That’s the tip from North Melbourne speedster Daniel Wells who says the AFL-themed fixture will provide indigenous players with a further reason to shine.
Wells personally vowed to have an “extra spring in his step” on Saturday at Docklands and said the bond he shared with the other 81 indigenous players on AFL lists would be strengthened by the weekend.
“I suppose we’re always encouraging each other to just keep doing well,” Wells said.
“There’s not many of us in the competition.
“Looking at the numbers today I guess there are a lot of us, but it’s just a bond we have and it’s something we share together.”
Wells joined three other rising stars – Eddie Betts, Josh Hill and Travis Varcoe – in Melbourne on Tuesday to launch the AFL’s Indigenous Round.
While Saturday night’s ‘Dreamtime at the G’ match between Richmond and Essendon has become the prominent feature of the annual round, all eight matches this weekend will mark the contribution members of the indigenous community have made to Australian football.
Eleven per cent of AFL players are indigenous and 10 per cent of 2008 draftees had Aboriginal heritage. That compares to just 2.5 per cent of general indigenous representation of Australia’s population.
AFL Foundation CEO and indigenous programs manager Jason Mifsud said the figures were indicative of the passion for the game which Indigenous Australian had.
“In many parts of Australia, our game is the preferred sport and the AFL’s indigenous programs reach over 90,000 Indigenous people,” Mifsud said.
“Their passion for the game is reflected at the highest level with 82 indigenous players currently on AFL club lists.”
Highlights of the Indigenous Round include:
- All eight matches during Indigenous Round will feature a Welcome to Country ceremony, where traditional custodians welcome the wider community to their land.
- Indigenous teams will play curtain-raisers at three of the rounds’ matches:
- Brambuk Eels (West Victoria) v Imalu Tigers (Tiwi Island) – Richmond v Essendon
- APY Thunder v Maralinga Eagles – Adelaide v Carlton
- Yamitji Sharks (Geraldton) v Nyoongar country – West Coast v Collingwood
- The fifth annual Dreamtime at the ‘G match on Saturday night between Richmond and Essendon. Pre-match entertainment from acclaimed indigenous artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
- The Long Walk departs Federation Square at 5.50pm Saturday May 23, heads through Birrarung Marr, over the William Barrack Bridge to the MCG.
- Twenty-four 11-year-old boys and girls involved in Qantas AFL KickStart from Far North Queensland will participate in The Long Walk and will play in the centre grid match during the Dreamtime at the G halftime break.
- The 2009 Flying Boomerangs will participate in The Long Walk and will walk a lap of the MCG during the Dreamtime at the G half-time break.
- Qantas will donate $50 for every goal scored in all eight matches this weekend to The Long Walk.
- Tributes to Andrew McLeod at Adelaide v Carlton, AAMI Stadium and David Wirrpanda at West Coast v Collingwood, Subiaco Oval on Saturday May 23.
- Indigenous academy members in Sydney will attend the Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide match and walk a lap of the SCG at half-time break on Sunday May 24.
