PORT ADELAIDE premiership player Roger James has been inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.
James is one of two Port Adelaide greats awarded the prestigious accolade in 2016, alongside club SANFL legend Steven Williams.
He holds a special place in the hearts of the Port Adelaide faithful as one of the club’s inaugural AFL players.
After playing for Norwood at SANFL level, his AFL career began as Port Adelaide hit the national stage in 1997.
From a footballing family, his brother Brett played AFL football for Collingwood and the Crows, his brother Paul played at Norwood, and his grandfather Claude Greening was a premiership player with Port Adelaide in the SANFL.
Debuting in the Power’s Round 5 clash with Brisbane that year, James quickly forged his position as a tough midfielder throughout the early 2000s and became a key cog in the Power’s engine under legendary coach Mark Williams.
James’s late gather and goal in the final minutes of Port Adelaide’s Round 22, 2002 clash against the Lions to win the club’s first AFL minor premiership and McClelland Trophy will go down as one of his greatest football moments.
But he’ll forever be remembered by the Port Adelaide faithful for his enormous impact during the 2004 finals series which earned him a Best Finals Player gong and contributed to, of course, the club’s first AFL premiership.
So influential was he in 2004, that fellow premiership teammate Gavin Wanganeen credits James for the Preliminary Final win which paved the Premiership path.
“That St Kilda final at Footy Park is my best memory of Rodge on the field,” Wanganeen told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“He pretty much kept us in that game…without him playing that night, we probably wouldn’t have got over the line. It was the game that got us into the Grand Final.”
Described as tough, naturally gifted footballer, Gav recalls his silky skills and damaging kick off either foot.
“Whilst he wasn’t blessed with speed, he was the kind of layer where every time he got the footy, it still seemed like everyone else around him slowed down,” he said.
“He’s absolutely a worthy recipient…there aren’t many players that can kick it like him, that’s for sure.
“Well done, ‘Spit’ - well deserved.”
Tonight James joins his brother, former Adelaide Crows player Brett James in the South Australian Football Hall of Fame, who was inducted last year.
Roger James record
Career: 1997-2005
Games: 147
Debut: Round 5 1997 v Brisbane
Goals: 87
Recruited from: Norwood
AFL Premierships: 1 - 2004
Best Finals Player 2004
Most Improved 2000
Life Member Port Adelaide Football Club
Player Norwood, 1995-2005, Kersbrook, 2006-2009, 2016, Barossa District 2010-2015 (Playing Coach)
Other premierships Norwood 1997, Kersbrook (HFL) 2008, 2009
