THE NAME Jason Akermanis often conjures two competing images: the brilliant match-winner and the outspoken, occasionally antagonistic personality.

So it's important to understand the forces that produced the complex genius known simply as 'Aker'.

It started with a battling upbringing. He was raised by a single mother, with no father on the scene, initially in Mildura in country Victoria and then in Brisbane.

Young Akermanis became angry at the world because he didn't have what others did. The skinny redhead became a target of bullies. Despite his football talent – he bagged 17 goals from centre half-forward in a junior game – his self-esteem took regular hits.

Akermanis hit rock-bottom at 15 when a rollerblading accident left him with a blood clot in his brain. A doctor told him he should never again play contact sport. The youngster battled suicidal thoughts but recovered after three months.

"Three years after almost dying I was playing in the AFL," Akermanis said.

And in his third AFL season his mother Shona, 41, died after an 18-month battle with brain cancer. Akermanis, just 20 at the time, said the tragedy had a profound impact on him.

"That was when I truly became fearless," he said. "People always say, 'You say all these things,' but Mum always said, 'Be honest and it'll be OK. You won't have as many friends but how many do you need?'

"I got famous after that, so the journos would ask me questions and (I'd) answer honestly, and for that I was probably the most hated player who played the game in that period.

"But life was never that bad after (Mum's death)."

Now in this third season as coach of Ovens and Murray league club North Albury, Akermanis wants to break into AFL coaching ranks. Which begs the question: how would he like to coach someone like himself?

"I would love 21-22 guys like me," he said. "Showed up on time, worked your butt off, did everything you possibly could to succeed. If that's self-centred, so be it. I played for the team."

Akermanis regarded all of his coaches as father-type figures – none more so than triple-premiership mentor Leigh Matthews, who encouraged him to take on the opposition because it would make the Lions a better team.

"We obviously had the falling out (but) he was my dad, really," Akermanis said.

Akermanis revealed his hardest opponents were his teammates. During match simulation he'd play forward on one of the Scott twins (Brad or Chris), on-ball against skipper Michael Voss for a half, and the last quarter on elite runner Simon Black.

"Playing against any other team was, in some ways, easier," he said.

The thing that set Akermanis apart was his kicking on his non-dominant left foot.

"Without that, I wouldn't have been the dominant force that I ended up being, and really the most skillful player on both sides."

He cites two occasions when he was at his absolute best: in the last quarter of the 2003 Grand Final against Collingwood, when he recalls "kicking goals from everywhere" (bagging five), and a 2005 game against Geelong on a wet Gabba, when he amassed 35 possessions, nine clearances, nine tackles and another five goals, including two efforts from the boundary he described as "ridiculous".

Akermanis is chuffed by his Hall of Fame induction, but couldn't resist a playful jibe: "I was eligible last year. I'm not sure why I wasn't in last year."

Clubs: Brisbane Lions/Western Bulldogs

Born: February 24, 1977

Recruited from: Mayne (Qld)

Playing career: 1995-2010 (BL 1995-2006; WB 2007-10)

Games: 325 games (BL 248; WB 77)

Goals: 421 (BL 307; WB 114)

Player honours: Brownlow Medal 2001; BL best & fairest 1999, 2005; BL leading goalkicker 2004; WB leading goalkicker 2009; BL premierships 2001, 2002, 2003; All-Australian 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004; State representative (Allies 3 games); International Rules (4 games); Jim Stynes Medal 1999