Two iconic Premiership heroes, an inaugural AFLW Captain, the Club’s founding Board, a history-making staff member and a dual Club Champion are the latest additions to the Adelaide Football Club’s Hall of Fame.
Six new inductees were celebrated at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, starting with the Interim Board, which in late 1990 was assigned the enormous task of building a new AFL club ready to play in three months.
The other new inductees were Darren Jarman, Shaun Rehn, Erin Phillips, Barrie Downs and Scott Thompson.
Phillips becomes the first woman to be inducted in the Club’s Hall of Fame, which was established in 2015.
She has been recognised for a decorated AFLW career that included three Premierships, three All-Australian selections, two AFLW Best and Fairest awards and two Club Champions.
Speaking at the black-tie event, Crows Chairman John Olsen described the Hall of Fame as a place for only those whose impact had been profound
“A Hall of Fame is much more than talent alone,” Olsen said.
“It’s not just games played, goals kicked, or medals won. As significant as those things are, a Hall of Fame tells a deeper story.
“It speaks to impact. It speaks to influence and perhaps most importantly, it speaks to legacy.
“In many ways, what these people achieved and created, continues to shape who we are today.”
There are now 18 inductees honoured in Adelaide’s Hall of Fame.
Two-time Premiership coach Malcolm Blight, players Andrew McLeod, Simon Goodwin, Tony Modra, Ben Hart and Mark Ricciuto, and founding administrators Bob Hammond and Bill Sanders were the first inductees.
Six years later they were joined by Chris McDermott, Premiership Captain Mark Bickley, 300-gamer Tyson Edwards and three-time All-Australian Nigel Smart.
The 2026 Hall of Fame panel, chaired by Board director Imelda Lynch, included inaugural captain McDermott, CEO Tim Silvers, Life Members Phil Harper and John Reid, Club Historian David Burtenshaw and sports broadcasting legend Bruce McAvaney.
2026 Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame inductees
The Interim Board
The Adelaide Football Club’s Interim Board laid the foundation for South Australia’s first AFL team. In just 128 days, chairman Max Basheer, Bob Lee, Adrian Sutter, Rick Allert, Ed Betro, Leigh Whicker and Bob Hammond built a new club from nothing.
They appointed the coach and staff, selected players, signed major sponsors, established facilities and created the identity that launched the Crows into the 1991 season. Their work set the course for the club’s future success, on and off the field.
Barrie Downs
A foundation staff member, Barrie Downs helped shape the Adelaide Football Club.
As the Club’s first team manager, he worked at more than 530 consecutive AFL games while serving in football administration roles for 27 years.
Renowned for his meticulous standards and unwavering commitment, Downs received the AFL’s Jack Titus Award for outstanding service in 2013.
Scott Thompson
Two-time Club Champion Scott Thompson was one of the AFL’s most consistent and durable midfielders. He won consecutive Malcolm Blight Medals in 2011-12 after being runner-up in 2010, was an All‑Australian in 2012 and 300‑game player.
He finished top ten in the Club Champion count ten times. Thompson retired holding Club records for disposals, tackles, clearances, contested possessions and Brownlow Medal votes.
Shaun Rehn
Three knee reconstructions did not prevent Shaun Rehn from being one of the AFL’s most influential ruckmen of his era.
The dual Premiership player, twice All‑Australian and 1994 Club Champion was a dominant force for the Crows in both the 1997 and 1998 finals series. His courage and resilience made him a leading figure behind Adelaide’s success.
Erin Phillips
Basketball champion Erin Phillips returned home from the United States to play football and became the AFLW’s first superstar.
She excelled with the Crows from the start of the inaugural 2017 season and was a dual AFLW Best and Fairest, two-time Club Champion, dual Grand Final best‑on‑ground, three‑time Premiership player and three‑time All‑Australian.
Darren Jarman
The AFL’s biggest stage – Grand Final day at the MCG – elevated Darren Jarman into Crows folklore. His extraordinary five final‑quarter goals in the 1997 Grand Final (for a total of six) and five goals in 1998 helped deliver back‑to‑back Premierships for Adelaide.
An All‑Australian in his first season with the Crows in 1996 after joining older brother Andrew at the Club, he was runner-up in the 1997 Club Champion award and a three-time leading goalkicker.
