s Nik Rokahr won the Magarey Medal after recording one of the highest vote totals in the award’s history.

Erin Phillips has become the first woman inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame, a milestone that capped a career shaped by opportunities she once feared women would never receive.

Phillips grew up in Adelaide and played junior football until her teenage years, when limited opportunities for female players led her to switch to basketball. She later played for the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL and won two WNBA championships before returning to Australian football.

All I wanted to do was to play footy and be like Dad.

· Erin PhillipsPhillips described her childhood ambition after becoming the first woman inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

She captained the Adelaide Crows in the first AFLW season in 2017 and played in three AFLW premierships. Phillips won the league’s best and fairest award twice and was named best on ground in the 2017 and 2019 grand finals. She joined Port Adelaide in 2022 as the club’s inaugural AFLW captain.

“All I wanted to do was to play footy and be like Dad,” Phillips said. “I could’ve missed that opportunity, and I get so many women that come up to me that played or just wish they had the opportunity and that missed the boat.”

I could’ve missed that opportunity, and I get so many women that come up to me that played or just wish they had the opportunity and that missed the boat.

· Erin PhillipsPhillips reflected on the limited opportunities available to women when she was growing up.

McAvaney, who began calling SANFL matches in 1978, was also inducted after a broadcasting career that included more than 1,000 VFL and AFL games and 20 grand finals. “I felt like I’d reached Mount Everest by calling a South Australian league grand final in 1983,” he said. Former Norwood player Neil Button and former Sturt player Tony Burgan completed the four-person induction class.

Norwood’s Nik Rokahr won the Magarey Medal after being named best afield in 10 of the club’s 18 games. His victory made him the first player to win both the Magarey Medal and the WAFL Sandover Medal. Norwood will face the winner of the Sturt and Woodville-West Torrens preliminary final for its 32nd SANFL title.

I felt like I’d reached Mount Everest by calling a South Australian league grand final in 1983.

· Bruce McAvaneyMcAvaney recalled the significance of his first South Australian league grand final.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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