WATCH Wanganeen's acceptance speech above on PTV. Can't view the video? Watch on YouTube
THE Port Adelaide Football Club’s inaugural AFL captain Gavin Wanganeen has been inducted into the SA Football Hall of Fame.
Wanganeen was honoured at a ceremony on Tuesday alongside a field of football greats, including fellow former Power skipper and premiership team-mate Warren Tredrea.
[ RELATED: TREDREA JOINS HALL OF FAME ]
Also a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame (2010) and the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame (2009), Wanganeen is among the club’s most decorated players.
Wanganeen played 173 AFL games for Port Adelaide from 1997-2006, having previously represented Essendon 127 times (1991-1996) and winning the Brownlow Medal with the Bombers in 1993.
In those 300 career AFL games, he played in two AFL premiership teams - 2004 with Port Adelaide and 1993 with Essendon. He kicked 202 goals (138 for Port Adelaide and 64 for Essendon).
Wanganeen was recruited by the Bombers from Port Adelaide where he was a member of the 1990 SANFL premiership team.
He returned to Alberton from Victoria to lead the club in its inaugural AFL season in 1997, holding the job of captain until the end of the 2000 season.
Wanganeen was named John Cahill Medallist as Port Adelaide’s best and fairest player in 2003.
He was an All Australian in 1992, 1993, 1995, 2001 and 2003 and is a member of the AFL Indigenous Team of the Century.
In his acceptance speech, Wanganeen thanked the Port Adelaide Football Club for recruiting him from his club in Salisbury and setting him on his way to fulfilling his dream.
He paid tribute to late Port Adelaide administrator Bob Clayton who he described as “one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met” and former Magpies and Power coach John Cahill who he said was “a great motivator”.
Wanganeen said induction into the SA Football Hall of Fame was special because of the pride he had representing the State on eight occasions and the sense of coming home he felt when returning to play with the Power.
The Port Adelaide Football Club congratulates Gavin on his latest honour and the recognition he has earned from the wider South Australian football community.
In addition to Wanganeen and Tredrea, Port Adelaide pays tribute to all of the 2012 inductees into the SA Football Hall of Fame:
The Hon Kevin Duggan - former SANFL tribunal chairman
Ben Hart - former player, Adelaide Football Club
Richard Williams - former SANFL umpire
Andrew McLeod - former player, Adelaide Football Club and Port Adelaide (SANFL)
Simon Goodwin - former player, Adelaide Football Club
Don McSweeny - country football administrator
Ken “KG” Cunningham - former umpire, commentator
Garry McIntosh - former player, Norwood
Mark Ricciuto - former player, Adelaide Football Club
