Football Australia is pleased to announce that four legends of Australian football were inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame at the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifier in Melbourne on Thursday.
Commonwealth Bank Matildas greats Kate Gill and Heather Garriock, Socceroos legend Mark Schwarzer, and Joseph (Joe) Huxley Honeysett, a name synonymous with the establishment of football in Tasmania, were inducted into the esteemed listed of Australian football contributors.
Gill, Garriock, Schwarzer, and Huxley Honeysett were nominated to be inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame via a public process, with the nominees then considered by a panel of Australian football historians.
The panel of historians provided their recommendations to the Football Australia Board, with Football Australia's Directors subsequently ratifying each person's elevation into the Football Australia Hall of Fame.
Football Australia Chair, Mr Chris Nikou, said it was an honour to induct Heather Garriock, Kate Gill, Mark Schwarzer, and Joseph Huxley Honeysett into the Football Australia Hall of Fame at the match.
"The Football Australia Hall of Fame celebrates legends, and the people behind the legends, in our game," Mr Nikou said.
Through their respective inductions into the Football Australia Hall of Fame, Kate, Heather, Mark, and Joe will forever be recognised as greats of Australian football - people that on and off the pitch showed their class and toiled for the sport to reach new heights."
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, Mr James Johnson, said the Football Australia Hall of Fame, which was launched in 1999 when the first inductions were made, is a list of great Australian football people.
"The Football Australia Hall of Fame features many icons of our sport - people that have represented Australia with aplomb domestically and internationally, have fought for the advancement of our sport, and have laid the foundations for future generations to grow the world game on Australian soil," Johnson said.
We warmly congratulate Joe, Mark, Heather, and Kate on their respective inductions - all are worthy of their position amongst the game's greats, and I hope Mark, Heather, and Kate take great pride in their acknowledgement. Equally, I trust that Joe, who is being acknowledged posthumously, would have been thrilled to be inducted. The Huxley Honeysett name is now forever inscribed in Australian football's history."
The inductions of Gill, Garriock, Schwarzer, and Huxley Honeysett mark the first additions to the Football Australia Hall of Fame since Harry Kewell, Leigh Wardell, Branko Culina, and Sir Frank Lowy were inducted in 2019.
Despite their induction occurring in 2022, the quartet enter the Hall of Fame as 2021 inductees.
Another process will be held throughout 2022, as Football Australia seeks to recognise more people that have made an immense contribution to the Australian game.
FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA 2021 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
MARK SCHWARZER
Mark Schwarzer is one of the most decorated players in Socceroos history, and one of the stars of Australia's 'Golden Generation' that qualified for the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006™. It was Schwarzer's two saves in the penalty shoot-out that helped Australia defeat Uruguay and reach the FIFA World Cup Finals after a 32-year drought.
The goalkeeper is the Socceroos' most-capped player, making 109 appearances for his national team between his debut in 1993 to his international retirement 20 years later.
Schwarzer was born and raised in Sydney, New South Wales and made his professional debut with National Soccer League club Marconi Stallions in 1990. Across his playing career, Schwarzer donned the jerseys of Dynamo Dresden & FC Kaiserslautern in Germany, and Bradford City, Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea & Leicester City in England.
He made over 500 appearances in England's Premier League and was part of title-winning squads at Chelsea (2014/15) and Leicester City (2015/16).
After making his international debut in 1993 in a FIFA World Cup Play-Off against Canada, starring in a penalty shoot-out win, Schwarzer went on to become the Socceroos' longest-serving player, playing at two FIFA World Cups (2006 & 2010) and winning the OFC Nations Cup in 2004, and still holds the record for most clean sheets (44) in Socceroos history.
Post his playing career, Schwarzer has forged a path in the football media industry, working for Optus Sport covering the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, Premier League and more.
KATE GILL
New Zealand-born and Newcastle-raised striker Kate Gill first represented Australia as a member of Australia's U-20 Women's National Team (Young Matildas) squad for the 2002 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Two years later Gill earned her first senior cap for the Matildas in 2004 debuting against New Zealand.
