Cockburn Sports Hall of Fame

About the Sports Hall of Fame

The City of Cockburn is home to many elite athletes, past and present. The Sports Hall of Fame celebrates these local athletes as well as high level sports administrators (which includes officiating, governing and/or working within the media).

Since its inception in 2004, twenty-one local athletes and one administrator are now  recognised in the Sports Hall of Fame, honoured with plaques adorning the pillars of the City's administration building. In 2017 the City developed a second location for the Sports Hall of Fame inside the Cockburn ARC. This additional location adds to the celebration of our local athletes within our new world class sporting facility. Both locations will continue to feature the Sports Hall of Fame inductees, which includes a variety of sports, ranging from AFL to gymnastics, lawn bowls to sailing. 

Nominations

Nominations are now closed.

Nominations open every three years and are expected to open again in 2026.

For more information about nominations, view the nomination guidelines.

Inductees

2024

Colin Beard - WAFL
Colin Beard
Colin Beard (1942 - 2019) played 167 games for South Fremantle Football Club, winning the Fairest and Best Award in 1966 and twice representing WA on the state team. Moving to Richmond Football Club, he played 33 games between 1966 and 1971, being a prominent figure in the club’s 1969 Premiership win.

He is a member of the WAFL 200-club and was inducted to the South Fremantle Hall of Fame in 2015. Both South Fremantle and Richmond honoured Colin with life membership. After retiring as a player, Colin coached at South Fremantle Football Club at both League and Colts levels.
Roger Hayden - AFL
Roger Hayden
Beginning his senior football career at South Fremantle Football Club,Roger played 59 games before being drafted by the Fremantle Football Club in 2000. His twelve-year career at the Dockers incorporated 128 games, including six finals appearances, and inclusion in the 2007 All Australian Squad and the Fremantle Football Club's "Best 25 Since ‘95 Team" in 2019.
Moving on to a role as a development coach for nine seasons, he is now a Next Generation Academy coach for up-and-coming U15s. Roger was awarded life membership of the Dockers in 2020 and continues to contribute to community football at Hammond Park Football Club and coaching junior basketball at the Cockburn ARC.
Tom Bottrell - WAFL
Tom BottrellDebuting for South Fremantle in the WAFL competition in 1992, Tom became a regular player in 1993. Over a 12-season career, Tom kicked 57 goals across 200-games, a highlight undoubtedly being the 1997 six-point premiership win over crosstown rivals East Fremantle. 
In 1999 he represented Western Australia in a win over Tasmania and held leadership roles at South Fremantle throughout his career. Tom's post-playing career includes numerous executive administrative roles within several football clubs, the WAFC, adn the Stephen Michael Foundation. 
Marianna Tabain – Soccer
Marianna Tabain
Marianna played juniors for local teams Cockburn City and the Western Knights soccer clubs, before moving into development programs which saw her represent Australia twice in her late teens. At the age of 15, she was a member of the Perth Glory inaugural women’s league team, and now sits third on their all-time A-league appearance list for representing the Club on 101 occasions between 2008 and 2021.
Marianna is also third on the Club’s all-time scoring list, with a tally of 20 goals, and has won one premiership with the club. A stint with Melbourne City also saw her part of two more A-League Championship wins. Marianna now holds a coaching role at Perth Glory and continues to play both football and futsal. 
Ritchie Smith - Golf
Ritchie Smith
A former WA amateur golfer, Ritchie has become one of Australia’s premier golf coaches. A Professional Golfers’ Association member for more than 20 years, he has been the WA State Women’s Coach since 2003, and a national coach since 2011, as well as coaching some of hte world's most prolific golfers. His awards include:
  • the PGA Australian Coach of the Year twice,
  • the Western Australian PGA Coach of the Year eight times,
  • the WA Dept of Sport and Recreation High Performance Coach of the Year;
  • Coach of the Year at the 2022 SportWest Awards, as well as a Coach of the Year finalist at the 2023 awards. 
Nathan Jones - Softball
Nathan Jones
Nathan represented WA as a senior player for eleven years between 2003 and 2013, which included an Australian Championship in 2010.
He represented Australia internationally in 184 games across 16 tournaments, with results including World Championship wins of two bronze and one gold medal, and one silver medal competing in the Commonwealth Championship. After ending his playing career, Nathan moved into coaching. He served in coaching roles for seven years nationally with the senior WA women’s team in the Gilley’s Shield, as well as eight years of coaching roles with Australian senior men’s and women’s teams.
Jason Petkovic - Soccer
Jason Petkovic
Jason started his professional career at Adelaide City Football Club in 1993, where he was part of the team that won the then-named National Soccer League championship title in 1994. Returning to Perth to play for Perth Glory in 1999, he was a key figure in the Club’s NSL dominance over the next five years, securing two more championship medals. After some time playing in the Turkish League, Jason again returned to Perth Glory with the advent of the A-league, racking up 177 appearances for the Club until his retirement in 2009. Widely regarded as Perth Glory’s greatest goalkeeper, he also represented Australia with the Socceroos on 15 occasions between 1995 to 2002.
