LEO Barry couldn’t stop grinning as he described Saturday night’s Hall of Fame dinner as the best night he’d had since the celebrations following the 2005 premiership.
And that was understandable as one of the Swans’ favourite sons was honoured with induction into the Swans Hall of Fame.
His extraordinary match-winning mark deep in defence in the 2005 Grand Final was played over and over, and the 750 guests who attended the Hall of Fame in Sydney cheered wildly every time.
Leo’s mark of the century (for Swans fans anyway!) was also included in the new Swans Heritage List which was unveiled by Club Chairman Richard Colless - so it was double honours for one of the Swans’ finest, who grew up in the southern NSW town of Deniliquin.
Leo arrived at the Hall of Fame dinner at Sydney’s Convention Centre with wife Sarah to receive a big surprise - all his siblings, including one sister who had flown secretly from England, and his parents were waiting at his table.
“I lost it then,’’ Leo said later.
Leo paid tribute to former coach Paul Roos for helping transform him into one of the best and bravest full-backs in the competition.
“Roosy said to me if you think a mark is there, go for it. I have to give him a lot of credit for my career turning out the way it did,’’ Leo said.
"To have the grand final mark included on the first heritage list is absolutely fantastic.''
Leo’s sister wasn’t the only one who turned up by surprise from the other side of the world.
Brett Kirk, who was supposedly still travelling through Europe with his wife Hayley and four kids on an AFL ambassador mission and post-career extended holiday, flew in to attend the Hall of Fame, where he was also inducted.
Kirk was only here for 48 hours - just long enough to watch the game on Friday night and receive his induction certificate.
Kirk has just been to Gallipoli with the AIS-AFL team, and said the visit on Anzac Day had been an incredible experience.
“It reminds me to pay homage to what we have. It’s all about family and the people we care about - you have to have the care factor,’’ Kirky said.
“We were successful during my time at the Swans because of the relationships we formed and the bonds we had.
“We’ve all got a light inside. Roosy gave me the opportunity and the light inside me ignited. Stuart Maxfield taught me about hard work, and Rossy Lyon showed me how to be resilient.’’
Kirk’s “brother from another mother’’, Michael O’Loughlin, had also just returned to Sydney from Europe where he coached the AIS-AFL team.
Michael, the Club’s games record holder who retired at the end of 2009 after 303 games, was also inducted into the Swans Hall of Fame.
He paid tribute to the wonderful mentors he'd had at the Club, starting with Paul Kelly and Derek Kickett in the mid 1990s, and going on to Roos.
He implored the Swans current players to appreciate every day they had as a Swans footballer.
“It makes me annoyed when I hear guys not being enthusiastic about having to go to meetings and doing all those things you do these days as a player,’’ O’Loughlin said.
“We have the greatest job in the world. I’m so glad to be part of this club and the culture at the Swans.’’
Saturday night’s Hall of Fame dinner, where 27 former players and coaches were inducted, was the last time inductions will be done at a stand-alone event.
From next year, former players, coaches or administrators will be inducted during the annual Guernsey Presentation dinner held just before the start of each season.
The criteria for induction is that players must be retired, and must have had a profoundly positive impact on the Club.
