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2 © Knowledge Books & Software, 2016 Indigenous Sporting Greats Introduction Australians love both watching and playing sports! Australia places near the top in most high level sports, and we do very well in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. This is great because Australia has a small population compared to other nations. Australia is a sports-loving nation! Australia is well-known as a country that loves sports, sporting heroes and teams! Sports are a means of bonding people from different backgrounds. The sporting team becomes the new ‘tribe’ and the players in these teams are the new ‘chiefs’ of these communities. Sport has long been a bridge within, and between, communities. One of these bridges led right into the heart of the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Indigenous Australians have been involved in sporting games for many thousands of years. European colonists and explorers wrote about contests which lasted a few days and moved several kilometres over a giant playing field. This game was called Marngrook, and was played by both men and women. Marngrook is very similar to the sport played today by the Australian Football League (AFL). In fact, some people believe one of the originators of AFL, Tom Wills, was simply formalising the rules of Marngrook. The unique blend of influences from migrants from other parts of the world, along with the ancient traditions of Indigenous peoples, has helped make Australia what it is today. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the country’s original inhabitants, and they have played a major role in Australian sports at an elite level. The world’s oldest continuous cultural tradition is found with the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Australia’s Indigenous people have
Transcript

2 © Knowledge Books & Software, 2016

Indigenous Sporting Greats

Introduction

Australians love both watching and playing sports! Australia places

near the top in most high level sports, and we do very well in the

Olympic and Commonwealth Games. This is great because Australia

has a small population compared to other nations.

Australia is a sports-loving nation! Australia is well-known as a country

that loves sports, sporting heroes and teams! Sports are a means of

bonding people from different backgrounds. The sporting team

becomes the new ‘tribe’ and the players in these teams are the new

‘chiefs’ of these communities. Sport has long been a bridge within,

and between, communities. One of these bridges led right into the

heart of the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

Indigenous Australians have been involved in sporting games for many

thousands of years. European colonists and explorers wrote about

contests which lasted a few days and moved several kilometres over a

giant playing field. This game was called Marngrook, and was played

by both men and women. Marngrook is very similar to the sport

played today by the Australian Football League (AFL). In fact, some

people believe one of the originators of AFL, Tom Wills, was simply

formalising the rules of Marngrook.

The unique blend of influences from migrants from other parts of the

world, along with the ancient traditions of Indigenous peoples, has

helped make Australia what it is today. The Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander peoples are the country’s original inhabitants , and they

have played a major role in Australian sports at an elite level.

The world’s oldest continuous cultural tradition is found with the

Indigenous peoples of Australia. Australia’s Indigenous people have

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been living here for 50,000 to 80,000 years. Carbon dating continues

to push this time back further into prehistory.

The cultural history of Australia includes many stories such as those of

brave soldiers, battlers and bushrangers. In addition to this, there are

also the sporting heroes, working heroes and the migrants who were

hungry for success.

The Australian climate allows sports to be played throughout the year.

The general lack of snow means outdoor sports can still be played in

winter, and the wealth of sunshine means sports can be played after

work and school. Australia is very proud of, and identifies itself by, its

sporting successes, Indigenous heritage, and its vibrant mix of cultures,

thriving arts scene, and innovation in science and medicine.

If you watch sporting contests in Australia, you will most likely see

Indigenous players involved. Success in the realm of sport can be a

way for Indigenous peoples in remote communities to achieve a higher

social standing and be able to provide for their families.

Great Britain established the first European settlement in Australia at

Sydney Cove in 1788. Their eventual aim was the total colonisation of

the Australian landmass. In terms of population figures, the Indigenous

peoples of Australia were quickly outnumbered by free settlers,

convicts, migrants and the descendants of migrants that arrived in

Australia from about 200 countries. These people all came with their

own traditions, religions, cultures and ways of life which were soon

blended, adopted and modified to form an overall view of what it is to

be ‘Australian’. However, little regard was given to the cultures,

customs and ways of life of the Indigenous population. It is evident that

after colonisation traditional Aboriginal games were almost lost:

nowadays tennis balls are used instead of spears and footballs instead

of waddies.

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The number of Indigenous sporting heroes is enormous! They can be

found in the football codes of Rugby Union, Rugby League, AFL and

soccer, and in many other sports such as tennis, cricket, softball,

boxing and athletics.