Stephen Hill - AFL
Stephen Hill
Stephen played for West Perth in the Western Australian Football League before being drafted to Fremantle Football Club in the 2008 draft.
Debuting in the 2009 season, he was nominated for the 2009 AFL Rising Star Award and was the AFL Coaches Association Best Young Player in 2010. He went on to play 218 games for the Club, tallying 112 goals and playing in the 2013 Grand Final, as well as being named in the Club's "Best 25 Since ‘95 Team". Stephen now coaches players when they turn 18 at Freo’s Next Generation Academy, helping them transition from community level sport to State and AFL level competence.
Ashtyn Hiron – Lacrosse
Ashtyn Hiron
Ashtyn played for Australia in her first Under 19 World Cup at just 15 years old, claiming a silver medal. Her sporting skill saw her selected for a scholarship program in 2012 to play college lacrosse at Jacksonville University, Florida, USA. She spent four years playing NCAA Division 1 lacrosse in the United States - captaining her team for two years, earning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and making the Sports Center Top 10 highlight reel. She has now represented Australia at four World Cups, including captaincy roles and being named in the 'All-World Team'. Ashtyn also represented Australia at the World Games, an international multi-sport event for sporting disciplines not contested in the Olympics, winning bronze in both 2017 and 2022, the latter as team captain. 
Shane Hughes – Softball
Shane Hughes
Shane played 584 club games for the Fremantle Rebels in the Perth Softball League, 218 games with the Southside Mariners in the State League, and represented WA between 1995 and 1997, then again in 1999 and 2001. After his playing career, Shane’s commitment to the sport of softball includes numerous coaching positions at state level, including coaching the senior women’s team to Australian Champions in the Gilley’s Shield in 2010, 2011 and 2013. At international level, Shane has held coaching positions for the Australian Under 19 team in several World Championships, including three bronze medal performances. He has also held the role of State Director at Coaching at Softball WA. 
Robbie Zabica - Soccer
Robbie Gaspar
Robbie started playing at local clubs Cockburn United and Spearwood Dalmatinac before joining Adelaide City in 1988, where he played seven seasons, including two National Soccer League Championship wins and the 1991/92 National Cup, the same year he was named the National Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year. His goalkeeping skills earned him a Socceroos selection in 1990, going on to eventually make 42 appearances for Australia. In 1995, Robbie returned to state football before joining the national league again with Perth Glory, taking his career tally to 202 games. He was inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame in 2006.
Madison de Rozario OAM – Para-athletics
Madison de Rozario
Madison first represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the tender age of 14, winning silver in the 4x100m wheelchair relay. She competes in 800m, 1500m, 5000m, marathon, and 4x400m relay T53 and T54 wheelchair racing events. Her long, long list of sporting achievements includes:
  • Three Paralympics, netting 2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze,
  • Two Commonwealth Games, taking 4 gold medals, and
  • Four World Para-Athletics Championships, going home with 3 golds, 3 silvers, and 4 bronze.
Some of Madison’s other credentials include the wheelchair title at the 2021 New York Marathon, and in 2023, one week after finishing second in the Boston Marathon, she took out the London Marathon win for the second time by an incredible one second margin, her first win at the event being in 2018. She also added a win at the 2023 Sydney Marathon for good measure. She has been awarded numerous Athlete of the Year Awards and in 2022 she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Michael Petkovic - Soccer
Michael Petkovic
From his beginnings with local soccer clubs, Michael played for South Melbourne from 1995 before joining the Turkish League in 2002. Following a successful career where he gained a reputation as one of Turkey’s best goalkeepers, he returned to Australia in 2009, playing another 33 games for Melbourne Victory. One of WA’s most celebrated goalkeepers, Michael’s accolades include six appearances for the Socceroos between 2001 – 2008, three-time National Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year in 1999, 2001 and 2002, and the rare honour of a goalkeeper scoring a goal in 2008, with a massive kick from inside his own penalty box, which cleared the opposing goalkeeper before bouncing into the net.
Robbie Gaspar - Soccer
Robbie Gaspar
Robbie played for several local clubs from the age of five, with many junior representations for Australia and international academies before playing a season for Sydney Olympic Football Club in 2000 and then being selected for the WA State Team in 2002. From 2003 his soccer career relocated to playing in Brunei and Malaysia before becoming the first Australian to play professionally in the Indonesian Premier League from 2005 to 2012. After retiring in 2013, Robbie’s career turned to sports diplomacy, fostering links between WA and Indonesia using football to build relationships between the two countries. He has also been active in developing and supporting player associations and as a player development manager.

