Latest news with #IndigenousPlayers
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL great Michael Long on the fall in number of Indigenous players
AFL great Michael Long says 'we all have a role' in improving the number of Indigenous players and hopes Sir Doug Nicholls Round inspires change across the competition. There are now only 62 Indigenous players in the competition, a 28 per cent drop across the past five years and a 19-year low. Long, who is setting up a foundation to encourage an influx of Indigenous players, says fixing participation extends beyond just the AFL. 'I suppose there's a lot of things the clubs can do, not just the AFL, and football is played at all different levels and countrywide and remote communities,' he said. 'I think we all have a role to play and I think we spoke to some of the clubs in Adelaide about how can we work closely with the clubs and resource the clubs. 'It's too important, obviously we've seen the dip, but we want to improve that and give every kid the opportunity – boys and girls. 'We are looking at setting up a Long foundation at Windy Hill, working with the club, not just pathway but pathway programs. 'It's something we want to see improvement on, not lowering.' Long was one of the most exciting Indigenous players in the competition over his 190-game career at the Bombers. Since his retirement, Long has supported Indigenous people in various ways including 'The Long Walk', which is now a Dreamtime tradition. Long said he anticipated the fall in Indigenous participation and was working with AFL clubs to regenerate it. 'I saw it coming a few years ago with what was happening, not just on the field, but off the field,' he said. 'I suppose that's why we announced a few weeks ago how can we support clubs, resource clubs, but also players and families. 'Nothing is perfect in this world, but we want to see it get better, we definitely do, and that's from past players. 'This week we embrace what clubs do and the good things that happen, that's important. 'Hopefully, from this week we can have those discussions from the AFL – you've got to lead from the top, it's important we provide that pathway.'
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Concerns raised over falling numbers of First Nations players in AFL
Indigenous champions Michael Long and Stephen Michael have called on the AFL industry to do more to promote and support First Nations talent amid a sharp decline in numbers at the top level. A record total of 87 Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander players were on AFL club lists in 2020, but that number has fallen each year since. It sits at 62 in 2025, after Hawthorn's Cody Anderson (pick 64) was the only Indigenous player selected at last year's national draft. Malakai Champion and Ricky Mentha were selected as Category B rookies by West Coast and Melbourne respectively. Essendon legend Long spoke in recent weeks with a host of AFL clubs about what can be done to ensure more resources are put in place to support First Nations players. The 55-year-old hopes Sir Doug Nicholls Round can shine a light on the falling number of First Nations players at the top level and ultimately reverse the trend. "There's a lot of things that clubs can do, not just the AFL," Long said on Wednesday at the launch of this year's "Dreamtime at the G'' feature match. "Football's played at all different levels countrywide and in remote communities. I think we all have a role to play. "We spoke to some of the clubs in Adelaide about how can we work closely with the clubs and resource the clubs, because it's too important. "Obviously we've seen the dip, but we want to improve that and give every kid the opportunity, boys and girls." It emerged this week former Essendon list boss Adrian Dodoro had lobbied the AFL in 2021 to introduce a rule that would have made it mandatory for each club to recruit at least one Indigenous player each year. The initiative never got off the ground. Long said he had predicted the fall of First Nations player numbers at AFL level. "I saw it coming a few years ago with what was happening, not just on the field, but off the field," Long said. "Nothing's perfect in this world, but we want to see it get better, definitely. That's from past players. "This week we embrace what clubs do and the good things that are happening. That's important. "Hopefully from this week we can have those discussions, which leads from the AFL. "You've got to lead from the top, and it's important that we provide that pathway." South Fremantle legend Michael — the 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round honoree — believes a whole-of-game approach is required to boost support for First Nations players and improve talent pathways. "We all have to do something, somewhere along the line," Michael said. "We could have ideas, but it has to go through all clubs, from the top right down to the bottom and down in the country as well." Essendon host Richmond on Friday night in the 21st edition of the annual "Dreamtime at the G'' contest, which is the centrepiece of Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The signature moment from the first two decades of "Dreamtime at the G'' clashes came in 2022, when a group of eight Richmond players led a powerful pre-match war dance. Four of them — Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli, Shane Edwards and Maurice Rioli Jr — played for the Tigers that night. This year, as few as two Indigenous players could feature, with Richmond's Rhyan Mansell set to play and Essendon's Jade Gresham cleared to return from injury. "Indigenous players have sort of dropped off the last few years, but there's a lot of talent out there in the community," Gresham said. "We've got to help out where we can. I'm not sure how that is. "The clubs I think are getting better at it, but there's a lot of improvement to go, I think, from the AFL as well." AAP
Daily Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
AFL greats praise ‘special' Welcome to Country to kick off Indigenous Round
