Barry Hall and Craig Bolton inducted into Swans' Hall of Fame
After leaving Swans in disgrace, Barry Hall enters club Hall of Fame
BARRY Hall's redemption at the club that made him a star, and then showed him the door, came full circle on Friday night when he was inducted into the Sydney Swans' Hall of Fame.
Hall enjoyed great success and adoration during his seven-and-a-half years with the Swans, becoming an All Australian, a club champion and the man to hold aloft the 2005 premiership cup.
But he would leave in acrimonious circumstances less than four years later, having committed one more on-field indiscretion than the club, and particularly then-coach Paul Roos, could handle.
He would later rub a little salt into the wound when he joined the Western Bulldogs and stated towards the end of that two-year stint he would like to be remembered as a Bulldog, rather than a Swan.
All was forgiven on Friday night, however, when the 37-year-old was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in front of more than 700 people at its annual guernsey presentation night in Sydney.
Hall and 2005 premiership-winning teammate Craig Bolton were Friday night's inductees, putting their names alongside the likes of Tony Lockett, Bob Skilton, Paul Kelly and Hall's old sparring partner Roos.
Shifting to the Swans from St Kilda in 2002, Hall made 162 appearances for the cluband sits third on its all-time goalkicking list with 467 majors, behind only fellow Hall of Famers Bob Pratt and Michael O'Loughlin.
"I'm a little bit emotional at the moment and I'm rapt to be here," Hall, who only found out about the honour during the function, said on stage after receiving a standing ovation.
"I was a little bit taken back when I heard … and what a great surprise.
"It's great to be back (at the Swans). There's a lot of stuff I did that I regret at this football club, but there's also a lot of stuff that I'm very proud of.
"I just hope, well this does confirm in my mind, that the good stuff I did outweighs the bad.
"Keep growing the culture, it's strong, keep building on it and it'll be a very successful club in the future – and I'll be here."
It was fitting for Hall and Bolton to be inducted alongside each other, key-position players who proved so pivotal to that 2005 flag, which ended a record 72-year premiership drought.
Barry Hall on Grand Final day in 2005 with the Swans' drought-breaking cup. Picture: AFL Media
Bolton played 29 games over three years with the Brisbane Lions before heading to Sydney ahead of the 2003 season.
A two-time All Australian during his time with the club, he would make 170 appearances for the Swans until injury ended his career in 2010.
A highly respected defender, Bolton replaced Hall as one of the Swans' co-captains in 2008, holding the post until his retirement.
"This is an accolade I never would've dreamed of," Bolton said. "To be recognised among these people is incredible."
The Swans also added some more historical elements to its Heritage List, a tribute that already includes its red and white jumper, the SCG and Leo Barry's famous match-saving mark in the 2005 Grand Final.
The club's 1933 South Melbourne premiership guernsey, Swans players lost at war, plus the 1987 side that kicked 30 goals in three consecutive games were all added to the List.
Nine new Swans were also officially handed their first Swans guernsey by club greats Gerard Healy and Paul Kelly, headlined by Lance Franklin.
Aliir Aliir, Tom Derickx, George Hewett, Zak Jones, Jeremy Laidler, Patrick Mitchell, Toby Nankervis and Lloyd Perris completed the new faces joining the club ahead of the 2014 campaign.
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