2021

Benjamin Rowe - Goalball
Benjamin Rowe
Ben played Goal Ball for WA for over 10 years. He’s been a silver medallist three times and a gold medallist twice at the Australian Goal Ball Championships in 2015 and 2018. In 2013 he was the MVP and has been named in the All-Australian Team six times. Internationally, Ben started competing for Australia in 2011. Ben was the founder of Goalball WA and the inaugural President for its first six years.
Brett Dorey - Cricket
Portrait of Brett Dorey

Brett was the Laurie Sawle Medalist, awarded to the State Cricketer of the Year, for the 2005/06 season. That kicked off his national career and from 2005 to 2011 played for WA in all forms of the game – the Sheffield Shield, One-Dayers and T20. In 2008/09 Brett was named in the Sheffield Shield All Star Team and was named the Mastercard Interstate Most Valuable Player across all three formats of the game. In 2006 he was selected for Australia in the One Day International Tri Series against Sri Lanka and South Africa. He also toured Bangladesh with the Australian Cricket Team in 2006.

Soa Palelei - Mixed Martial Arts
Portrait of Soa Palelei

From 2002 through 2016 Soa has competed in various State Competitions in the disciplines of MMA, Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. Nationally, he was crowned the Heavyweight Australian Fighting Champion at Australian Fighting Championship 3 and then successfully defended his title at Australian Fighting Championship 4. Internationally, Soa made it the highest pinnacle of the mixed martial arts sport where he’s been to six Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events from 2013 to 2015 and finished with a 4 and 2 record. He is a three time World Champion - IKBF, KOz Entertainment and AFC World Champion

2017

Matt Battista – Motorcross
Portrait of Matt Battista

25 time State Motorcross Champion, National and 1993 World Grand Prix Motorcross Australia competitor, Matt Battista has represented WA and Australia in the sport of motorcross. Matt also still holds the Wanneroo Raceway's lap record of 57.11 seconds, which he achieved in 2006.

Gordon Lee - Table Tennis
Portrait of Gordon Lee

World Champion table tennis competitor and long-time WA and Australian Veterans Captain Gordon Lee, successfully defeated the World Champion at the 2010 World Championships in China. Gordon was also a Silver Medallist at the 2012 World Championships in Stockholm.

2012

Lara Carroll – Swimming
Portrait of Lara Carroll

Athens Olympian in 2004 and Melbourne Commonwealth games swimmer. In 2005 Lara set a new Australian & Commonwealth record in the 400m Individual Medley – the previous record stood for 12 years held by Hayley Lewis.

