HOF or not? Cornes and King’s potential Hall of Famers

Would the below group of players make the Australian Football Hall of Fame once their careers are done?

Kane Cornes, David King and Tom Morris will discuss several players on SEN Fireball’s ‘HOF Or Not’ segment.

See below whether or not they’ll be HOFers in future years in the eyes of the Fireball boys.

Robbie Gray

Cornes: “271 games, 367 goals, he is a three-time best and fairest winner, a two-time leading goalkicker, a four-time All-Australian, a Coaches Association Award winner. He won five Showdown medals.

“Robbie Gray, HOF or not?”

Morris: “I think so.”

Cornes: “You think so? What do you mean you think so? Get out!”

King: “He is a lock for me.”

Cornes: “That was a trick question, get out Tom. He is a lock.”

Luke Breust

Cornes: “He played in 308 games, he kicked 553 goals if you don't mind. He is a three-time premiership player, he is a dual All-Australian. He hasn't won a best and fairest but he has won the goalkicking at his club five times.

“Luke Breust, HOF or not?”

King: “How many All-Australians?”

Cornes: “Two All-Australians, no best and fairests.”

King: “No best and fairests. I think you're in trouble.”

Morris: “You can't hold that against him I reckon.”

King: “I think you're in trouble with no best and fairests.”

Cornes: “550 goals as a small forward is rare air.”

Morris: “I think that's in 30 years. I think he is a 30-year yes. Eventually.”

Cornes: “I think he is an 18-year.”

Tony Modra

Cornes: “199 games, 700 goals. Two-time All-Australian, Coleman Medal, five-time leading goalkicker at his club, one time leading goalkicker at his other club. Three-time AFL Mark of the Year winner.

“Tony Modra, HOF or not?”

Morris: “I'm surprised he is not. Yes. Yes!”

Cornes: “Has to be! I know we're kicking with the breeze at the moment because everyone is behind Mods and everyone loves Mods. But, if you have a speckie named after you in the schoolyard, you have to be,

“700 goals is a big number in 199 games.”

King: “That's less than Saverio Rocca. 748.”

Cornes: “Sav makes a good case as well. More games he would have played, Sav.”

King: “I think he gets in eventually, but after Sav.”

Brendon Goddard

Cornes: “334 games, 160 goals, 18 finals, two-time All-Australian, one best and fairest, was a captain of a club at one point.

“Brendon Goddard, HOF or not?”

King: “I’d say no, because I hadn’t thought of him as a hall of famer.”

Morris: “No, not quite.”

Callan Ward

Cornes: “327 games, 163 goals, 20 finals and probably the second greatest player of his club. He was a captain, a co-captain for seven years. He was a best and fairest winner and a most courageous award winner.

“Callan Ward, HOF or not?”

Morris: “That is a great one.”

King: “I think that they are going to have to respect the GWS Giants in the hall of fame at some stage, so I would say yes. There’s a club part to this.”

Morris: “I’m saying no.”

Zach Merrett

Cornes: “261 games, 92 goals. He has played in four losing finals, no winning finals, this player. He is a three-time All-Australian. He is a six-time best and fairest winner.

“Zach Merrett, HOF or not?”

King: “I'm going to say no.”

Morris: “Not yet.”

Cornes: “Six-time best and fairest winner? Three-time All Australian?”

Morris: “Might be seven at the end of the year. I think no winning finals really hurts him.”

Cornes: “You're very big on the premierships. You're heavily weighted to the premierships.”

Morris: “Isaac Smith without the Norm is probably no. Zach Merrett with winning finals is probably a yes.”

Isaac Smith

Cornes: “280 games. Four premierships and a Norm Smith Medal. No All-Australians, no best and fairests.

“Isaac Smith, HOF or not?”

Morris: “I think the Norm Smith gives him a yes.”

Cornes: “Geez, you're generous this morning.”

Morris: “I think eventually, yes. Eventually.”

King: “I'd be saying no. It's a line-baller. For me, it's a no at this stage.”

