Football Australia has inducted four legends of Australian football into the Football Australia Hall of Fame at the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifier in Melbourne on Thursday.
Commonwealth Bank Matildas greats Kate Gill and Heather Garriock, Socceroos legend Mark Schwarzer, and Joseph (Joe) Huxley Honeysett – a name synonymous with the establishment of football in Tasmania – were inducted into the esteemed list of Australian football contributors.
Gill, Garriock, Schwarzer, and Huxley Honeysett were able to be inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame via a public process, with the nominees then considered by a panel of Australian football historians.
The panel of historians provided their recommendations to the Football Australia Board, with Football Australia’s Directors subsequently ratifying each person’s elevation into the Football Australia Hall of Fame.
Football Australia Chair Chris Nikou was honoured to induct Heather Garriock, Kate Gill, Mark Schwarzer, and Joseph Huxley Honeysett into the Football Australia Hall of Fame at the match.
“The Football Australia Hall of Fame celebrates legends, and the people behind the legends, in our game,” Nikou said.
“Through their respective inductions into the Football Australia Hall of Fame – Kate, Heather, Mark, and Joe will forever be recognised as greats of Australian football – people that on and off the pitch showed their class and toiled for the sport to reach new heights.”
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson sees the Football Australia Hall of Fame, launched in 1999 when the first inductions were made, as a list of great Australian football people.
“The Football Australia Hall of Fame features many icons of our sport – people that have represented Australia with aplomb domestically and internationally, have fought for the advancement of our sport, and have laid the foundations for future generations to grow the world game on Australian soil,” Johnson said.
“We warmly congratulate Joe, Mark, Heather, and Kate on their respective inductions – all are worthy of their position amongst the game’s greats, and I hope Mark, Heather, and Kate take great pride in their acknowledgement. Equally, I trust that Joe, who is being acknowledged posthumously, would have been thrilled to be inducted. The Huxley Honeysett name is now forever inscribed in Australian football’s history.”
The inductions of Gill, Garriock, Schwarzer, and Huxley Honeysett mark the first additions to the Football Australia Hall of Fame since Harry Kewell, Leigh Wardell, Branko Culina, and Sir Frank Lowy in 2019.
Despite the recent induction occurring in 2022, the quartet enter the Hall of Fame as 2021 inductees.
Another process will be held throughout 2022, as Football Australia seeks to recognise more people that have made an immense contribution to the Australian game.
