RUTHERGLEN and North Albury centreman/ruck-rover John Smith has become the seventh Ovens and Murray hall-of-famer elevated to 'legend' status.
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Smith, 72, spent time at Rutherglen, North Albury, Myrtleford and Wodonga over his career - winning the Morris Medal in 1973 (twice runner-up) and a premiership at the Hoppers in 1980.
He was a multiple club best-and-fairest winner and played 316 games plus 33 interleague matches and was also a VCFL representative.
"I hold the Ovens and Murray very dearly to my heart - I spent a lot of time in the Ovens and Murray and hopefully achieved a reasonable amount," he said.
"It's a very humbling experience, one that I think I will reflect on later, but I am a very proud person (today)."
The league also announced the induction of Myrtleford netballer Anndrea Crisp Sullivan into the hall of fame.
Over 380 games, Crisp Sullivan has four A-Grade premierships, two club best and fairests, was part of the O&M Team of the Century, and was a runner-up in the Toni Wilson Medal.
She has also coached all three divisions of the club's netball teams and been involved in netball committees. Crisp Sullivan was unable to attend Thursday's announcement.
Smith, who grew up in the Mitta Valley, followed the late Frank Hodgkin from Myrtleford to Rutherglen after the former St Kilda player was appointed playing-coach there.
" I used to drive from Tallandoon to (Hodgkin's place in) Kiewa and we'd shoot across to Rutherglen every Tuesday and Thursday for three years," he said.
Smith said Hodgkin had been a great mentor.
"Growing up in Mitta, when my brother and I came home from school we'd grab the footy and go over the road into the paddock and kick until dark," he said.
"That was our upbringing, we loved footy.
"Frank would come to our home every Sunday and put two or three hours in every Sunday, going through footy drills. The big thing he really hammered was effort, if you don't give 100 per cent he didn't want to know you."
Smith admitted playing in the 1970s and 80s was "rugged" compared to these days.
"If you didn't stand your ground you were gone," he said.
"If you got in the car at the end of the day unscathed you'd done pretty well," he said of visiting some clubs.
Although he said he was on both ends of affray.
"I might have let my energy get the better of me at times," he said.
He said he thought the players of yesteryear could adapt to the modern O&M.
"I think you'd adapt. Your fitness would have to increase, because it's a running game now. I think it would probably be more enjoyable to play today than what it was back in my day (because of the biff)."
Smith said the Wangaratta Rovers' dominance of the era inspired him.
"They were so dominant, if you didn't try to improve and reach that standard you were kidding yourself," he said.
"I take my hat off to Wangaratta Rovers - they were well trained, disciplined, had minimal turnover of players, they were a dominant side.
"People talk about Yarrawonga and Albury's domination (these days), it's up to the other clubs to try and reach that standard. They (Rovers) were a motivating factor for me."
Smith, who now resides just out of Nagambie, and whose children are all accomplished sportspeople, with son Joel the most successful with two All-Australian guernseys after a career at St Kilda and Hawthorn, said he had a lot of admiration for the O&M's other legends.
"What Robbie Walker achieved was extraordinary, I don't think we'll see that again," he said.
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"Neville (Hogan) his record goes without talking too much. Martin Cross was the smiling assassin. A beautiful man.
"Stan (Sargeant) was a marvel. When I was a kid I used to watch Jimmy Sandral and Frank (Hodgkin) battle twice a year, that was special."
The O&M's official induction will happen on July 29, with Crisp Sullivan and Smith to join fellow hall-of-fame 2023 inductees Wangaratta Rovers' Anthony Pasquali, Benalla's Richie 'Tank' Castles, North Albury's Dan Leslie and Albury's Matt Fowler.
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