Jordan Dawson

Cornes: “161 games, so still some time left in his career. He is a captain of a club, he is a dual All-Australian, he is a three-time best and fairest winner and he has been voted an AFLPA Best Captain.

“Jordan Dawson, HOF or not?”

Morris: “Not yet.”

Cornes: “Still could get there? It's a pretty good record.”

King: “I reckon there would be a lot of that qualification on the outside looking in.”

Cyril Rioli

Cornes: “189 games, 275 goals, four premierships, a Norm Smith Medal, a three-time All-Australian and a Goal of the Year winner.

“Cyril Rioli, HOF or not?”

King: “Say no more. Yes. Lock.”

Cornes: “Automatic. Straight up. Straight in.

“When did he retire? Five years, I don't know if he has been a straight in automatic.”

King: “He should have been.”

Morris: “There was a great intake that year. Yes from me.”

Cornes: “Yes from me.”

Jordan Lewis

Cornes: “319 games, four AFL premierships, an All-Australian once, a best and fairest once.

“HOF or not, Jordan Lewis?”

Tom Morris: “Yes.”

Cornes: “You can't just say yes to everyone! I've had correspondence from the AFL that says we are far too soft on this!”

Morris: “Can I tell you why? I think best and fairest in a premiership year as part of a dynasty and four flags, and that many games warrants Hall of Fame.”

King: “A lock for me.”

Ollie Wines

Cornes: “279 games, he was a Port Adelaide captain, he was a Brownlow Medallist in 2021, an All-Australian in the same year and won the club best and fairest.

“HOF or not, Ollie Wines?”

King: “Not for me. Brownlow Medallist, wonderful career, but not Hall of Fame level for me.”

Cornes: “I thought the same. Borderline maybe, and perhaps long, long down the line. Some players wait years and years to get in.”

Christian Petracca

Cornes: “219 games, 215 goals, premiership player in 2021, Norm Smith Medal in that game, four-time All-Australian, a dual best and fairest at the Demons and he was the leading goal kicker in 2019.

“Christian Petracca, HOF or not?”

King: “He’s a yes. He’s shifted a football club. Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn and Petracca, those three will all get in at some stage.”

Cornes: “He’s a yes for me.”

Josh Dunkley

Cornes: “202 games, Brisbane Lions co-captain, he’s a three-time premiership player in 2016, 2024 and 2025, he won a best and fairest at the Dogs, he won a best and fairest in a premiership year at the Lions, he’s a most courageous player award winner as well.

“Josh Dunkley, HOF or not?”

King: “He’s along the Anthony Stevens line, so I’m a yes for Dunkley.

“His game tally is a bit lower than the other guys but he’s a yes for me.”

Cornes: “His record is building to Hall of Fame levels. I would reassess Dunkley at the end of his career.

“If there’s another premiership, plus 50 or so more games, it’s going to be hard to ignore.”

Tom Lynch

Cornes: “241 games, 495 goals, a dual premiership player in 2019 and 2020, an All-Australian only once, he’s a dual Gold Coast club champion, once at Richmond, he’s a two-time Richmond leading goal kicker and he’s a four-time Suns leading goal kicker and was Gold Coast captain.

“Tom Lynch, HOF or not?”

King: “That’s a tough one. This is your best one. This is terrific, I’m a bit stumped here.

“I want to say yes but I said no to Tex Walker (last week). He’s right on the edge for me.

“I’m going to say yes. I think being at the Gold Coast can be hard work starting at a start-up club. I’m giving him a bit of grace for that, a bit of Gold Coast tax.”

Cones: “He’s a yes for me. He’s not an automatic inductee but 10-12 years down the line I think he gets there.”

Tom Stewart

Cornes: “Played game 200 on the weekend, a premiership player in 2022, a five-time All-Australian and he’s a dual best and fairest.

“Tom Stewart from the Cats, a late starter, HOF or not?”

King: “He’s an absolute yes for me. Two of my favourite ever players to watch have both worn No.44 for the Cats.

“I think he’s automatic. I love this guy. I think he gets unders with what we’s done.

“No one has created more scores from his intercepts in the code than this guy.”