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. AFL greats have lauded 'special' scenes in Darwin as the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round officially got underway. Before the game between Hawthorn and the Gold Coast Suns got underway, the teams stood under the Maurice Rioli Stand at TIO Stadium for a Welcome to Country ceremony. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. 'As we come to together during Sir Doug Nicholls, I'd like to acknowledge the past players and the current players for leading the way for the next generation of Indigenous players for this great game that we all love, AFL,' a local Indigenous representative said. 'For thousand of years, we've called this place home. We are the Larrakia people, the saltwater people. This is the Larrakia country, and we are the Larrakia people. 'Under the souls of our feet, always was and always be Aboriginal land of the Larrakia people. We invite you to walk with us. On behalf of the Larrakia elders, we welcome you and the Gold Coast Suns football club and the Hawthorn football club.' A traditional Indigenous dance was then conducted, which you can watch in the video above. A Welcome to Country ceremony was held before the Gold Coast vs Hawthorn game in Darwin. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Footy greats described the pre-match scenes as 'special'.. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Ceremony and dancing for the opening of Indigenous Round at TIO Stadium in Darwin. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Fox Footy host Sarah Jones said: 'Guys, how beautiful was that.' Four-time premiership player Shaun Burgoyne said: 'It's always beautiful when you get a Welcome to Country like that and it's launching Sir Doug Nicholls Round.' Indigenous AFL icon Eddie Betts added: 'It's very special and it's different. 'Wherever you go in different communities all over Australia there's thousands of tribes — it's all about learning, growing. They've welcome us here to Larrakia Country and performed that dance, that was pretty special. Really looking forward to tonight. Hoping it's going to be a great game.' Indigenous players from the Suns (Joel Jeffery, Ben Long, Daniel Rioli, Malcolm Rosas) and Hawks (Karl Amon) then met at the centre circle to exchange gifts at the coin toss. Premiership players Jack Riewoldt and Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy the sight of AFL games being in played in Darwin was fitting for the league. Ceremony and dancing for the opening of Sir Doug Nicholls Round. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Gold Coast and Hawthorn players exchange gifts before the game. Photo: Fox Footy. 'Up in Larrakia Country, it's one of the great places to play AFL footy,' Riewoldt said. 'The Gold Coast Suns have spent a lot of time here, it's been a very successful hunting ground for them.' Lewis said: 'I love the Hawks going up early and investing in the community and indulging in the culture of the Indigenous community up there in Darwin. 'Having played up there a couple of times and some community camps there, they're fantastic people and it gives great insight and meaning to the round, which is Sir Doug Nicholls Round.' Heading into the game against Hawthorn, the Gold Coast Suns had won all seven of their home games in Darwin since making the move to playing two home games per season their since 2022. That trend continued as the Suns led by 14 points at halftime and held on to win 16.8 (104) to 15.6 (96), making it a perfect eight wins from eight games in Darwin. Suns captain Touk Miller: 'It's pretty good, I'm not gonna lie. It definitely means we've got to come back here. We love it here, our record speaks for itself.' Cyril Rioli in the crowd during the game in Darwin. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) The Suns looking to play finals for the first time since joining the AFL in 2011. Hawthorn legend Cyril Rioli was spotted watching the game after the four-time premiership Hawk was absent from the club's 100-year celebrations. Tasmania will join the AFL as the league's 19th team in 2028, but it's not expected to be long before a Northern Territory team is added to the competition. as a 20th team. Adelaide (Kuwarna), Port Adelaide (Yartapuulti), Fremantle (Walyalup), West Coast (Waalitj Marawar), St Kilda (Euro-Yoke) and Melbourne (Narrm) will be referred to by their traditnaional names this weekend. Originally published as AFL greats praise 'special' Welcome to Country to kick off Indigenous Round
ABC News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Ken Hinkley supports Willie Rioli, backs Port Adelaide's stance on 'persistent' racism in AFL
Ken Hinkley has backed Port Adelaide's stance on "persistent, ongoing" racism in the AFL as he throws his arms around troubled forward Willie Rioli. Rioli won't play in the Showdown against Adelaide on Saturday night, having announced his decision to sit out before the league suspended him for one match. It followed Rioli's "unacceptable" threatening message to Western Bulldogs player Bailey Dale and an AFL probe into two verbal threats the 29-year-old Power star allegedly made to a Geelong and an Essendon player. The ban prompted Port to denounce racism in the game, calling on the AFL industry to do more to understand what Indigenous and multicultural players and staff go through on a daily basis. Power coach Hinkley refused to shed any further light on the subject when he fronted the media on Friday. "I'm not going to go into specifics, but I will say that I'm fully supportive of the club's position," Hinkley told reporters. "Unfortunately I've been in this job for a long period of time and continually do see and hear different things that get done and said. "I'm not going to say exactly what that is. "All I want to do is say I fully support our club's position. I couldn't support it any stronger." Hinkley said the Power, which accepted Rioli's suspension, was eager to move on from the drama surrounding the forward's behaviour. As well as serving a one-match suspension, Rioli is required to participate in "education on respectful/non-violent language and conduct". "From my point of view, the most important thing is that Willie's OK and he's under control," Hinkley said. "As has been said all week, we will support Willie and put our arms around Willie and look after him. "He made a mistake. He knows that and he owns that, and the consequences are known to everyone. Rioli could return for Port's match against Geelong on May 17, as he would have served the AFL's one-match ban. But the Power are yet to put a timeline on the 98-game goal-sneak's comeback. "They're not things that are worth chatting about today, other than at the moment we know Willie's doing OK," Hinkley said. "That's all we care for at the moment." Hinkley was asked whether he thought opposition players might try to get under Rioli's skin when he returns. "I would doubt anyone would go there, with the stance that the AFL have now put in place around comments said on the field," he said. "I just don't think you'd go there, but Willie will get our support as he always has. "Willie also has to learn and he knows that. I think he's publicly said that himself that he's got to get better." Rioli, who met with AFL officials on Wednesday, apologised privately to Dale on Monday and again publicly on Thursday. Port wrote to the AFL last month after the heated fallout from Rioli's online post about Hawthorn, concerned about how racist incidents had been portrayed — specifically that players such as Rioli had provoked the abuse. "By framing racist abuse as reactive rather than endemic, we are contributing to a narrative that undermines the AFL's stated commitment to eliminating racism from our game," the club said in a statement on Thursday. Hinkley's own focus had largely been on preparing Port for the Showdown, as they aim to bounce back from a horror 90-point annihilation from the Bulldogs. AAP
