Goodes praises indigenous support

Sydney champion Adam Goodes says the support for indigenous footballers has never been better, but admits there is still lots of work to do. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

SWANS champion Adam Goodes believes there is a more supportive environment for indigenous players and a greater understanding of their challenges than ever before in the game's history.

But he still believes more needs to be done.

Goodes, who is attending the AFL's indigenous camp in Alice Springs this week and will help coach the All-Stars against Richmond tomorrow night, said significant progress had been made in the time since he attended the inaugural indigenous camp on the outskirts of Craigieburn in 2000.

"I think it's really important that all of the player welfare managers are invited and a lot of the clubs have sent them up to be a part of the camp, part of the workshops and seminars," Goodes said.

"They get to hear about the things we might struggle with at football clubs, and the younger players get to be involved in those discussions."

Since the end of the 2012 season, more indigenous players have left the game than were drafted, and Goodes suggested one reason was that clubs had gambled on drafting players from more remote communities such as central Australia (Liam Jurrah) and (the Kimberley) Zephaniah Skinner.

"We've got to remember where we're plucking some of these kids from. Liam and Zephy, they come from traditional backgrounds and have a lot more demands on them from their community than they have even from their football club," he said.

"They're in the middle of two worlds, one that's a traditional culture and one where they devote themselves to footy.

"And that's incredibly hard. I mean, they've done it tough on their journey just to get drafted and find their way to an AFL club, let alone playing games and making it at that level.

"That's where we as football clubs and leadership groups need to have our eyes wide open to where we're drafting some of these kids from. We do need to care for them a little bit more, and try to understand that while we might be trying to get them to play the best football we can on the weekend, we have to be conscious that they're under pressure to satisfy some unique family needs during the week.

"The last thing we want to do is make kids feel guilty for not being able to help out or provide for his family.

"But even if they leave the game I still see them as successful stories. A lot of people get inspired by what they've managed to achieve, and they will have made it easier for the next kid who wants to jump from a remote community and come to Melbourne to play on the MCG."

Goodes said he believed it would be worthwhile for the AFL to appoint an indigenous welfare officer in each state.

The 33-year-old dual Brownlow medallist said such a person would need to be proactive because "many Aboriginal boys might not feel comfortable about approaching the development officer at their club with their problems".

Goodes said he had tried to take on a mentoring role not only with young Swans footballers, but also indigenous players on the Greater Western Sydney list.

"They can call me up and talk to me, and maybe I can point them in the right direction," Goodes said.

That was another reason he believed the AFL's indigenous camp, held every two years, was so vital.

"As a younger kid I was a bit shy and any chance to hear those great older players talk about their journey, and how tough they had to do it, it was just a really important stepping stone for me to learn from the blokes who had come before me," he said.

"I'm happy that these kids seem to come in with a confidence now and I think that's a credit to the indigenous guys who came before me and broke down barriers."
 

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