Famous Indigenous athletes include: Benn Harradine, Bianca Franklin,

Cathy Freeman, Jacob Groth, Jeff ‘Mitta’ Dynevor, Ken Hampton,

Nicole Cusack, Nova Peris-Kneebone, Tom Dancey, Stacey Campton,

Sharon Finnan, Shane Parker, Robbie Crowther and many others.

Famous Indigenous cricketers include: Bernie Lamont, Dan Christian,

Danny Tye, Darcy Short, Eddie Gilbert, Edna Crouch, Faith Thomas,

Glenn Martin, Guy Grey, Jack Marsh, Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie, Jeff

Cook, Johnny Mullagh (Unaarrimin), Mabel Campbell, Sam

Anderson, Vince Copley and many others.

Famous Indigenous footballers and rugby players include the

following; Adam ‘Goodesy’ Goodes, Alan Karpany, Allistair Pickett,

Ambrose McDonald, Andrew Krakouer, Andrew McLeod, Arthur ‘Big

Artie’ Beetson, Corey Ah Chee, Darrell West, David Peachey, David

Wirrpanda, Justin Thurston and many others.

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Australians have a right to express their culture and beliefs within the

framework of Australia’s law. The law also allows them to participate

freely in their country’s national life. Below are the principles and

shared values supporting Australia’s way of life that everyone is

expected to uphold:

o respect for equal worth, dignity and freedom of the individual;

o freedom of speech and association;

o freedom of religion, and a secular government;

o support for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law;

o equality under the law;

o equality of men and women;

o equality of opportunity;

o peacefulness;

o a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces tolerance, mutual

respect, and compassion for those in need.

As there are simply too many noteworthy Indigenous sportspeople for

them all to be featured, the following pages represent simply an

introduction to our Indigenous sporting heroes. The idea of this book is

to function as a demonstration of the magnificent talent of these

sporting heroes and to give full credit where it is most deserved! It is a

celebration of a dispossessed and badly treated people rising from the

colonisation period to greatness in modern Australia!

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Activities

You might need access to a library or the Internet to answer these

questions.

1. Do some searching and reading into games and sports that

were played by Indigenous Australians prior to European

settlement. Describe the rules for these games below.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. What are some artefacts (ancient pieces of crafts) that have been

discovered in Australia? What do these tell us about the cultural

traditions of the Australian Indigenous population prior to

European settlement?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. Do you follow a local sports team? If so, are there any

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander players on this team? Choose

someone to write a short story/biography about.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Australian Rules Football

Australian Rules football (usually just called 'Aussie Rules') originated in

Melbourne in 1858. From 1915, this game has been played in all

Australian states and territories, and even in New Zealand. The game

is incredibly popular, and it is the most played and watched sport in

Australia. Crowd sizes are enormous!

It is an exciting game on the field and suitable for a class of students to

play. There is a place in the game for people of any size – from tall

kickers to shorter passers. Aussie Rules can be played on any field with

limited resources. Aussie Rules requires a combination of skills

including speed, stamina, and quick reflexes for ball handling and

kicking!

Australian Rules football differs to both rugby and soccer in that it is

watched with equal interest by males and females – the other codes

are watched more by males. It is an exciting game to watch; the rules

are easy to follow and the pace is incredibly quick, making it a perfect

spectator sport.

Originally called the Victorian Football League (VFL), the name was

changed to the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990, after teams

from other states began to join the league throughout the 1980s. The

Victorian Football League still exists, but is a semi-professional league

featuring teams solely from Victoria.

Australia is the only country where Australian Rules football is played in

a professional manner. International matches have been played in

Ireland, but these used rules combined from both Australian Rules

football and Gaelic football.

A 2002 report conducted by the AFL shows that Australian Rules

football is Australia’s leading spectator sport, attracting more than 14

million viewers per year at all levels of the game, in all communities.

Australian Rules football is the main football code in 4 of 6 Australian

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states. Every year the AFL has attracted crowds totalling over 5 million

people at the elite level of competition. There are millions more tuning

in to television and radio broadcasts to follow the victories and defeats

of the sixteen AFL clubs. In addition, some 500,000 Australians

actively support their AFL club by taking out annual club memberships,

thus retaining ownership of 'their team' (AFL 2002).

