The key criterion for membership to the Hall of Fame, as ratified by the Board, is that inductees must have had a “profoundly positive influence on our Club”.

To be eligible for selection an individual must have been retired for at least three seasons.

It was agreed that the first two Hall of Fame events held in 2009 in Melbourne and 2011 in Sydney would include a far greater number of former players and coaches than would occur on an annual basis in subsequent years.

It was also agreed that the inductions at the first two Hall of Fame events would be restricted to players and coaches, with administrators and officials being considered in due course.

It is important to understand Hall of Fame selections are not purely a simple formulaic exercise.

The selection process is not purely about statistics. It’s also as much about character, passion, leadership, courage and a host of other personal traits that invariably separate the great players and contributors from the rest.

The Selection Committee has to weigh up a range of factors in its deliberations. For instance, such things as the importance of one player’s longevity and durability compared with another player’s brilliance over a much shorter period of time has to be considered. As does how much emphasis should be applied to a player who is part of a successful era, compared with an outstanding player who played in a period of far less on-field success by the team.

In the end while it is a subjective exercise we are confident that over time no individual worthy of inclusion will be overlooked.