Indigenous Round will take place across Round Nine of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season, May 23-25 and features and range events and activites.
The round was launch today in Adelaide with Port Adelaide’s six Indigenous players joined by AFL General Manager National and International Development David Matthews and former Essendon Champion Michael Long.
Speaking at the launch today, David Matthews paid tribute to the integral role Indigenous players and communities have played in Australian football.
""There are 87,000 Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people participating in Australian football programs and their passion for the game is reflected at the highest level with 72 Indigenous players currently on AFL club lists.
""The AFL’s Indigenous programs have a role to play in health, education and leadership,"" Mr Matthews said
All eight matches during Indigenous Round will feature a Welcome to Country ceremony, a symbolic ceremony where the traditional custodians of the land welcome members of the wider community to their traditional land. Four matches will involve curtain-raisers.
The round will also feature the annual presentation of the Nowalenko Award. The award will recognise a retired state league or AFL Indigenous player who has embraced leadership roles in AFL football, their club or in the community. The word Nowalenko comes from the Woiwurrung language, spoken in Melbourne and the Yarra Valley in Victoria and refers to success, effect and distinction in relation to a contribution to the community.
Other highlights of the Indigenous Round include
Welcome to Country ceremonies before all eight matches.
Four curtain raiser matches featuring Indigenous teams.
96 children from remote and isolated Indigenous communities from around Queensland to watch the Brisbane Lions V St Kilda game and participate in a range of activities.
The Flying Boomerangs Indigenous Youth Team will come together in Melbourne to participate in leadership training and other activities
Key Indigenous Statistics
· The AFL’s Indigenous programs reach over 87,000 Indigenous people or 36% of Australia’s total Indigenous male population.
· There are currently 25 Australian Football Indigenous Academies across the country. Clontarf Foundation is working in WA and NT in cooperation with AFL State affiliates where appropriate, while the AFL has academies in NSW, QLD and Vic independently of Clontarf.
WA – Regional: Kununnurra, Broome, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Albany, Bunbury, Halls Creek Metro: Perth, Yule Brook, Hamilton Hill
: Kununnurra, Broome, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Albany, Bunbury, Halls Creek Metro: Perth, Yule Brook, Hamilton HillNT – Alice Springs: Yirara College, ANZAC High School, Alice Springs High School, Centralian College Darwin - Sanderson High School, Palmerston High School, Katherine High School
QLD - Djarragun College, Gordonvale
Djarragun College, GordonvaleNSW – Blacktown, Campbelltown
– Blacktown, CampbelltownVictoria – Munarra Institute – Shepparton
– Munarra Institute – SheppartonSA - Para West Indigenous Sports Academy, Rostrevor Academy
Para West Indigenous Sports Academy, Rostrevor Academy· Four AFL Clubs are currently engaged with Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to deliver the Club Fostership Program, namely:
Essendon - Wadeye
Geelong - Gove & Groote
Richmond - Alice Springs
Collingwood – Katherine.
· Adelaide and Port Adelaide are currently planning to foster communities in the APL Lands and Ceduna region in South Australia.
· A total of 189 Indigenous players have played AFL/VFL football. Currently there are 72 Indigenous players on AFL Club lists; the most to be listed in a single season in VFL/AFL history. This number makes up 10% of the AFL competition, as it was last year, the highest ratio it has ever been.
· In February, the AFL’s Indigenous youth team, The Flying Boomerangs, toured South Africa playing three matches against local sides.
· Since joining the AFL in 1997, 13 Indigenous players have debuted for Port Adelaide. This is the second highest number in the AFL behind Fremantle (18) and equal with Essendon (13).
· 13 Indigenous players have played 200 games or more matches; with David Wirrpanda set to make it 14 as he is due to play his 200th in Indigenous Round (Nine).
· Seven Indigenous players have played more than 250 games.
· Only one Indigenous player has reached 300 games (Gavin Wanganeen) but Andrew McLeod is nearing the 300 game milestone with 291 after round 8.
Top 10 Indigenous player games
300 - Gavin Wanganeen (Essendon/Port Adelaide)
291 - Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
278 - Michael O'Loughlin (Sydney)
268 - Darryl White (Brisbane)
264 - Chris Johnson (Fitzroy/Brisbane)
253 - Peter Matera (West Coast)
251 - Nicky Winmar (St Kilda/Western Bulldogs)
237 - Jeff Farmer (Melbourne/Fremantle)
217 - Adam Goodes (Sydney)
216 - Peter Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)
Indigenous Player Honours:
3 Brownlow Medals: Adam Goodes (2003, 2006), Gavin Wanganeen (1993)
6 Norm Smith Medals: Maurice Rioli, Peter Matera, Michael Long, Andrew McLeod (twice) and Byron Pickett;
24 All Australian players
27 Premiership players
3 NAB AFL Rising Star award winners: Byron Pickett (1998, Adam Goodes (1999), Danyle Pearce (2006)
· Four Indigenous players were picked up in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft; a further 6 were recruited in the Rookie Draft.
· Since 1980, 156 Indigenous players have made their AFL/VFL debut. Prior to 1980, just 23 Indigenous players had played in the elite competition.
· So far in 2008, three Indigenous players have been nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star Award: Josh Hill (Round 2) Cyril Rioli (Round 6), Austin Wonaeamirri (Round 7).
· There are 94 AFL SportsReady Indigenous Trainees: 44 full-time, 10 part time and 40 school based. This equates to 17% of all traineeships nationally.
