AFL legend Jason Dunstall and netball great Laura Geitz headline Hall of Fame inductees
She was a first-year high school student in country Queensland, just trying to fit in and wishing her 190cm frame did not make her stand out so much.
At 20, Jason Dunstall was enjoying an outstanding debut senior season at local Brisbane club Coorparoo.
Dunstall had tried rugby union and soccer at school, but settled on Australian Rules as he tried to work out what his degree focus should be at university.
Then Geitz discovered netball and Hawthorn coach Allan Jeans discovered Dunstall. And the rest is glorious history.
On Friday, Geitz and Dunstall joined veteran sports physician Dr Peter Harcourt at the MCG to be confirmed among this year's Sport Australia Hall Of Fame inductees.
Winter Olympics gold medallist Torah Bright, former tennis world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt and Australia's most-capped soccer international Mark Schwarzer are overseas. Rugby league great Cameron Smith could not attend because of illness.
As Hall Of Fame chair John Bertrand presented her medal, Geitz marvelled at the sliding doors moment when she discovered the sport where she became an all-time great.
'I was particularly shy and uncertain of myself. I was about the same height as I am now ... so that made life really easy in the first year of high school,' Geitz said ruefully.
'I suppose that very first experience of that game was what netball gave me for my entire career, and that was somewhere ... that made me feel very comfortable.
'My height was to my advantage and I just fell in love with the game.'
Geitz immediately saw the future - but her Mum needed some convincing.
'I came home and told my Mum that I was going to play for Quensland and Australia,' she said.
'She was pretty humble and said 'maybe we should set some other goals' - so I always remind her of her lack of support in those early days.'
Dunstall's honour comes a year after he was elevated to legend status in the Australian football Hall Of Fame.
He is one of only six VFL/AFL players to kick more than 1000 goals and a towering figure in Hawthorn history - not just for his playing exploits, but also as a key official when they appointed Alastair Clarkson as coach.
Now a prominent AFL commentator, he chuckled when asked about the 'festival of Dunstall' with the two hall of fame honours.
'It's been a big couple of years - I'm as surprised as anyone,' he told AAP.
Of this latest honour, Dunstall said: 'it's very humbling - my first thought is we just play a domestic sport, footy, and we have fun doing it.
'To be recognised amongst a group of incredible sporting people ... who have competed on the international stage and achieved great things for Australia, kind-of puts it into a little bit of perspective.'
This is the 40th anniversary of the Sport Australia Hall Of Fame. The induction dinner will be held on November 17, with two legends also to be honoured.
2025 SPORT AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Torah Bright - snowboarder, most successful Australian women's winter Olympian with one gold and one silver across three Games.
Jason Dunstall - 1254 goals, four-time premiership player, Australian Football Hall Of Fame legend.
Laura Geitz - Australian netball captain. Two-time World Cup champion, Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
Dr Peter Harcourt - more than four decades in medicine across a wide range of sports and organisations.
Lleyton Hewitt - world No.1 tennis player, two-time grand slam champion.
Mark Schwarzer - goalkeeper, most-capped Socceroo with 109, including two World Cups. Only non-Briton to make more than 500 English Premier League appearances.
Cameron Smith- three-time Melbourne Storm premiership player. Only NRL player to reach 400 games. All-time record points scorer with 2786.
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