I don't know how good this young prospect is but on an emotional level, I hope that he finds his way to our club and I've chosen him as the player to kick off our coverage of the forthcoming national championships - AFL HOPEFUL HAS MORE THAN JUST FOOTBALL HERITAGE

Naturally, emotion counts for nothing when drafting footballers but I wish him well. He and I have a connection in that every day I wear a black bracelet which commemorates his great, great grandfather William Cooper.

The young man is also blood-connected to Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls because Doug's maternal grandfather was Aaron Atkinson, who was the brother of William Cooper.

The draft used to provide a relief from on field performances but now I just don't want to get wrapped up in the draft anymore.

I just can't get really excited about a draftee now knowing that we will have to wait 5 years to see any results and even then they could be a dud! (Morton, Watts etc)

...... But this was a nice article

This being Indigenous Round, this article is extremely timely - even more so in the wake of the Nathan Lovett-Murray stabbing that just occurred. I haven't heard that it's race-related, but it still shows the problems that many indigenous people face in this country.

Bugger the PC stuff at the risk of being labelled Andrew Bolt I'll say it: Dude is white!

Bugger the PC stuff at the risk of being labelled Andrew Bolt I'll say it: Dude is white!

Don't know if you're trying to be witty or funny but that is in poor taste.

Don't know if you're trying to be witty or funny but that is in poor taste.

Yeah maybe, but this guys great great grandfather was half indigenous. Now presuming he doesn't have any more indigenous heritage that makes him 1/64 indigenous which is why he as he says "because I don't have dark skin, people look at me and don't think I'm indigenous".

Now I'm not saying the guy has no right to claim he's indigenous or be proud of indigenous culture but what about his white heritage. Should he celebrate his great great grandfather for being a top bloke because that's what it sounds like he was more than whatever background he was.

The thing that irks me about the situation is this bit "He started his scholarship at Melbourne Grammar when he was 16 because he felt that if he moved there, his football would be seen by more people than if he stayed back at home in Mooroopna.

But he also knew it would make him a better student, that he would concentrate harder, creating other opportunities. The school's indigenous program has helped him to think about what else he would like to do, though football is what he loves more than anything."

I mean if Melbourne Grammar want to justify handing out scholarships to help their footy team and also teach their students a thing or two by an indigenous program why don't they go into Yuendumu and get the next Liam Jurrah out of that hell hole. Get a fully initiated indigenous man living in third world conditions and give him an education so he's worldly enough to not get into trouble when he goes home and can help the community.

He said he never felt held back by his hertiage and at the same time isn't sure his heritage is widely known.

Yeah maybe, but this guys great great grandfather was half indigenous. Now presuming he doesn't have any more indigenous heritage that makes him 1/64 indigenous which is why he as he says "because I don't have dark skin, people look at me and don't think I'm indigenous".

Now I'm not saying the guy has no right to claim he's indigenous or be proud of indigenous culture but what about his white heritage. Should he celebrate his great great grandfather for being a top bloke because that's what it sounds like he was more than whatever background he was.

The thing that irks me about the situation is this bit "He started his scholarship at Melbourne Grammar when he was 16 because he felt that if he moved there, his football would be seen by more people than if he stayed back at home in Mooroopna.

But he also knew it would make him a better student, that he would concentrate harder, creating other opportunities. The school's indigenous program has helped him to think about what else he would like to do, though football is what he loves more than anything."

I mean if Melbourne Grammar want to justify handing out scholarships to help their footy team and also teach their students a thing or two by an indigenous program why don't they go into Yuendumu and get the next Liam Jurrah out of that hell hole. Get a fully initiated indigenous man living in third world conditions and give him an education so he's worldly enough to not get into trouble when he goes home and can help the community.

He said he never felt held back by his hertiage and at the same time isn't sure his heritage is widely known.

Melbourne Grammar do give scholarships to kids in developing communities - the biggest of which every year they provide a scholarship to a partnership school in PNG and they also give scholarships to indigenous kids from around Australia.

They also undertake two annual Northern Territory trip and help out local communities, one football and one normal trip.

He is right, rural schools don't have the funds to spend on resources as private schools, and he is more likely to be scouted at a school in the city. Ellis (Hawthorn), Hawkins (Geelong), May (GCS), Rioli (Hawthorn) - all kids from private schools, two of them premership winners, two of them indigenous, three of them on scholarships, three from rural areas, three of them from Melbourne Grammar.

