Jason Dunstall is shorter than some of the AFL’s current midfield beasts and is certain he would not survive pre-season training now. But back when he was king, the Hawthorn full-forward was a goal-kicking machine.

The 59-year-old’s stellar playing career will officially receive another honour on Tuesday night when he is elevated to Legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

The AFL announced two months ago that Dunstall would become the 32nd Legend. There will be at least six inductees honoured at the annual Melbourne function.

Dunstall was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2002, as soon as he became eligible. A four-time premiership player, he kicked 1254 goals in a glittering 269-game AFL/VFL career, before injuries forced him into retirement in 1998. Only Tony Lockett (1360) and Gordon Coventry (1299) are higher on the competition’s all-time list of leading goal-kickers.

Dunstall is one of only six players in AFL/VFL history to have kicked more than 1,000 goals, and was the most prolific spearhead in a golden era for Hawthorn.

“I was at the end of the production line at Hawthorn,” he said.

The Queensland-born key forward was listed at 188cm, making him shorter than Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and Fremantle star Nat Fyfe. Dunstall was modest when asked how he would fare if he was starting in the AFL now.

“I wouldn’t get through pre-season, to be brutally frank,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d be a good enough athlete, honestly. But you kind of think if you were brought up in a different time, you’d be physiologically a little different and better prepared to come into the game.

“Because they have such a great pathway now, which wasn’t really in existence back in the eighties.”

Meanwhile, the inductees will not feature former West Coast star Ben Cousins, despite his much-improved circumstances after years of off-field problems. The Brownlow medallist became eligible for induction several years ago but Cousins said last month he understood the situation.

“I’m sure there’s a number of things that come into play when making those tough decisions,” the Eagles premiership player said. “I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes and, yeah, there’s no ill will or animosity from my end.”