AFL games are played between two teams comprised of 18 players.

The game is played on a modified cricket field, an Australian Football

ground or a similar-sized sports venue. It feels like a giant oval

paddock to a rugby or soccer player!

The core values of Australians’ aspirations in football include:

o All are equal on the field of play regardless of class and cultural

background. The skills, physical attributes, and tactics that

individual players bring to the game are what is important.

o Fair-play – that all players are bound to the same rules of the

game.

o Recognition of the importance of team-work, particularly during

periods of adversity.

o Belief that we should never give up without a fight and we should

never let our mates down.

o Knowledge that tough defence is as worthy of respect and

reward as expert attack.

o Acknowledgment that individualism should only be celebrated in

so far as it does not diminish cooperative effort and collective

achievement.

This then leads into the Indigenous peoples’ involvement with AFL –

and it has been a long and brilliant participation! Indigenous peoples

had their own team games, so the move to involvement with the

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colonists’ sports was not a major step. Early settler accounts describe

kicking and running games very much like modern AFL played by 20

or more players where the ‘ball’ was fought over and thrown to other

team members.

It would have been a natural progression for colonists and team

coordinators to see the huge potential with Indigenous players. In

some ways, the democratisation and strict rules of the game helped

focus broader Indigenous issues, such as a lack of equality and

opportunity. The racist feelings of some community members were

loudly admonished in the AFL, which helped move the broader

community towards tolerance and a peaceful co-existence.

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Indigenous AFL Achievements

Three Brownlow Medals: Gavin Wanganeen in 1993, while he ws still

at Essendon, before finishing his career at Port Adelaide; Adam

Goodes, of the Sydney Swans, tied with Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley

and Adelaide's Mark Ricciuto in 2003. Goodes went on to win the

award again in 2006.

Six Norm Smith Medals: Maurice Rioli, Richmond (1982); Peter

Matera, West Coast (1992); Michael Long, Essendon (1993); Andrew

McLeod, Adelaide (1997 and 1998), Byron Pickett, Port Adelaide

(2005).

Three AFL Rising Star awards: Byron Pickett, Kangaroos (1998); Adam

Goodes, Sydney (1999); and Danyle Pearce, Port Adelaide, (2006).

Six Sandover Medals: Ted Kilmurray (1958); Polly Farmer (1956,

1957, 1960); Barry Cable (1964, 1968, 1973); Stephen Michael

(1980, 1981); Phil Narkle (1982); Michael Mitchell (1984).

An Indigenous community Australian Rules football game.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aboriginal_ football.jpg

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Indigenous AFL Players

Michael Mitchell

Michael Mitchell was born on the 25th of November, 1961.

He began his senior football career with Claremont in the WAFL. In

1984, he won the Sandover Medal, and he achieved All-Australian

selection in 1985 and 1986.

He signed a three-year contract with Richmond in the VFL in May

1986. He was viewed as one of the most exhilarating players of the

late 1980s and early 1990s, even though this was an unsuccessful era

for Richmond. He was outstanding in terms of pace and his high

leaps. Despite being lightly built, Mitchell was able to chase down

opponents and was also a strong tackler. In 1990, he won both Mark

of the Year and Goal of the Year, being only the second player in the

history of the game to do so.

A number of head injuries and concussions cut short his career.

Justin Murphy

Justin Murphy was born on the 24th of April, 1976. He attended John

Gardiner Secondary College and played junior AFL with the Central

Dragons.

Murphy began his career at Richmond. He later moved to Carlton,

then to Geelong, then back to Carlton before moving on to Essendon

in 2004. This was despite having said during his time at Carlton that

he 'despised' Essendon.

He was a midfielder who also possessed a thumping 55-meter kick. In

the 1999 Preliminary Final, Murphy is remembered as having held the

ball when the final whistle was blown in Carlton’s upset 1 point win

against Essendon.

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He retired from the AFL at the end of 2005, at 29 years of age. He

went on to play in Melbourne's Diamond Valley Football League (later

called the Northern Football League) at the Heidelberg Football Club.

