For all his games at the MCG, AFL great Tony Lockett had never been inside the National Sports Museum but has become a part of it with his induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Now 51, Lockett is the first AFL footballer since Alex Jesaulenko in 2010, and the 24th player across 121 years of Australian Rules Football history, to be inducted.
Before the formal award ceremony on Thursday night in Melbourne, Lockett and seven other inductees including pole-vaulter Steve Hooker and Paralympic basketball great Troy Sachs were presented with pins by swimming legend Dawn Fraser at the National Sports Museum at the MCG. They also have plaques signifying the achievement.
Lockett, who won the Brownlow Medal in 1987, and the Coleman Medal four times as the league's highest goalkicker, said the Hall of Fame gong was easily comparable.
"It's an incredible honour - it's hard to believe and I'm thrilled," Lockett said.
"All the awards I've won are great but this one is quite incredible so I'm very honoured and very humbled."
Lockett retired in 2002 after 281 games at St Kilda and Sydney but returned to football this year as a forward and goalkicking coach with the Swans.
After such a long absence, the father of four said he had enjoyed the season, working alongside Lance Franklin, who is a chance to go past Lockett's goalkicking record of 1360.
"Buddy's quite an incredible footballer and it's been really good watching him this year. I've got a great thrill out of it," Lockett said.
"All the boys have been great; it's been great to be back and be involved again."
