Tonight at a star-studded joint event with the 1993 Premiership Reunion, Essendon will honour four champions of the club by inducting them into the Hall of Fame. Learn more about each of the legendary inductees below.

HAROLD LAMBERT

Played: 1940-51 Games: 99

Harold Lambert was a superb midfielder before the war, but from 1942 to 1945 he served in the army in Papua New Guinea and throughout the Pacific and was unable to take the field for the Bombers.

Upon his return he went to the half-back flank where he continued to dominate his opposition. Lambert was rarely beaten and was a fierce, but fair, competitor. He was a well-built, strong and fearless player who let opponents know he was about, but was never reported throughout his glittering career.

He starred for the Bombers in three premierships, mixing his work in the backline with stints in the midfield as a crucial part of the line-up in what was arguably Essendon’s greatest era.

Lambert is regarded as perhaps the best half-back flanker of his era as he starred alongside fellow legends Dick Reynolds, Bill Hutchison and John Coleman. Among his 99 career games are 21 finals, leaving him in third place behind Reynolds and Hutchison for the most finals appearances by any Bomber.

While it is easy to wonder what the world might have missed from Lambert in his years away from the game, he certainly made the most of his career and was honoured as the club’s 25^th Champion of Essendon. He will also forever sit on the half-back flank in Essendon’s Team of the Century.

Accolades:

Premierships – 1946, 1949, 1950

Finals – 21

Best first-year player – 1940

Most serviceable player – 1946

Best utility player – 1948

Most consistent player – 1949

Team of the Century

Champion of Essendon 

NEALE DANIHER

Played: 1979-1990 Games: 82

Few players have had a more immediate positive impact at Essendon than Neale Daniher. The club was certainly familiar with his family upon his arrival through older brother Terry, and wasn’t disappointed as he burst onto the scene to make a name for himself. In his first three years Daniher barely missed a match, taking home prize after prize.

In those seasons he won the Bombers’ best first-year player award, VFL recruit of the year, the 1981 Best and Fairest and represented Victoria in 1980 and 1981 when he also was a member of the club’s night premiership. His versatility, class and athleticism shone through as some of his best assets on the field.

After 66 consecutive games for Essendon, Daniher was appointed by legendary coach Kevin Sheedy as the club’s youngest captain in 1982, but devastating injuries prevented him from taking the field until round nine in 1985. It was a cruel blow for a young gun entering the prime of his career, but it wasn’t to be the end of his injury troubles.

After five games on the trot he fell once more to injury and wouldn’t return until 1989. Daniher went on to play another 11 games, but there is no doubt that his career is one of the most cruelly interrupted in VFL/AFL history.

But that wouldn’t be the end of Daniher’s involvement in the game. He rejoined the club as an assistant coach helping Essendon to the 1993 flag before a stint with Fremantle. At Melbourne he became a terrific senior coach, coaching 223 games and leading the Demons to a clash with the Bombers in the 2000 Grand Final, falling short to one of the league’s greatest ever sides.

Neale later led the West Coast Eagles in a variety of roles, but it is his time outside of football that best represents the person Daniher is. Since revealing his battle with motor neuron disease (MND) he has been monumental in his efforts to find a cure and change lives in the community.

His accolades on the field have since been matched off it, Daniher has been an instrumental part of the MND Foundation, was awarded as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016 and was the Victorian finalist for Australian of the Year in the same year. It is virtually impossible to describe Daniher as a person and he is clearly worthy of his induction tonight.

Accolades:

Best first-year player

VFL recruit of the year

Victorian representative in ’80 and ’81

Best and fairest ’81

Night premiership ’81

Appointed captain in ’82 (youngest ever) 

ROGER MERRETT

Played: 1978-1996 Games: 313 (149 at Essendon) Goals: 433

Roger Merrett endured a slow start at Windy Hill, booting seven goals from his first 41 games in five seasons at the club, but Essendon’s patience paid off as Merrett became a regular in the line-up and had a breakout year in 1983. It provided a glimpse into what was to become of his outstanding career. He booted 32 goals in the season as he solidified his spot and became a crucial cog in one of the club’s greatest ever sides.

The following two years yielded rewarding success for the side in which Merrett played a brilliant role. He stood tall as both a ruckman and key forward, inspiring his teammates with his strength and courage as the Bombers broke through for back-to-back premiership success in 1984 and 1985.

His brilliant performances were rewarded as he was selected to represent Victoria in 1984, 1985 and 1986, captaining the team against South Australia in 1986. He was also selected in the All-Australian team in 1984 and 1985.

After 149 games and 148 goals for Essendon, Merrett departed Windy Hill at the end of 1987 to join the Brisbane Bears. There he became an important pillar for football in Queensland, captaining and coaching Brisbane to solidify his position as a club legend.

While most of his games were played with the Bears, it is his time in the red and black in which he reaped the most success and it is through the Hall of Fame that Essendon will honour his service this evening.

Accolades:

Premierships – 1984, 1985

All Australian – 1984, 1985

DR IAN “RUBBER” REYNOLDS

Service: 1982-2009

Dr Ian “Rubber” Reynolds was a club doctor at Essendon for 28 years and an incredible 665 games before he retired at the end of the 2009 season. Reynolds arrived at the club in 1982 with colleague Dr Bruce Reid from Richmond where they had grown to know Kevin Sheedy.

After studying together in medical school, the pair forged an incredible partnership. Together they were a part of four premierships with Sheedy, playing the crucial role of looking after not just the players, but also all members of the club and their families.

Known as a calm, collected and passionate doctor, ‘Rubber’ was frank with his delivery and decision-making. As one of the true unsung heroes of the club across some of its greatest generations, Reynolds received a worthy honour as the joint-winner of the 2010 Jack Titus Award. Alongside Reid he was presented the prestigious award, which represents the highest possible honour from the league outside of AFL Life Membership after retiring as a legend of Essendon.

Accolades:

A part of four premierships (’84, ’85, ’93, ’00)

665 games

Jack Titus Award 2010