Christopher Lockley "Chris" Lewis

Christopher Lockley Lewis was born on the 17th of March, 1969. He

was one of the sons of Irwin Lewis, a notable sportsman, scholar,

public servant, and Indigenous artist. Chris Lewis played over 200 AFL

games for the West Coast Eagles.

Lewis attended Christ Church Grammar School, an elite independent

school in Western Australia, for his secondary education. His father

and older brothers – Clayton and Cameron – had also attended the

same school. In this school, Year 10 students were not allowed to play

in the First XVIII football team for safety reasons but Lewis was given

an exception because of his extraordinary ability.

He played for the Claremont Football club in the WAFL, and made his

debut with the West Coast Eagles AFL club in 1987. He played a total

of 215 matches for the club, and kicked 259 goals. He was a member

of the 1992 and 1994 West Coast Eagles premiership teams, and also

the 1996 Claremont WAFL premiership team.

Lewis was said to be a highly skilled player but received frequent

suspensions. These suspensions were given to Lewis for biting Todd

Viney’s finger in 1991, poking Stephen Macpherson’s eye in 1992,

and pushing Peter Worsford head-first into the fence in 1993.

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Adam Goodes

Adam Goodes was born in

Wallaroo, South Australia, in

1980. His mother’s nation was

the Adnyamathanha and

Narungga people of South

Australia.

Adam was a great AFL player,

and played over 372 games for

the Sydney Swans. Throughout

his career Adam won 2

Brownlow Medals, 2 AFL

Premierships, 3 Bob Skilton

Medals, and many other

sporting awards. In 2014, he

was awarded Australian of the

Year for his work with

Indigenous issues.

He called out racism when he

saw it. In one match, he did an Indigenous war dance similar to the

New Zealand Haka, and was booed as a result.

He was called an ‘ape’ by a young spectator and Goodes asked for

her removal from the grounds. Some saw this as heavy-handed, but

then again, they were not the ones not being insulted continually!

Adam was a brilliant player, and off the field he continued to represent

Indigenous interests. He even wrote about the association between

Marngrook and the modern form of the game. The many things Adam

did for the sport and his people will always be remembered.

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Les Bamblett

Les Bamblett was born on the 5th of August, 1963. He played with

Melbourne and Footscray in the VFL, and in 1982 he won the Morrish

Medal for the best and fairest player in the VFL Under 19’s

competition. In 1983, Bamblett made a senior debut against

Collingwood in the opening round of the VFL season. During the same

year, he made a further 10 appearances.

He trained at Richmond in the 1984 pre-season, but the club failed to agree with Melbourne on the fee for transfer. This caused him to join the WAFL club Claremont, but he was unable to play a senior game due to lack of clearance. He returned to Victoria after receiving an offer from Footscray.

In the 1984 season, Footscray finished second, with 51 goals made by

Bamblett. He played 24 games during that season which included

three finals. Over the following 3 years, Bamblett only managed to

play another 6 matches as he struggled with injuries.

Laurie Bellotti

Laurie Bellotti was born on the 28th of February, 1976. He played with

the West Coast Eagles in the AFL as a utility player, and was highly

successful in basketball in his hometown of Carnarvon. In 1996, he

joined the Claremont Colts premiership side and in 1998 he played a

full season for the seniors.

In 1999, he played a total of 15 games for the Eagles as a rookie. He

was then promoted from the rookie list after the end of the season.

Bellotti appeared in 9 more games in the AFL, and ended his career at

West Perth in the WAFL.

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Gavin Adrian Wanganeen

Gavin Adrian

Wanganeen was

born on the 18th of

June, 1973, and is

of Kokatha Mula

origin.

He retired from

Australian Rules

football after playing

in two AFL

premierships, one

with Essendon and

one at Port

Adelaide. He is a

Brownlow Medallist

and one of the most

excellent Indigenous

players in the history

of the game.

He played junior

football for the

South Australian Amateur Football League club Salisbury North

Hawks. He later debuted with Port Adelaide in the South Australian

National Football League (SANFL) in 1990, at just sixteen years of age.

He played 24 matches, kicking 46 goals, and won the SANFL Rookie

of the Year award. The following year he joined the Essendon AFL

club.