Kimberly Lewis – Darts
Portrait of Kimberley Lewis

Local Cockburn RSL Dart club member has represented Australia at the 2003 World Masters Games. Has competed for WA  14 times and win the State Championships four times. 

Ken Norris OAM – Cycling
Portrait of Ken Norris OAM

Represented Australian at the 1966 & ’67 World Track Cycling Championships, and gold medallist in the World Masters Tandem Criterium in 1985. Ken re-emerged in the 90’s as a Paralympics coach in 1992 (Barcelona) and 1996 (Atlanta) and awarded 1996 Paralympics Coach of the Year.

Tom Grljusich – Football
Portrait of Tom Grljusich

A South Fremantle Football Club legend from 1960 – 1976, Tom played 258 games for South Fremantle a record which stood until 2008. A premiership player (1970) and SFFC fairest & best winner (1968 & 1972) who is a life member of South Fremantle & WA Football.

George Grljusich – Sports Media
Portrait of George Grljusich (1939 - 2007)

George Grljusich (1939-2007) was a sports commentator and radio broadcaster who covered 39 different sports, 6 Olympic Games and 10 Commonwealth Games. George was an avid sports fan and commentator broadcasting WAFL and AFL matches and is well known for his brilliant call of Ben Johnson’s world record 100 metres sprint at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Smiljana Jakovich – Lawn Bowls
Portrait of Smiljana Jakovich

In 2000 the Prime Minister John Howard on behalf of the Queen awarded her the Australian Sports Medal Award. A multiple WA champion bowler and three times Australian representative bowler, Smiljana has been a Cockburn Bowling Club member since 1981.

2004

Steve Srhoy - Lawn Bowls
Portrait of Steve Srhoy

A foundation member of the Cockburn Bowling club in 1964, Steve competed in the 1994 Commonwealth Games winning a Silver medal for Australia. An outstanding State and Australian representative bowler he won multiple State awards in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s as well as Gold and Silver at the Asia Pacific Championships in 1993. In 1995 Steve was awarded the Australia Day Citizens Award and in 2000 an Australian Sports Medal.

Kevin Allen - Sailing
Portrait of Kevin Allen

A State, Australian & International Sailing champion, Kevin represented Australia three times in International Sailing Competitions. World & Australian Champion in 1985, Kevin was also a WA Champion in 1977, ’79, ’84 & ’86.

Frances Maunton (nee Reid) - Lacrosse
Portrait of Frances Maunton (nee Reid)

A Lacrosse player for over 20 consecutive years, Frances was a member of the 1982 Australian World Cup Team and State Team Member from 1981 to 1988. She was Association fairest and best in 1980 and was awarded life membership of Lacrosse West in 1999.

Peter Sumich - Australian Rules Football
Portrait of Peter Sumich

Member of the WA Teal Cup, 1985 who went onto play 112 games for South Fremantle Football Club and drafted in 1988 to the West Coast Eagles where he played 150 games and kicked 514 goals. Sumich played in the 1992 & 1994 AFL Premiership Team and was the first left-footer to kick over 100 goals in an AFL season. He coached South Fremantle between 2000 and 2001, before taking an assistant coach role at West Coast, from 2002 to 2011, before joining Fremantle as an assistant coach.

John Denic - Lacrosse
Portrait of John Denic

Lacrosse Coach & Player, John represented WA as a player in 1979. ’81 – ’83 and as a coach in 1986, ’87, ’90 – ’95 & 2000. He coached five National Premiership teams and was Australian Head Coach for the Lacrosse World Series in 1994, 1998 and 2002. Denic was awarded the ASC Coach Award in 1994 and Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

Val Norris (nee Buffham) - Gymnastics
Portrait of Val Norris (nee Buffham)

Olympian Gymnast in Tokyo (1964) and Mexico (1968), as well representing Australia at the World Championships in Germany – 1966, Val is a champion athlete and coach. WA State champion in 1962, ’65, ’68 & ’69 and Australian Champion in 1965, ’66, ’68 & ’69, she was inducted as a Member of the Australian Gymnastics “Roll of Honour” in 1989 and Awarded Life Membership to Western Australian Gymnastics Association in 1991. Val is still currently coaching in the City of Cockburn at Olympic Fun & Fitness in Jandakot.