I think it's a bit rich for you to sit there and say that the kid is white and then if the school is serious about indigenous wellfare then why dont they give scholarships to kids in poorer communities - when you clearly dont know what the school does, and if they are serious about footy go for a LJ instead of him.

They have given a scholarship to a deserving kid.

Actually he's just as likely wrong about moving to Melbourne Grammar to develop his football. TAC clubs and recruiters bemoan regularly that private school kids don't get TAC time and therefore can be underdeveloped. They hate that the kids have to train separately from their squads and play APS/AGS football. If the kid was already at Murray Bushrangers and heading towards Vic Country then coming to boarding school in Melbourne may not help his footy at all. Recruiters find it hard to judge APS football because the standard is hugely variable so he will be diminishing his chances to play TAC footy and show off his talents.

And I never said he wasn't deserving of his scholarship, he's obviously a good kid, a good footballer and has an indigenous background.

But if I was offering scholarships to join an indigenous program I wouldn't pick the fair skinned kid who's friends don't know he's indigenous (ie. he doesn't openly display his culture) who grew up in the tough streets of Mooroopna and just got back from a holiday to the US.

Bugger the PC stuff at the risk of being labelled Andrew Bolt I'll say it: Dude is white!

And you point is? Have you ever been to the Kimberley or Kakadu, where there are fair skinned, red headed indigenous people? The colour of the skin is just not important, it is what is in the blood and the spirit. That is not for anyone on here to judge. Yours was an ill advised post and you should apologise.

And you point is? Have you ever been to the Kimberley or Kakadu, where there are fair skinned, red headed indigenous people? The colour of the skin is just not important, it is what is in the blood and the spirit. That is not for anyone on here to judge. Yours was an ill advised post and you should apologise.

I had no point. It was more an observation. I won't apologise for calling a fair skinned person fair skinned. The rest of my posts in this thread explain my other thoughts.

Bugger the PC stuff at the risk of being labelled Andrew Bolt I'll say it: Dude is white!

His heritage is indigenous no matter how you look at his skin colour - and he's proud of that heritage.

That's what matters.

I had no point. It was more an observation. I won't apologise for calling a fair skinned person fair skinned. The rest of my posts in this thread explain my other thoughts.

Bugger the PC stuff at the risk of being labelled Andrew Bolt I'll say it: Your thoughts are inane.

Actually he's just as likely wrong about moving to Melbourne Grammar to develop his football. TAC clubs and recruiters bemoan regularly that private school kids don't get TAC time and therefore can be underdeveloped. They hate that the kids have to train separately from their squads and play APS/AGS football. If the kid was already at Murray Bushrangers and heading towards Vic Country then coming to boarding school in Melbourne may not help his footy at all. Recruiters find it hard to judge APS football because the standard is hugely variable so he will be diminishing his chances to play TAC footy and show off his talents.

And I never said he wasn't deserving of his scholarship, he's obviously a good kid, a good footballer and has an indigenous background.

But if I was offering scholarships to join an indigenous program I wouldn't pick the fair skinned kid who's friends don't know he's indigenous (ie. he doesn't openly display his culture) who grew up in the tough streets of Mooroopna and just got back from a holiday to the US.

Where does it say he was given the scholarship as part of an indigenous program?

Where does it say he was given the scholarship as part of an indigenous program?

I'm guessing on that one. But if you at the trend in APS sports that started with Cyril Rioli at Scotch the APS schools started justifying their sports scholarships that help their footy teams based on taking Indigenous kids. I know MGS jumped on board with Steven May who was actually recruited in an US college style pledge from both MGS and Scotch.

I'm guessing on that one. But if you at the trend in APS sports that started with Cyril Rioli at Scotch the APS schools started justifying their sports scholarships that help their footy teams based on taking Indigenous kids. I know MGS jumped on board with Steven May who was actually recruited in an US college style pledge from both MGS and Scotch.

Regardless if it was given for an indeginous program, as mentioned previously, the school does a number of indeginous programs and community service.

The kid clearly deserves it, stop making this about the colour of his skin.

Everything you have said doesn't excuse your asinine comments on his skin colour and heritage, and that if it was for an indeginous program it should have gone to a darker kid.