After debuting at Essendon, Wanganeen found a niche immediately,

playing as an attacking defender. He was an integral part of the team

that defeated Carlton to secure the 1993 Premiership. That same year,

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Gavin Wanganeen was awarded the Brownlow medal, which is given

to the best and fairest player in the league. He retired in 2006 after

300 AFL games! He was the first Indigenous player to win the

Brownlow, and was only one vote away from winning it a second time

in 2003.

Peter Gabriel Burgoyne

Peter Gabriel Burgoyne was born on the 29th of January, 1978, and

his ancestry can be traced to the Kokatha people of South Australia.

While at the Port Adelaide AFL club he mostly played as a midfielder

and on the half back flank.

He grew up in the Northern Territory, and started playing football with

St Mary’s in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL). His

younger brother, Shaun Burgoyne, is also a footballer, and has played

for both Port Adelaide and Hawthorn. Burgoyne’s father is former Port

Adelaide player Peter Burgoyne Senior.

During the changeover from the SANFL to the AFL, Peter Gabriel

Burgoyne was one of those selected from the Port Adelaide SANFL side

to form the inaugural Port Adelaide AFL team. Burgoyne’s

performance caused him to be recognised as an outstanding attacking

midfielder.

He played 240 games with Port Adelaide, and was an important part

of the premiership-winning team in 2004. He retired from the AFL in

2009.

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Shaun Playford Burgoyne

Shaun Burgoyne was born on the 21st of October, 1982. He is the

younger brother of Peter Burgoyne, and the son of Peter Burgoyne

Senior, both former Port Adelaide players. Shaun is of Kokatha

descent.

Shaun Burgoyne made his AFL debut in 2002, for Port Adelaide

Power. He originally played on the forward line, but later became an

effective rebounding defender. He was part of the Port Adelaide

premiership-winning team in 2004.

In 2010, Shaun moved from Port Adelaide to Hawthorn. He had been

Vice-captain at the time, and requested to play for a Victorian club

after his brother Peter retired. At Hawthorn he was given the No. 9

jumper of former club champion Shane Crawford.

Cyril Collard

Cyril Collard was born on the 20th of September, 1934, and is of the

Noongar people of Western Australia. He was the first person from this

community to play for the Hawthorn club. He played for this club

between 1957 and 1958 where he scored three goals.

Cyril began his football career at the Subiaco Football Club. During

his two seasons at the club he was among the top three finishers for

the best and fairest award. He later moved to Melbourne in 1956,

where he trained with Collingwood but instead opted to play with

Hawthorn.

After retiring from professional football, Cyril became a professional

runner. He achieved some success and was able to reach the final of

the Stawell Gift. He also served in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade where

he attained the rank of Senior Fire Fighter.

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Trent Cummings

Trent Cummings was born on the 28th of December, 1973. In the AFL,

he played with Fitzroy and the West Coast Eagles, mostly playing on

the wing or at half forward. Cummings’ great grandfather, Joe

Johnson, and his elder brother Robert, also played for Fitzroy. Joe

Johnson was actually the first Indigenous Australian to play in the

Victorian Football League. This was a family of sports people; Trent’s

father Percy played for Hawthorn.

Selected sixth in the 1993 AFL draft, Cummings played three seasons

with Fitzroy. Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears at the end of the

1996 and Cummings failed to secure a place in the new Brisbane

Lions club. He joined West Coast Eagles with pick 57 in the national

draft even though he had recently undergone a knee reconstruction. In

1997, Cummings only played two games at his new club, with most of

his time spent in the WAFL at Peel Thunder. His career in the league

ended abruptly due to a knee injury he received in a practice match

during the 1998 pre-season.

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William Brian "Bill" Dempsey, MBE

William Brian Dempsey was born on the 17th of March, 1942 in

Birdum, which is a railway settlement in the Northern Territory. He

began his football career at the Buffaloes Football Club in the NTFL.

He also played in the Western Australian National Football League

(WANFL). He was inducted into both the AFL Northern Territory and

the West Australian Football Halls of Fame.

Dempsey played 343 games for West Perth, which is a record that has

only been broken by Mel Whinnen with a total of 371 games played

for the club.

Dempsey made his first appearance in the WANFL in 1960. While

playing as either a ruckman or in defence, Dempsey became a regular

in the West Perth side. In 1966, he won the Breckler Medal as the

club’s best and fairest. He played as part of the premiership side in

1969, 1971, and 1975.

