AFLW great Erin Phillips was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, joining her father Greg in the esteemed group.
Phillips, a three-time Adelaide premiership player and two-time league best and fairest winner, joined Daisy Pearce to become the first AFLW players to be inducted, joining Debbie Lee as the female inductees.
Greg played 86 games for Collingwood over a four year period but made a name for himself for Port Adelaide’s SANFL team between 1976 and 1993, also representing South Australia 20 times.
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The former SA player was in attendance and could not hide his emotion when Phillips addressed her mother and father in her acceptance speech.
“To my mum and dad, I couldn’t have asked for better parents to let me be who I wanted to be … Mum, you don’t really ever get much credit … I thank you and love you so much,” Phillips said.
“To Dad… I can’t imagine how hard it would’ve been to tell your 13-year-old daughter that she couldn’t play the game that she loves anymore. And 27 years later, she’s standing next to you in the Hall of Fame.
Erin Phillips and father Greg at last night’s induction. FOX Sports
“Thank you for teaching me a game that I loved, and even though you knew it wasn’t going to take me anywhere at the time, you still taught me anyway.”
Phillips reflected on her journey as a woman in the game during her speech, recounting her experiences on the field.
“I tried to fit in (with the boys playing), cut my hair short (and) had a really good ‘mushroom’ haircut as a young kid. (I) got mistaken for a boy constantly,” Phillips said.
“I remember a game actually, I ran out to centre-half forward, stood next to my opponent. I could see him scanning the field looking for something, and then he turns to me and goes: ‘I heard you have a girl on this team, and I heard she’s pretty good’.
“I looked at him, and I go: ‘Yeah, you’re standing next to her!’… I gave him a hiding that game.
“I never wanted to be a boy, I just wanted the opportunities that boys had — and that was footy. That was all I ever wanted.”
Phillips thanked her wife Tracy Gahan but also had kind words for Lee, who was inducted in 2021.
“Debbie, you kicked down this door so others could walk through,” she added.
“(You’re the) first female member of the Hall of Fame (and) I’m so proud to be by your side, and I can’t wait to kick more doors down with you Deb.”
Other inductees included St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt, four-time Hawthorn premiership player Luke Hodge, former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon and South Adelaide ruckman Peter Darley.
South Australia’s Ken Farmer was elevated to legend status while John Leedham and George Owens were the historical inductees for 2025.
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