I would like to nominate Nicky Winmar for the AFL Hall of Fame for doing one of the most famous, brave and inspiring acts I have ever seen on a football field when he lifted his St K jumper and showed them the pride in the colour of his skin to racist taunts of the Collingwood crowd at Victoria Park. For those too young, Victoria Park, particularly the Collingwood members flank was one of the most abusive and nasty sections of football spectators in Australia. There treatment of opposition players particularly coloured was well known.

Here's my own odd story of a day out at Victoria Park as a young boy.

It was 1985, Round 3. And I was 11 years old.

Usually I went to the footy with my mum. But that day she was sick and couldn't go. I wasn't going to go but my mum encouraged me to go. So as an 11 year old, all on my lonesome, I took the train out to Vic Park, wearing my classic mid 80's Melbourne long sleave light blue jumper with reigning Brownlow Medalist Peter Moore's number on my back.

I get out there and decide I would look for any significant group of Melbourne supporters and just stay close.

So after a tight first half we led at halftime by 1 point and Peter Moore is playing a great game. I'm standing there at halftime minding my own business eating a sandwich and this Collingwood supporter nudges me and says "You've got guts wearing that number on your jumper out here mate."

I just smile hoping he'll just leave me alone. He didn't.

So then he says......

"Are you an [censored] or a wog?"

I didn't know how to reply. I just quietly said "I'm aboriginal."

He nods and then says.....

"You must be the only [censored] who barracks for Melbourne mate."

I remember smiling to myself, half insulted and half proud. Wow, I thought, I'm the only "[censored]" who barracks for Melbourne!!!!!

Anyway, we ended up losing by 10 points after leading by a couple of points at 3 quarter time. Peter Moore played great, couldve been BOG. And I made it home in one piece.

Thankfully there are more of us now

No Derek Kickett or Gilbert McAdam?

Mal Michael. Polly Farmer. Brian Peake. Barry Cable.

Mal Michael. Polly Farmer. Brian Peake. Barry Cable.

Like I said in my post, I only included players I saw play. Didnt see Farmer or Cable play so didn't include them. But no doubt they'd be in an all-time team.

Other than that, Mal Michael is from Papua New Guinea.

And Brian Peake is Maori.

Also on the subject, Greg Williams isn't aboriginal. From memory he is of Maltese heritage.

And I'll add Jared Brennan of Brisbane to the list of often mis-identified indigenous players. He's from the Northern Territory but he isn't aboriginal.

Thankfully there are more of us now

Good to know.

Like I said in my post, I only included players I saw play. Didnt see Farmer or Cable play so didn't include them. But no doubt they'd be in an all-time team.

Other than that, Mal Michael is from Papua New Guinea.

And Brian Peake is Maori.

Also on the subject, Greg Williams isn't aboriginal. From memory he is of Maltese heritage.

And I'll add Jared Brennan of Brisbane to the list of often mis-identified indigenous players. He's from the Northern Territory but he isn't aboriginal.

Didn't Brennan play in the AFLs indeginous match last year or the year before?

And we're all forgetting the the whitest black fella of all from the Crows!

Give it a couple of years and I think Ryder would be ahead of Goodes as a ruckman.

Farmer would be a shoe in for your side if you'd seen him play of course

Like I said in my post, I only included players I saw play. Didnt see Farmer or Cable play so didn't include them. But no doubt they'd be in an all-time team.

Other than that, Mal Michael is from Papua New Guinea.

And Brian Peake is Maori.

Also on the subject, Greg Williams isn't aboriginal. From memory he is of Maltese heritage.

And I'll add Jared Brennan of Brisbane to the list of often mis-identified indigenous players. He's from the Northern Territory but he isn't aboriginal.

Oh, sorry, I just noticed your reply, I didn't mean Mal Michael, my mistake, but Michael from Fremantle, WAFL, years ago.

Going off only the indigenous players that I've seen play the game my team would have to be

FB: G. Wanganeen, D. White, C. Johnson

HB: M. Whelan, R. Clarke, M. Long

C: Pe. Matera, L. Davis, Aa. Davey

HF: S. Charles, M. O'Loughlin, Ph. Matera

FF: D. Motlop, L. Franklin, J. Farmer

Foll: A. Goodes, N. Winmar, A. McLeod

Int: C. Bateman, B. Pickett, C. Rioli, P. Ryder

Emerg: P. Burgoyne, S. Burgoyne, C. Lewis

Oh, sorry, I just noticed your reply, I didn't mean Mal Michael, my mistake, but Michael from Fremantle, WAFL, years ago.

Stephen Michael is regarded as one of the best players to have never played in the VFL/AFL. He is CHF in the Indigenous team of the Century. He played for South Fremantle from 1975 to '85. Plenty of VFL clubs had a dip at trying to get him to come across but he continually refused.

Many in the West, regard him as the best aboriginal player to have played the game. It's hard to judge from here, having only seen highlights of him. And it will always be a question mark next to his name having not played the game at the elite level. Would have loved to have seen him play in the VFL.

Going off only the indigenous players that I've seen play the game my team would have to be

FB: G. Wanganeen, D. White, M. Whelan

HB: S. Burgoyne, R. Clarke, M. Long

C: Pe. Matera, L. Davis, Aa. Davey

HF: S. Charles, M. O'Loughlin, Ph. Matera

FF: D. Motlop, L. Franklin, J. Farmer

Foll: A. Goodes, N. Winmar, A. McLeod

Int: J. Murphy, B. Pickett, C. Rioli, P. Ryder

Emerg: P. Burgoyne, C. Lewis, A. Lovett

That's a great team.

I like that you name Sean Charles. Sean was a great talent (and I'm not just saying that because he is a relo of mine). Seans problem was getting his head around the demands of 'professional' football. That and a sorry run of injuries. Would have loved to have seen what he could have done if he had played 200 games. Unfortunately he only played a few over 50.

Stephen Michael is regarded as one of the best players to have never played in the VFL/AFL. He is CHF in the Indigenous team of the Century. He played for South Fremantle from 1975 to '85. Plenty of VFL clubs had a dip at trying to get him to come across but he continually refused.

Many in the West, regard him as the best aboriginal player to have played the game. It's hard to judge from here, having only seen highlights of him. And it will always be a question mark next to his name having not played the game at the elite level. Would have loved to have seen him play in the VFL.

That's a great team.

I like that you name Sean Charles. Sean was a great talent (and I'm not just saying that because he is a relo of mine). Seans problem was getting his head around the demands of 'professional' football. That and a sorry run of injuries. Would have loved to have seen what he could have done if he had played 200 games. Unfortunately he only played a few over 50.

I agree was a bit of a freak Sean Charles with some of the stuff he could do. He played some brilliant games for Melbourne and even one or two for the Saints. A shame he had such a bad run with injuries but one of those players I'll never forget.

Interesting team - no Jeffrey Farmer but could find room for Matthew Stokes?

Seriously, this perennial bum patter does not know it......

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