Glen Jakovich - Australian Rules Football
Portrait of Glen Jakovich

Member of the WA Teal Cup, 1985 who went onto play 51 games for South Fremantle Football Club and 270 games for West Coast Eagles. A member of the 1992 & 1994 AFL Premiership Team, Jakovich  was selected in the AFL All Australian team in ’94 & ’95. Glen won Fairest & Best at the West Coast Eagles in 1993, ’94, ’95 & 2000. He retired from the club in 2004 & is now a sports commentator & broadcaster.

Christine Dorey - Tennis
Portrait of Christine Dorey

Ranked No 1 Ladies player in Western Australia in 1970, ‘72, ’79 - ‘81, and 1985, Christine was a WA representative 1966 - 1969 (Junior) and 1979 - 1982 (Senior). Christine played at Wimbledon five times and qualified three times and in 1977 reached the Quarter finals in the French & US Open Ladies Doubles. In 1978 she was a Semi finalist in the Australian Open (Ladies Singles) the first Australian woman to qualify in a grand slam event and reach the semi finals. Christine is a member of the Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club and Club Coach for over 20 years.

Alan Beale - Soccer

 

 

 

Portrait of Alan Beale

Alan Beale (1921-2001) was a champion Football player originally from Plaistowe, London, England who arrived in the Port of Fremantle in 1924. He was a member of the Spearwood Rovers FC, 1936 - 1965 & Cockburn United FC, 1965 – 1977. Beale represented Western Australia from 1946 to 1950 and won the WA Soccer Player of the Year in 1954 & 1958. In 1996 he was inducted into the WAIS Hall of Champions and Awarded Life Membership to the Soccer Federation of Western Australia

Robert Golding - Hockey
Portrait of Robert Golding

A state and Australian Player & Umpire, Golding was a member of the Fremantle Hockey Club, 1987 – 1994 and the University Hockey Club, 1995 – 2004. Member of WAIS Squad from 1989 to 1991 he represented WA in indoor hockey between 1989 – ’96 and again in ’98 – ’03 (Coach 2001 – ’03).

Graeme Benthien - Cycling

 

Portrait of Matt BattistaTo present day a member of the Melville / Fremantle Cycling Club since 1985, Grahame started at the Fremantle Districts Cycling Club 1956 - 1961 & Fremantle / Cockburn Professional Cycling Club 1970 – 1985. Benthien was selected to represent Western Australia 8 times in track events, in 1958 he was all round junior track champion & in 1959 (at 18) was the youngest rider ever to ride off scratch in the Northam to Perth Road Race. A World Veterans Cycling champion in 1982, 84 and 1987. He has been a strong supporter of Cycling as a member of organising committees for Australian track and road championships, a foundation committee member of Western Australian Veterans Cycling Council and track manager at numerous World Junior Track Titles.
More information and contact

For more information on the City of Cockburn's Sports Hall of Fame contact the Club Development Officer on 08 9411 3444 or at [email protected].

Contact

Address

City of Cockburn
Whadjuk Boodja
9 Coleville Crescent,
Spearwood 6163

PO Box 1215, Bibra Lake DC,
Western Australia, 6965

Office opening hours:
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Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)

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Cockburn Nyungar moort Beeliar boodja-k kaadadjiny. Koora, yeyi, benang baalap nidja boodja-k kaaradjiny.
Ngalak kaditj boodjar kep wer kaadidjiny kalyakool yoodaniny, wer koora wer yeyi ngalak Birdiya koota-djinanginy.

City of Cockburn acknowledges the Nyungar people of Beeliar boodja. Long ago, now and in the future they care for Country.
We acknowledge a continuing connection to land, waters and culture and pay our respects to the Elders, past and present.