FITZROY icon Kevin Murray says his elevation to Legend status at Thursday night's Australian Football Hall of Fame ceremony means more than the Brownlow Medal he won in 1969.

Murray, a nine-time best and fairest winner at the Lions, achieved so much during his 333-game career but with those days long gone was moved by his latest recognition from the League.

"This award tonight is probably more important than a Brownlow because the Brownlow is an individual thing," Murray said.

"But what I've earned tonight has come from my efforts in a team and that's the secret of football … to play a team game and to be honoured in a team way.

"In 1993 the greatest thing that's happened to me was Fitzroy made me captain of their Team of the Century. That was a marvellous feeling as it is tonight."

Murray took the opportunity to pay tribute to his departed father, who also played for the Roys, and spoke of his pride at his family's involvement with the club.

"It was a very proud moment [when I made my debut] because my dad played in the last premiership at Fitzroy in 1944," he said.

"He was very good to us kids even though we were very poor in our young days. Dad always took us camping to Apollo Bay or Port Fairy or we'd be down the river catching eels in the Yarra. We just had a marvellous time in our young days.

"To be able to play with Fitzroy, and I was there 20 years … and to have my brother Ronny, who has passed away and my brother Danny to play with Fitzroy was just an amazing time for us all."

Bob Skilton and Allen Aylett were among the leading football identities to welcome Murray to the stage and he highlighted the bond they shared despite playing for opposing teams.

"To hear Bobby Skilton and Allen Aylett talk, it was just an amazing feeling because we had some special times together playing against each other when Allen played with North Melbourne and Bobby played with South Melbourne," he said.

"When we played for Victoria we had that association, which was pretty good in those days because you mixed with opposition teams, you mixed with umpires, you mixed with the journalists and you mixed with the trainers. You got to know each other very well."

Murray is the only player to have captained both Western Australia and Victoria in state of origin. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.