The Port Adelaide Football Club congratulates one of the greatest goalkickers in the history of Australian football, Tim Evans, on his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame tonight.
Evans becomes Port Adelaide’s latest inductee into the game’s most prestigious honour, recognised for a career that left an indelible mark on South Australian football and redefined what was possible at full forward.
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch paid tribute to a player whose feats stand tall amongst the greats at Alberton.
“Tim Evans is quite simply one of the greatest players ever to represent this football club and tonight’s recognition is so well deserved,” Mr Koch said.
“What Tim achieved for our club, and particularly in that extraordinary 1980 season, was legendary. To kick 146 goals in a season, to rewrite the record books of Ken Farmer, one of South Australian football’s immortals, says everything about the kind of player Tim was.
“He wasn’t just a goalkicker. He was a match-winner, a leader in the forward line, and someone who played his role time and again when it mattered most for Port Adelaide.
“Tim was part of four premiership teams at Alberton and he gave everything to this football club across 230 games. His 1,044 career goals place him among the elite of the game nationally and we are immensely proud to see him receive this honour.
“On behalf of everyone at Port Adelaide, our members, supporters and everyone who watched Tim Evans play, we say congratulations. This is the crowning glory of an extraordinary career.”
Evans, who arrived at Alberton in 1975 after four seasons at Geelong, was transformed into one of the most devastating full forwards the SANFL has seen when coach John Cahill shifted him from defence to the forward line in 1977. The results were immediate and historic. Evans kicked 88 goals in his first season as a forward, seven of them in Port Adelaide’s premiership win over Glenelg, the first of four flags he would claim in the black and white.
Evans’ 1980 season stands alone in SANFL history. His 146 goals that year broke the legendary Ken Farmer’s record of 134 set in 1936 and earned Evans the inaugural Ken Farmer Medal. He topped the SANFL goalkicking charts six times and led Port Adelaide’s goalkicking in ten seasons, a dominance that defined an era.
Evans’ 1,044 career goals rank second in SANFL history and 12th across all elite football in Australia, numbers that speak for themselves.
On receiving the honour, Evans reflected with characteristic humility on what football meant to him.
“I am very honoured to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Personal honours were not the reason I played the game but I greatly appreciate this induction.
“I played to be part of team success and I was fortunate to play with many outstanding players and was able to achieve ultimate team success with premierships at Port Adelaide.
“I want to sincerely thank all my past coaches and teammates and I am pleased I was able to play my role and contribute to a successful time for our club.”
A Port Adelaide Life Member, an inaugural inductee into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame, and the full forward in Port Adelaide’s Greatest Team of 1870–2000 — tonight, Tim Evans took his rightful place among the greats of the Australian game.
TIM EVANS
Born: 13 August, 1953
Played: 230 games for Port Adelaide (1975-86)
Also represented: Geelong in 59 games (1971-1974) and South Australia on 10 occasions
Goals: 1044 for Port Adelaide, 26 for Geelong and 41 for South Australia
Honours - Port Adelaide premierships (4): 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981; SANFL leading goalkicker (6): 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984; Port Adelaide leading goalkicker (10): 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985; Port Adelaide Greatest Team at Full-Forward; Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame, 2002; South Australian Football Hall of Fame, 2002 (inaugural inductee); Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame, 2008; Australian Football Hall of Fame, 2026
