Footy fans have lashed out at the AFL after Erin Phillips and Daisy Pearce became the first women to be named to the league’s Hall of Fame – but their complaints are all about the timing of the honour, not the stars’ gender.
Phillips – who won three AFLW premierships and three All-Australian nods in her time with the Crows and Power – provided the highlight of Tuesday night’s ceremony with an emotional acceptance speech.
Pearce – who now works for Channel Seven in addition to coaching West Coast’s women’s side – won an AFLW premiership and became a three-time All Australian with the Melbourne Demons.
Fans voiced their shock at their induction as Pearce only retired from playing in 2022, with Phillips doing the same in 2023.
The AFL’s guidelineson the Hall of Fame state that ‘players are only eligible after they have been retired from the game for at least five years’.
However, an exception was made for AFLW players in June last year that makes them eligible after just one year in retirement.
Erin Phillips provided the highlight of Tuesday night’s Hall of Fame ceremony with an emotional speech focusing on her footy legend father Greg (pictured together) – but some fans believe she should have had to wait longer for her honour
Footy supporters couldn’t deny Daisy Pearce (pictured) is a giant of the women’s game – but had issues with the fact she was inducted after only retiring as a player in 2022
Some fans went online to slam the AFL when Phillips and Pearce’s inductions were made official.
‘I would never deny her impact on the women’s game, but hasn’t she been retired for 5 minutes? It took Gary Ablet Sr 8 years to be inducted, Erin less than 2 years? Over 1000 goals vs 50. 250 games vs 50 odd?’ one wrote.
‘Congrats to her on her induction. But didn’t she only retire last year & isn’t the criteria 5 years retired?’ another added, referring to Phillips.
‘Well I expect Dusty to be in next year and made a legend the year after if this is how quick it’s going to be inducted,’ wrote a third, referring to Richmond great Dustin Martin, who retired last season.
‘Someone correct me if I’m wrong but… aint the whole AFLW too early for hall of famers?’ another commenter said.
’66 games makes you a first ballot HOF’er? Have a look at the players from the 80s and 90s who have played 300+ games, multiple premierships and other accolades, and they will probably never get a guernsey,’ one fan said, referring to Phillips.
‘Let the league develop more… it started in 2017 and there’s already people getting into a HOF? Relax and bit and pull the hand brake up,’ another wrote.
Some reactions to Pearce’s honour questioned why she was being inducted given she is still employed in the game as Eagles coach, with comments like, ‘Genuine question, is an active head coach allowed to be inducted?’
Comments like this one summed up some fans’ feelings about the honour for Phillips
Other fans questioned whether Pearce and Phillips met the criteria for making the Hall of Fame – which they both did courtesy of a change to the rules in June last year
Pearce – who currently coaches the West Coast AFLW team – won a premiership with Melbourne and was named an All Australian three times
Phillips (pictured at Tuesday night’s Hall of Fame ceremony) is the most honoured player in women’s footy history
However, Simon Goodwin was inducted as a player in 2017, when he was coaching the Melbourne Demons, and Sam Mitchell was inducted in 2023 when he had already started coaching Hawthorn.
Phillips’ father Greg is a Port Adelaide legend and her words to him during her speech were a high point of the ceremony.
‘To Dad, I can’t imagine how hard it would have been to tell your 13-year-old daughter that she couldn’t play the game she loves anymore,’ she said, her voice breaking.
‘And 27 years later, she’s standing next to you in the Hall of Fame.’
In her speech, Phillips also thanked the ‘incredible women’ who made the AFLW possible and singled out trailblazer Debbie Lee.
‘You kicked down this door so others could walk through,’ she said. ‘I’m so proud to be by your side and I can’t wait to kick down more doors with you Deb.’
Pearce’s last AFLW game was the Melbourne 2022 grand final victory and she called it the best day of her life, even though her twin children Sylvie and Roy were in the room, hamming it up for the TV cameras.
‘It’s controversial to say this, as a mother … don’t get me wrong, they’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but on a technicality, the day itself is not that good,’ she said.
‘Give me grand final day every day of the week.’
Phillips was Adelaide’s inaugural captain and the first women’s best and fairest winner, playing in three Crows flags despite needing a knee reconstruction.
She then switched to Port Adelaide when they joined the league in 2022.
When the women’s league started in 2017, marquee players such as Pearce and Phillips were crucial for its profile and credibility.
Pearce returned from having the twins in 2019 to captain Melbourne to the flag.