A technical striker, Gill added an extra dimension to Australia's attack with her adept aerial presence. Settling into the squad, she represented Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup™in 2007 and the 2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup. In that timeframe she became a reliable goalscorer including a remarkable run of goals in the Beijing 2008 Olympics Qualifying games, where she scored five goals against both Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In 2010, Gill created history as the first Australian to be awarded the AFC Women's Player of the Year off the back of her assisting the Matildas in claiming the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time. She would also go on to represent Australia at the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup helping the nation to silver and in that same tournament she surpassed Cheryl Salisbury to be the highest goalscorer at that time. Gill would go on to record 41 goals for the Matildas and currently sits third on the all-time goalscorers list for the women's national team.
In club football, Gill is also a two-time W-League (A-League Women's) Golden Boot with Perth Glory, and also represented the likes of Newcastle Jets and three different clubs in Sweden - Sunnana SK, LbD Malmo, and Linkopings - between 2009 and 2011.
Selected in the national team for 12 years, including as captain, Gill is as much of a leader off the pitch, serving as a long-serving member of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Matildas Committee. Always a committed advocate for women's sport, Gill became the first woman to be appointed to the PFA Executive Committee and the first female CEO (jointly held). In her roles she has championed the push to collectively organise for better remuneration and conditions for female footballers as well as being a strong role model and mentor for those transitioning to life after football.
HEATHER GARRIOCK
Heather Garriock is one of the highest appearance holders for the Matildas, amassing 130 caps for Australia between 1999-2011. The former midfielder won an AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2010, as well as the 2003 OFC Women's Championship. She also featured in three FIFA Women's World Cups (2003,2007 and 2011), scoring in both 2003 and 2007, and represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Sydney born and raised, Garriock played top-tier club football in Australia, Europe, and America. She won six domestic trophies in Australia, Denmark, and Sweden, and received the highest individual honour for a women's footballer in Australia by taking out the Julie Dolan Medal in 2003. Two of the Championships won were W-League (A-League Women's) titles with Sydney FC, as well as a National Women's Soccer League title with the NSW Sapphires.
Off the field, Garriock has been a major advocate for women's football, including fighting for players to have maternity support.
Garriock has also served as a coach in the National Premier Leagues, winning multiple titles with Sydney University. She has also coached Canberra United in the W-League (A-League Women's), and was an assistant coach for the Matildas. She has pushed for great recognition of coaching through her role as Vice President of Football Coaches Australia.
Her media work includes broadcasting with Optus for the Men's European Championships, Men's UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cups. She has commentated on the ABC and Fox Sports for the W-League and Matildas.
JOSEPH (JOE) HUXLEY HONEYSETT
The Honeysett family is synonymous the establishment of football in Tasmania, with J.J.B. Honeysett inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. But the member of the Honeysett family who arguably had the largest impact on football in Australia is his son, Joseph (Joe) Huxley Honeysett. Joe played a significant role in the establishment of two Member Federations of Football Australia, those in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
Born in London before moving to Australia, Joe became a committee member of the Tasmania British Football Association (Now Football Tasmania) at only 20 years old in 1910.
Prior to World War One, Joe played as a centre forward in many significant games including the first matches for South Hobart FC, Southern Tasmania, and Tasmania (scoring a goal against NSW in this match). In the second ever Intrastate match in 1912, Joe scored seven (7) goals for Southern Tasmania against Northern Tasmania, a record that still stands today despite over 70 intrastate games since.
With the outbreak of WWI, Joe joined the Australian Army in 1916, earning numerous military honours including a Military Cross for his daring attempted escapes from German prisoner of war camps. Returning from military service, Joe continued to advance the cause of Tasmanian football both on and off the field, including captaining Tasmania to a famous victory over a touring Chinese side in 1923; Tasmania's first ever victory over international opposition.
After moving to Canberra in 1925 to pursue work opportunities, Joe convened the inaugural meeting of the Federal Territory Soccer Football Association (now Capital Football) and acted in numerous roles throughout the 1920s including secretary, referee, player and manager.
