By Australian Football League
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences are warned that the following exhibit may contain images and voices of people who have died.
With the Victorian Football League (VFL) becoming the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990, there have been a significant number of Indigenous players who have played a senior AFL match. Since the inception of the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition in 2017, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have played a senior matches continues to grow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Players
Indigenous players consistently display an exciting skill and talent in the game of football.
Adam Goodes, AFL 2006 Grand Final - Sydney v West Coast (2006-09-30) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
They can change a game in moments with their speed and agility.
Michael Long, AFL 1993 Grand Final - Essendon v Carlton (1993-09-25) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Michael Long’s running goal in the 1993 Grand Final still makes lists of the greatest moments in football. As crucial seconds tick down in the final quarter, Adelaide’s Eddie Betts is adept at weaving in and around his opponents to kick the sealer from the boundary on a regular basis.
Liam Ryan, AFL 2019 Round 11 - West Coast v Western Bulldogs (2019-06-02) by Daniel CarsonAustralian Football League
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players excel in our game, fostering pride and admiration across their communities and for Australians more broadly.
Daniel Rioli, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 10 (2019-05-25) by Darrian TraynorAustralian Football League
The code of Australian Rules Football continues to play an important part in the social fabric and lives of the First Australians and is growing in influence across the industry and the game they have helped to make so exciting.
Dreamtime at the 'G'
Dreamtime at the ‘G, the annual match between Richmond and Essendon was an event championed by AFL Legend Kevin Sheedy and first played in 2005. The aim of the match was to recognise the contribution of all indigenous players to the game of football. It remains one of the most watched and attended games across the AFL Season.
Michael Long, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 10 (2019-05-25) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
It includes The Long Walk – an event in which Michael Long and thousands of other participants, including politicians and community leaders, walk from Federation Square to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to promote reconciliation and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples..
Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 10 (2019-05-24) by Matt KingAustralian Football League
This celebration has now expanded into the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The Dreamtime match features within an annual round of the competition, recognising and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players and culture named in honour of Sir Doug Nicholls, a man who epitomised the spirit of reconciliation and who was a brilliant athlete, playing for Northcote and Fitzroy.
Sir Doug Nicholls portraitAustralian Football League
Sir Doug Nicholls was the first Aboriginal person to be knighted (the only AFL player to have this honor bestowed), served as Governor of South Australia and was devoted to the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Sir Doug NichollsAustralian Football League
Sydney Stack, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 10 (2019-05-25) by Darrian TraynorAustralian Football League
The round is an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players to share their stories about their country, cultures and their identity with the rest of the football community. Each club wears a specially designed guernsey featuring artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, and increasingly by current or past players of the club.
The round also presents an important opportunity to address issues of racism in the AFL and other issues of concern to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples.
Nicky Winmar, AFL 2019 - St Kilda Sir Doug Nicholls Guernsey Launch (2019-05-13) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
In the 1993 season, after a long day of racist abuse from a nasty crowd, St Kilda’s Nicky Winmar turned to his abusers, lifted his jumper and pointed to his skin. As he did so he said “I’m black, and I’m proud to be black”.
This incident lifted the lid on the racial abuse that Indigenous players had suffered, playing a game they loved, to the public.
Nicky Winmar statue, Optus Stadium (2019-07-06) by Daniel CarsonAustralian Football League
In 2019, this moment was immortalized in a bronze statue, now standing proudly outside Optus Stadium in Perth. It is the first statue of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander AFL player.
Adam Goodes, AFL 2005 Media - Sydney Swans Portrait Session (2005-09-20) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
While much has been done to stamp out racism in the sport with the introduction of Rule 30 (now Rule 35), it is unfortunate that Winmar’s case was not an isolated incident and that racism still exists today. Current and past players, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, come together to stand up and call out racism. The 2014 Australian of the Year Adam Goodes leads the way in educating and championing the idea that there is no place for racism anywhere, on or off the field.
