Hampden league hall of famer Brian Collins backs Koroit for sixth flag

The Saints life member was inducted into the Hampden league's Hall of Fame on Wednesday night alongside Port Fairy's George Swarbrick, Terang's Dick Wearmouth and Ian Blackburn.

Collins, who was the only one there to received his honour while the families of the others received their relatives' recognition posthumously, said the Saints need to find something special to claim flag number six.

"They are there for a chance but I think it's probably the hardest one to win because there are five teams that anyone of them could win it," he told The Standard on Wednesday night.

"I have a bit of confidence in our lads but it will be a tougher to win it than the others - but who knows."

Collins, who vice-captained the club's first premiership in 1971 and played in the second in '73, said football had evolved since his time.

"Football is much better now but it was still a great thrill to win the first one," he said.

"But I think they (players) are fitter now and bigger than what we were in those days but you can only be who you are in that era. I think we were as good as any of them going around."

Swarbrick's son George said his father had left a lasting impact that flowed right through to his four children.

"The legacy dad left was being highly competitive, trying to be your best and never letting your opposition get the better of you in any form," he said.

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Swarbrick was the ruckman in Port Fairy's inaugural premiership in 1958 and won four club best and fairest from 1958-61.

Tania Bruckner, the daughter of Ian Blackburn, said her father's induction was reward for his dedication to football in Terang.

"It's a great honour for dad as he devoted a lot of his life to local footy to Terang in the Hampden league and the Noorat league as well," she said.

"We are very pleased to accept it on his behalf and mum is away but she would normally be here as well."

Blackburn played 122 senior games at Terang and was chairman of selectors for the club's 1979 and '81 premierships.

Jackie Dowell, a daughter of Terang and Footscray football club life member Dick Wearmouth, said football was always apart of her life and her dad had influenced her chosen AFL side.

"Footy and then horse racing were pretty much it on a Saturday," she said.

"We weren't allowed to interrupt the radio at all on the Saturday. If it wasn't footy it was horse racing.

"I'm a Western Bulldogs supporter because he played for them before he went to Terang. Even though I used to be a Collingwood supporter I have converted and follow the Bulldogs."

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