Mark Harvey has been inducted into Essendon Football Club's Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon at Crown Palladium.

Harvey earned the reputation as one of the hardest and most fearless players to pull on a jumper, but he was much, much more than that.

By the time Harvey pulled up stumps on his 206-game playing career, he was a three-time premiership player, best and fairest winner, a leading goalkicker and two-time All-Australian. Moreover he’d shown remarkable personal and physical courage.

Mark Harvey was a local boy who made his debut in early 1984 and quickly developed into one of the most exciting young players in the game. He had plenty of skill, was tough as nails, could kick goals and played with a reckless bravery that could be both inspiring and frightening to watch.

At the end of his debut season Harvey had won a premiership medal, was named among Essendon’s best in the grand final and finished the year with a handy 28 goals.

By the end of 1985 Harvey had won a second premiership medal and led the club’s goalkicking with 48 goals. After only 40 games of League football he had earned the first of five Victorian blazers and was selected in the All-Australian side for the first time. But bigger challenges lay ahead.

In 1987, with his best pre-season behind him, Harvey broke his leg in a pre-season game. He broke the leg again while training and for a third time in his return in round 9. He’d played just five minutes of football for the year. The next four years were to test Harvey’s his mettle as he battled frustrating injuries and a harrowing eating disorder.

After four gruelling seasons 1992 was a turning point. Harvey had largely overcome his illness and injuries and was playing in defence in an attempt to save his body from the battering he'd been receiving in the forward line. He proved a natural. Harvey played in every game that season and won the club's best and fairest award.

The following year Harvey played in his third premiership win, something that must have seemed almost impossible only a few years earlier.

In 1997, after 14 seasons and 206 games Harvey was given an emotional farewell by his team-mates and fans after a narrow rd 22 win over Adelaide at Princes Park. His loyalty to the club was rewarded with a position as an assistant coach where he served the club from 1998 to 2005 and was part of the coaching staff that prepared the 2000 team for the best season in league history.

Mark Harvey’s career was marked by euphoric highs and devastating lows but was also marked by great resolve.

The last word remains with former team mate and Essendon coach Bomber Thompson who said  ‘I just loved his courage. It was that mad kind of courage that really stood out. He was just great to play footy with.’