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The PM, football and reconciliation

By Michael Gordon

2 August 2005 - JOHN Howard would not claim a close affinity with Aussie rules and he has never been too keen on symbols when it comes to reconciliation. But it was the Prime Minister who articulated the significance of the naming of the indigenous team of the century yesterday.

"This gathering is historic for the game of Australian football," Mr Howard told a big audience at Palladium on Crown after paying his respects to the traditional owners of the land on which the gathering took place.

"It's very symbolic and it's also, for me, a moving occasion because the one great indigenous game of Australia recognises for the first time the massive contribution made by the indigenous peoples of Australia to the game of Australian football."

That was what the event was all about: the connection between the first Australians and Australia's first national game, and how the former had enriched — and been enriched by — the latter.

The connection was summed up neatly by Michael Long, whose walk to Canberra earlier this year focused attention on indigenous disadvantage.

"Thank God for Australian rules football!" Long declared, explaining later that the AFL's encouragement of indigenous players and stand against racial vilification had made Australia a better, fairer place.

Mr Howard was warmly welcomed by Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy, who is well qualified to speak about reconciliation and football. Her father, James, was born in 1896, the year the Victorian Football League was established.

He captained the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Football team and was approached to play for Collingwood. One of her brothers played for St Kilda. Another died from injuries received playing footy in the Latrobe Valley.

Ms Murphy said one could only imagine the barriers and racist taunts that confronted Joe Johnson, who played for Fitzroy in 1904, the first Aborigine to play at the highest level.

She applauded him for leading the way "in times of angst and turmoil" and paid tribute to those, like Long and Nicky Winmar, who took a stand on racism in sport.

Mr Howard picked up on the theme, applauding the AFL for its leadership role in reconciliation and addressing indigenous disadvantage.

"I don't think it does an injustice or is unfair to any of the other great sports of our nation to say that the Australian Football League has probably done more than any other sporting organisation to further the cause of the complete involvement, and the complete acceptance and recognition of indigenous Australians in your sport," he said.

He also congratulated Long on his walk to Canberra, and expressed his willingness to "work together for the betterment of the indigenous people of Australia".

Graham "Polly" Farmer was named first ruck and captain of the team and Barry Cable was rover and coach. Long was one of three Norm Smith Medallists across the centre (with Maurice Rioli and Peter Matera), while Winmar, the first Aborigine to play 200 AFL games, was on a half-forward flank.

"To come to the function and see these great players was truly enough for me, but to be part of the team was awesome," he said later.

Winmar was more willing to take credit for the gesture that drew a line in the sand for indigenous players and drove the AFL's push to end racism in the sport — when he lifted his jumper at Victoria Park in 1993, pointed at his skin and declared that he was black, and proud to be black.

"I'll always be proud of it," he said of the gesture. "It's part of history and it will never, ever go away."

Syd Jackson, rewarded with the other half-forward flank, said he had never dreamed of such an occasion during his playing days in the 1960s, when he was the VFL's only indigenous player.

Jackson's response to racist taunts and actions by players, spectators and, on rare occasions, umpires was to "kick a few more goals and just keep playing footy". But, he said, the careers of many who retaliated were cut short.

Source: The Age

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