The Swannies launch our Hall of Fame (medal for illustrative purposes only).
The day after the Indochina Cup in Hanoi a fortnight ago on 11 November 2012, the Vietnam Swans held a function for our 2012 National Awards. In addition, there was a surprise for all but four members of the National Committee comprising the National President, Hanoi & Saigon Presidents and the National Treasurer. The National Committee decided that the timing was right to launch the Vietnam Swans’ Hall of Fame.
Despite the Club having been in existence for nine years, just three very worthy Swannies were inducted: Mick Francis, Dave Kainey and Scott Stacey. The National Committee believed it was far better to deliberately under represent than over represent the Hall of Fame at this stage.
Members of the Swannies, at various stages, have often remarked that we needed to set up a Hall of Fame – but until now, we have never “got around to it”.
With two club stalwarts, Scotty Stacey and Dave Kainey set to return to Hanoi for the 2012 Indochina Cup and the Annual Awards the following day, Saigon President, Nick Shiells proposed that we should seize the day and use their return as a trigger to launch the Swannies’ Hall of Fame.
It was decided that, initially, we needed to under represent the Hall of Fame because, quite simply, we have not established the all important and critical, selection criteria. To be admitted into the Swannies’ Hall of Fame is to bestow the highest honour that the Swans can on an individual.
National annual awards recognise excellent performance and contributions over a 12 month period. For inductees of a Hall of Fame, inductees must have made regular, consistent and outstanding contributions over an extended period of time. But how do we measure that?
For the Sydney Swans, the key criterion for membership to its Hall of Fame is that inductees must have had a “profoundly positive influence on our Club”. Further, to be eligible for selection, the Sydney Swans state that:
- An individual must have been retired for at least two seasons
- It is not purely a simple formulaic exercise
- It is not purely about statistics
- It’s also as much about character, passion, leadership, courage and a host of other personal traits that invariably separate the great players and contributors from the rest
“The Selection Committee has to weigh a range of factors up in its deliberations.
“For instance, such things as the importance of one player’s longevity and durability compared with another player’s brilliance over a much shorter period of time has to be considered. As does how much emphasis should be applied to a player who is part of a successful era, compared with an outstanding player who played in a period of far less on-field success by the team.
“In the end while it is a subjective exercise we are confident that no individual worthy of inclusion will be overlooked.”
As well as needing to decide the Vietnam Swans’ selection criteria, we didn’t have enough time to assemble the right props, symbols and ceremony befitting such an occasion where we honour our Club’s most important. This year, all we had was a symbolic club t shirt to offer Dave, Scott and Mick!
This year was about starting a new, proud, tradition. Next year, will be about adding the class and dignity commensurate with the occasion.
But why kick off with Dave, Scott and Mick? Well, there wouldn’t be much point having a Hall of Fame if it didn’t include those three. And that’s not a bad starting point for the Vietnam Swans Hall of Fame. (More detail to follow on the three inductees.)
