Among the diverse list are Olympic, Commonwealth and X-Games gold medallists, champions of both team and individual sports, and a celebrated doctor. The Inductees’ exceptional achievements and contributions are matched by exemplary reputations nationally and internationally.
The new Athlete Members are two-time Grand Slam tournament champion Lleyton Hewitt AM; four-time VFL/AFL premiership winner Jason Dunstall; Commonwealth Games and Netball World Cup winner Laura Geitz; three-time NRL premiership winner Cameron Smith AM; our most capped Socceroo Mark Schwarzer OAM; and Olympic and X-Games Snowboard gold medallist Torah Bright OAM.
Dr Peter Harcourt AM is being inducted as a General Member. He is widely regarded as one of Australia’s, and the world’s, most respected and experienced sports medicine practitioners, with a distinguished career spanning over four decades.
Membership as an Athlete Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame belongs exclusively to the top echelon of Australian athletes who have achieved the highest honours at the peak level of competition. General Members are recognised for their outstanding contributions to sport in visionary and vital supporting roles.
The honour roll of Inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame features the nation’s biggest sporting names and champions, including: Sir Donald Bradman AC, Dawn Fraser AC MBE, Cathy Freeman OAM, Ian Thorpe AM , E.J. “Ted” Whitten OAM, Raelene Boyle AM MBE, Wally Lewis AM, Shane Gould OAM MBE, Sir Jack Brabham AO OBE, Greg Norman AO, Lauren Jackson AO, John Eales AM, Mick Fanning AO, Susie O’Neill AM, Rod Laver AC MBE, Bart Cummings AM, Louise Sauvage OAM, Layne Beachley AO and Tim Cahill AO, among other luminaries.
Those in this elite and newly expanded group are our most revered and respected sporting champions; individuals whose results on the greatest sporting stages and across the spectrum may not always have attracted headlines but share a common dignity, integrity, courage and humility.
Each member of the class of 2025 has made a significant impact on Australian sport, not just through personal excellence but as a role model for future generations and by helping to foster a strong sporting culture in a nation so proud of its rich sporting history.
To be eligible for consideration by the Selection Committee, athletes must be retired from their sport for four years.
SPORT AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES FOR 2025
Laura Geitz
Athlete Member
Hailing from the small Darling Downs town of Allora in Queensland’s south-east, Laura Geitz became one of Australian netball’s greatest players and most respected leaders, achieving a decade of supremacy with the Queensland Firebirds and Australian Diamonds.
Representing the Queensland Firebirds in 169 games, Geitz played a significant role as both a dominant player and inspirational captain in three championship-winning seasons: in 2011, and back-to-back successes in 2015 and 2016. However, her dominant imprint in representing Australia in 71 games was arguably her greatest impact on and off the court. Geitz’s game-changing intercepts, calmness under pressure and resolute leadership saw her excel at the elite level.
She was a member of two Netball World Cup-winning teams in 2011 and 2015, the latter as the Diamonds captain in a home country triumph in Sydney. She led Australia to Commonwealth Games glory in Glasgow in 2014 and was part of silver medal-winning sides at the 2010 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Queensland Firebirds and Australian Diamonds defender faced more than her fair share of challenges before and during her decade at the top, yet she conquered each one to become one of netball’s most influential players and one of Australia’s most successful captains.
“Being inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame is such an honour, it’s a moment that allows me to reflect on the journey that brought me here. It reminds me of the people who supported me from the very beginning, my family, my coaches, my teammates, and the countless volunteers who helped create opportunities for me to play the sport I love. It also reminds me of the responsibility that comes with it, to continue contributing to sport in Australia and to help inspire the next generation, especially young girls who might see themselves in my story. Now that I can look back on my journey, I can safely say whilst the wins are a huge part of it, the connections and friendships, life lessons and the fun is what I hold closest. Being recognised in this way is deeply humbling, something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
“For me, the key moments that defined my career weren’t necessarily the wins but the challenges along the way. Losing back-to-back grand finals with the Firebirds in 2013 and 2014 was incredibly tough, but I believe that without those two losses we wouldn’t have gone on to win the premierships in 2015 and 2016. Those experiences taught me so much about resilience, about myself as an athlete, and about the value of perseverance. Another pivotal moment was my first game as captain of Australia, where I was actually benched. I think I was the first Australian captain to experience that, and it brought on a wave of self-doubt. But looking back now, that moment shaped me profoundly. It taught me that the hard moments, while uncomfortable, are where the most growth happens, and they give you a much deeper appreciation for the successes when they do come. Those challenges made the wins even more meaningful.”
Induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame can be submitted by anyone via the SAHOF website. Each year the Selection Committee picks the new Hall of Fame Members to join their fellow top echelon of Australian sporting heroes.
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair, Bruce McAvaney OAM, said: “The seven new Inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame are a diverse group representing team and individual sports at the highest level.
“They’ve inspired generations of Australians and provided our country with so much joy. Nothing is obvious when choosing between champions from so many different sports, but we know the class of 2025 sits comfortably alongside those who’ve already been recognised in the most prestigious Hall of Fame in this country.’’
The 2025 Inductees will be celebrated and formally inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame at the Induction and Awards Gala Dinner on Monday, November 17, at Crown Palladium in Melbourne. Two existing Members will be elevated to Legends of Australian Sport on the evening, and the 2025 winners of The Don and The Dawn Awards will be announced.
Limited tickets are still available. To join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating excellence in Australian sport, book here: Gala Dinner Tickets.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards program is proudly supported by the Australian Sports Commission incorporating the Australian Institute of Sport, and supported by Crown, Harvey Norman, Sportscover and Deakin University.