During summers, Dempsey was able to return to the Northern Territory

to play in the NTFL. He was Darwin’s club captain for the 1964 and

1965 seasons. During the 1967-68 seasons, Dempsey was a member

of the undefeated premiership side.

In June 1963, he played his first match for Western Australia against

Tasmania at Subiaco Oval. Overall he played 14 matches for the

state, including 2 matches at the Australian Championships in 1972.

He retired at the end of the 1976 season, at the age of 34.

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Gary Dhurrkay

Gary Dhurrkay was

born on 4th March,

1974. In 1994, he

was part of the East

Fremantle Football

Club’s premiership

side in the WAFL.

Later, in 1995, he

was part of

Fremantle's inaugural

AFL team. Gary was

moved down to the

WAFL in 1998 after

having an inconsistent

season. In the same

year he played in the

East Fremantle

Football Club’s

premiership.

Afterwards he was

delisted by Fremantle.

Gary’s hope was

revived when the

Kangaroos gave him a second chance, selecting him in the 1998 draft

with selection 31. In the 1999 and 2000 season at his new club, he

played 21 games, before retiring in mid-2000. After this, he became

the leader of Marngarr community in Arnhem Land in the Northern

Territory.

Gary died at 31 years of age in a fatal car accident on the Melville Bay

Road, Arnhem Land.

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Alf Egan

Alf Egan was born on the 3rd of April, 1910, and was the first

Indigenous Australian to play for both the Carlton and North

Melbourne clubs in the VFL. Egan appeared in the 1932 VFL Grand

Final as a centre half forward to replace Jack Green who got injured.

Unfortunately, Egan was not able to push his team to a win.

Jeff Farmer

Jeff Farmer was born on the 24th of June, 1977. He was the first

Indigenous player to kick 400 goals in the AFL.

In 1995, Farmer began his professional football career with the

Melbourne Football Club. He was regarded as one of the most

stimulating players of the AFL and was known as the ‘The Wizard’ due

to his ability to score goals where no one could see one coming.

In 2000, at the MCG while playing against Collingwood, he managed

to score 9 goals in the second half. He completed the 2000 season

with a career best of 76 goals after which he was chosen for the All-

Australian team.

At the end of 2001, Farmer was traded to Fremantle. He played 118

games and scored 259 goals for Fremantle. He was later traded to

Melbourne. He retired from the AFL at the end of the 2008 season.

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Charlie Stewart

Charlie Stewart was born on the 19th of March, 1939. He played with

Footscray in the VFL, and later became a coach.

In 1957, he played reserve grade for Essendon, and did the same

when he later joined Footscray. He moved to Footscray after being

cleared in April 1961, and that same year he played 20 matches in

the VFL season.

Syd Jackson

Syd Jackson was born on the 1st of July, 1944. He played with the

Carlton Blues during the 1970s, usually in the centre or half forward

flank.

His professional football career started in 1963 at East Perth. Jackson

was equal first in that year's Sandover Medal count, even though he

was ineligible due to suspension. He was named East Perth's best and

fairest in 1966.

After being recruited by Ron Barassi, he made his debut with Carlton

in 1969. In 1970 and 1972 he was part of the premiership-winning

team for the Blues. To ensure Jackson played in the grand final, false

information was given to a tribunal that was looking into a fight

between Syd Jackson and Lee Adamson. After 22 years, Jackson

disclosed it was club president, George Harris, who told him to say the

fight occurred because of racial provocation.

Norm McDonald

Norm McDonald was born on the 25th of December, 1925. In 1949

and 1950 he played in the Essendon premiership teams, and won the

Essendon Best and Fairest award in 1951.

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Activities

© Knowledge Books & Software, 2016 23

Activities

You might need access to a library or the Internet to answer these

questions.

1. Research the rules of Gaelic football. How does Gaelic football

differ from Australian Rules football?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. What are some of the ways the AFL has attempted to combat

racism?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the Brownlow Medal given for?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4. Name one of the Indigenous AFL stars you have been following.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Activities

24 © Knowledge Books & Software, 2016

5. Go back through the biographies listed above and place them in a timeline from the earliest players to the most recent.

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