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Three-time Geelong premiership heroes Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright have grow to be the newest Cats legends to be inducted into the Australian Soccer Corridor of Fame.
5 years after their former teammate and star defender Matthew Scarlett joined the illustrious group, Bartel and Enright have been added in in the course of the occasion on Tuesday evening.
The pair each ended their enjoying careers on the finish of the 2016 season following Geelong’s preliminary-final loss to the Sydney Swans.
Regardless of ending their time with the Cats on a low, Bartel and Enright performed a central position in a unprecedented interval of success for the regional Victorian membership.
The dynamic duo starred in Geelong’s 2007 premiership, the membership’s first in 44 years, earlier than being a part of additional grand-final success in 2009 and 2011.
A brave midfielder, Bartel was awarded the 2007 Brownlow Medal and took out the Norm Smith Medal for his best-on-ground efficiency within the 2011 grand-final win over Collingwood.
Now a revered media analyst and a GWS board member, Bartel completed his profession with 305 video games and 202 targets.
“You go to the Geelong soccer membership, I do know Matt Scarlett’s already within the Corridor of Fame, however I can’t wait to see all my teammates (be inducted) over time,” Bartel stated throughout his acceptance speech.
“Gary (Ablett) in fact, who made me a bit emotional when Jnr spoke about me in that means (earlier than being inducted).”
Enright stays one of many biggest defenders in fashionable AFL historical past, named All-Australian six occasions, together with in his closing season.
Geelong ought to proceed to dominate the Corridor of Fame consumption in coming years with fellow premiership greats akin to Gary Ablett Jr, Steve Johnson, Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins virtually sure to be included after they grow to be eligible.
One in every of Bartel and Enright’s former adversaries, Sam Mitchell, was additionally inducted into the Corridor of Fame after a stellar four-premiership profession for Hawthorn, adopted by a one-season stint at West Coast.
Mitchell skippered the Hawks’ 2008 grand-final victory over Geelong, earlier than handing the captaincy reins over to Luke Hodge forward of the 2011 season.
Hawthorn added to its premiership cupboard with a 2013-2015 flag three-peat.
Mitchell was retrospectively topped a joint winner of the 2012 Brownlow Medal after Essendon’s Jobe Watson gave up his award following the Bombers’ dietary supplements saga.
Now teaching Hawthorn after taking up from his long-time mentor Alastair Clarkson on the finish of 2021, Mitchell completed with 329 video games and is a five-time Hawks best-and-fairest winner.
Port Adelaide’s solely AFL premiership coach Mark Williams obtained a belated induction, 13 years after he stepped away from Energy.
Williams loved an illustrious enjoying profession within the SANFL with Port Adelaide, earlier than taking his skills to the VFL/AFL at Collingwood and Brisbane.
AFL Fee chairman Richard Goyder confirmed St Kilda nice Nick Riewoldt had accepted an invite into the Corridor of Fame.
Nonetheless, the previous Saints captain resides in the US together with his household this yr and can be formally inducted when he returns to Australia.
Corridor of Fame inductees
Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn, West Coast)
Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)
Corey Enright (Geelong)
Michael Aish (Norwood, SANFL)
Tom Leahy (West Adelaide, North Adelaide SANFL)
Bruce McAvaney (broadcaster)
Mark Williams (Port Adelaide as participant and coach, Collingwood, Brisbane)
-AAP