Legendary Port Adelaide defender John Abley has been recognised for his distinguished football career by being posthumously inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame tonight.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch reflected on Abley’s extraordinary career that saw him become the club’s 14^th inductee into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, following Greg Phillips’ induction last night.

“As a club we are honoured to have our second player inducted this year into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and we thank the AFL for recognising our club’s extraordinary heritage in this way,” Mr Koch said. 

“Most importantly, we thank the late John Abley for the incredible impact he had on the Port Adelaide Football Club across his remarkable 212 game career. 

“We congratulate his widow Libby and his family on this recognition of John’s amazing influence on Australian Football. 

“After John joined Port Adelaide in 1950 he played in seven premierships, including the national record six-in-a-row from 1954 to 1959. 

“He commanded the full back position with great poise across three Australian Carnivals as an All-Australian in 1956, 1958 and 1961. 

“John also represented South Australia in 23 State games and was an inaugural inductee in the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2002. 

“Alongside fellow Australian Football Hall of Famers Fos Williams and Geof Motley, John Abley helped build the foundations of Port Adelaide in the 1950s that makes us the club we are today. We thank him for his remarkable legacy.”

Abley is placed at full back in the club’s Greatest Team of the Century.

JOHN ABLEY

Born: October 1, 1930

Died: August 19, 2011

Played: 212 games, 1950-1961

Goals: 1

Honours - Premierships (7): 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959; represented SA 23 times; All-Australian full back, 1956, 1958 and 1961; Port Adelaide, SA and Australian Football Hall of Fame.