Adam Goodes, AFL 2013 Rd 09 - Collingwood v Sydney (2013-05-24) by Andrew WhiteAustralian Football League
The need to call out racism as well as addressing the years of racism that Adam Goodes was subjected to in his final playing years is still being addressed.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Players
The following collection is a celebration of all that our AFL Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players bring to the game we love.
Bradley Hill, AFL 2019 Portraits - Fremantle (2018-03-12)Australian Football League
Lance Franklin, AFL 2015 Portraits - Sydney Swans (2015-02-13) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Daniel Rioli, AFL 2017 Training - Richmond Sunshine Coast 260117 (2017-01-26) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
AFL 2017 - Northern Territory Football (2017-05-28) by Sean GarnsworthyAustralian Football League
Shaun Burgoyne, AFL 2014 - Hawthorn in Katherine (2014-05-11) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 11 (2019-06-01) by Michael DodgeAustralian Football League
Liam Ryan, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 17 (2019-07-13)Australian Football League
Michael Walters, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 16 (2019-07-07) by Daniel CarsonAustralian Football League
Eddie Betts, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 16 (2019-07-07) by James ElsbyAustralian Football League
Aliesha Newman, Photographers Choice - AFLW 2019 Round 06 (2019-03-09) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Paddy Ryder, AFL 2019 Round 11 - St Kilda v Port Adelaide (2019-06-02) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Bradley Hill, AFL 2019 Round 06 - Fremantle v Western Bulldogs (2019-04-27) by Daniel CarsonAustralian Football League
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, AFL 2019 Round 03 - Melbourne v Essendon (2019-05-04) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Cam Rayner, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 06 (2019-04-28) by Jono SearleAustralian Football League
Cyril Rioli, AFL 2015 Rd 18 - Hawthorn v Richmond (2015-07-31) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Eddie Betts, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 05 (2019-05-21) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Ally Anderson, AFLW 2018 Rd 06 - Brisbane v Collingwood (2018-03-10) by Chris HydeAustralian Football League
Liam Ryan, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 09 (2018-05-18) by Will RussellAustralian Football League
Paddy Ryder, AFL 2019 Round 06 - Port Adelaide v North Melbourne (2019-04-26) by James ElsbyAustralian Football League
Liam Ryan, AFL 2019 Round 18 - Melbourne v West Coast (2019-07-21) by Matt KingAustralian Football League
Matthew Parker, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 10 (2019-05-27) by Michael DodgeAustralian Football League
Eddie Betts, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 12 (2019-06-08) by Matt TurnerAustralian Football League
Shaun Burgoyne, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 16 (2019-07-06) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Bradley Hill, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 18 (2019-07-21) by Will RussellAustralian Football League
Lance Franklin, AFL 2017 Round 05 - Sydney v GWS Giants (2017-04-22) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
Sydney Stack, Photographers Choice - AFL 2019 Rd 17 (2019-07-15) by Dylan BurnsAustralian Football League
Liam Ryan, AFL 2018 Toyota AFL Grand Final - West Coast v Collingwood (2019-09-29) by Michael WillsonAustralian Football League
AFL 2000 - Indigenous Football (2000-05-16) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
AFL 2000 - Indigenous Football (2000-05-16) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
AFL 2012 NAB Cup Rd 02 - Adelaide v Brisbane (2012-03-03) by David CallowAustralian Football League
AFL 2005 - Western Bulldogs Community Camp (2005-02-03) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
AFL 2004 Round 20 - Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide (2004-08-14) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Polly Farmer, VFL 1960s - Geelong (1960) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Jim Krakouer, VFL 1989 - North Melbourne (1989) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Jimmy Krakouer, VFL 1980s - North Melbourne (1980) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
Nicky Winmar, AFL 1998 Round 6 - St Kilda v West Coast (1998-05-03) by AFL PhotosAustralian Football League
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