Is the AFL doing enough to support Indigenous talent? Report

[whufc]

I think we owe it too them to ensure they are looked after and are able to adapt to their new surroundings.

I agree when they are drafted they should be looked after and able to adapt but so should any 18yo lad whether they are white, black, brown, yellow, green, blue considering lots are are moving interstate, coming from being a no one to being in the public eye.

What about Aboriginals who are from the city, i can tell you now the Varcoe family hasnt had an easy ride despite not being country.

Everyone who is in the AFL system should be looked after equally. Look at Ben Cousins its not just aborginials who need all the help.

[whufc]

Aboriginals aren't coming from overseas. They are actually Australian ya know.

Proves my point further! We have sports people having to move all over the world adapating in completely different countries, yet according to you Aboriginals have it so much tougher because they have to move to a place with a different language.

Try going from Yaounde to East London to play sport!

[Q.]

Everyone who is in the AFL system should be looked after equally. Look at Ben Cousins its not just aborginials who need all the help.

A priviliged white bloke with more money than sense is not equal to some kid growing up in third world conditions.

[whufc]

Everyone who is in the AFL system should be looked after equally. Look at Ben Cousins its not just aborginials who need all the help.

A priviliged white bloke with more money than sense is not equal to some kid growing up in third world conditions.

Agree but the AFL has a duty of care to every player in its system not just the Aboriginal or under privileged!

[OnSong]

Yeah, because moving from English-speaking Kimba to Melbourne is the same as moving from Yuendemu to Melbourne.

Some people have NFI

Exactly. There wouldn't be one indigenous person who lives in Kimba.

Rechecked. There were four people of indigenous background living in Kimba in 2006.

[scoob]

Maybe the AFL could fund a communal housing for all the crack heads to live together... Racist is still alive and well in the AFL

[scoob]

Aboriginals aren't coming from overseas. They are actually Australian ya know.

Proves my point further! We have sports people having to move all over the world adapating in completely different countries, yet according to you Aboriginals have it so much tougher because they have to move to a place with a different language.

Try going from Yaounde to East London to play sport!

How would the lads from Yaounde handle the third world conditions that East London serves up

[whufc]

Aboriginals aren't coming from overseas. They are actually Australian ya know.

Proves my point further! We have sports people having to move all over the world adapating in completely different countries, yet according to you Aboriginals have it so much tougher because they have to move to a place with a different language.

Try going from Yaounde to East London to play sport!

How would the lads from Yaounde handle the third world conditions that East London serves up

GOLD!!!!!

[Q.]

Aboriginals aren't coming from overseas. They are actually Australian ya know.

Proves my point further! We have sports people having to move all over the world adapating in completely different countries, yet according to you Aboriginals have it so much tougher because they have to move to a place with a different language.

Try going from Yaounde to East London to play sport!

I'm not saying it's tougher to move from overseas.

Our national sporting bodies work in conjunction with the Government to implement these types of Indigenous programs because they are proven to be way more effective in empowering Aboriginals than the redundant method of handouts.

[HH3]

How about the AFL make a system where everyone who is in the system or is in the process of getting drafted get treated EQUALLY.

Sure, have boarding houses, made available to ANYBODY who needs them. Im sure a white kid from Alice Springs would need to adjust as well. Have support there for all kids coming from different socio-economical backgrounds. Aboriginal people should get all the help they can, but so should us whities.

Believe it or not, some white people live in similar conditions to isolated aboriginals. Some suburban families have no food, dont have the power connected, dont have heating and cooling, dont have a phoneline. Some dont have a support network of family and friends around them. Just because they're white, do-gooders think they're fine, when really, they arent and they need some help.

So kids coming from these backgrounds should have the same support coming into the AFL system as Indegenous people. If its more of a "Sorry for the past, this is to make up for it" thing, then I dont its a good idea to have two different pathways based solely on race. In my opinion, that will only create more racial tension.

[RustyCage]

Everyone who is in the AFL system should be looked after equally. Look at Ben Cousins its not just aborginials who need all the help.

A priviliged white bloke with more money than sense is not equal to some kid growing up in third world conditions.

maybe, but the point is anyone who needs help should get it, regardless of race.

[CUTTERMAN]

I'm not involved enough to really comment whether indigenous players need more help or not, so I wont.
What I do find interesting is Kevin Sheedy's comments when the Rendell issue first came up, from memory it was something to the means of "we're gonna run them (anyone who has the same thoughts as that of Rendells) out of the game, we don't need them". Now that Rendell looks to be going to Collingwood I wonder if Kev will still be trying to run Matt out of the game.
It's also very interesting that during a meeting with Demitriou, Mifsud named 3 other officials that had the same opinion as that of Rendell, they or their club have never been named, no journo has ever even suggested who they are or their club. So my point is, if this issue is so important to the likes of Sheedy, Mifsud, Fahour, and Demitriou why hasn't this been taken further? How in fact do we know that Collingwood wasn't one of the clubs whose official had a similar opinion to that of Rendell? Going on from that, if Rendell has been through an "education" process concerning this and the other 3 haven't, how do we know that the problem isn't still apparent at these clubs and one of them might well be the club that employs Rendell which may then comprimise Matt Rendell?
JOKE, THE WHOLE THING IS A JOKE!!

[whufc]

I'm not involved enough to really comment whether indigenous players need more help or not, so I wont.
What I do find interesting is Kevin Sheedy's comments when the Rendell issue first came up, from memory it was something to the means of "we're gonna run them (anyone who has the same thoughts as that of Rendells) out of the game, we don't need them". Now that Rendell looks to be going to Collingwood I wonder if Kev will still be trying to run Matt out of the game.
It's also very interesting that during a meeting with Demitriou, Mifsud named 3 other officials that had the same opinion as that of Rendell, they or their club have never been named, no journo has ever even suggested who they are or their club. So my point is, if this issue is so important to the likes of Sheedy, Mifsud, Fahour, and Demitriou why hasn't this been taken further? How in fact do we know that Collingwood wasn't one of the clubs whose official had a similar opinion to that of Rendell? Going on from that, if Rendell has been through an "education" process concerning this and the other 3 haven't, how do we know that the problem isn't still apparent at these clubs and one of them might well be the club that employs Rendell which may then comprimise Matt Rendell?
JOKE, THE WHOLE THING IS A JOKE!!

What i never got in that whole case is IF!!!!!

Hyperthetically


You are a club like Port Adelaide and struggling for cash you have two identical footballers in every single way except one is an Aboriginal lad from 250km north of Alice Springs, the other footballer is from West Beach. Remembering these two footballers are identical.

Of course your going to take the lad from West Beach, 1/ the chances of him settling into life in Adelaide is greater. 2/being a club struggling financially its going to cost alot less to settle him into life in SA.

[Hondo]

What i never got in that whole case is IF!!!!!

Hyperthetically


You are a club like Port Adelaide and struggling for cash you have two identical footballers in every single way except one is an Aboriginal lad from 250km north of Alice Springs, the other footballer is from West Beach. Remembering these two footballers are identical.

Of course your going to take the lad from West Beach, 1/ the chances of him settling into life in Adelaide is greater. 2/being a club struggling financially its going to cost alot less to settle him into life in SA.

So, if not for any extra help, how does the indigenous lad get an opportunity if we treat them both equally?

Why not set up a program to help the lad in the remote area get into a position where an AFL club doesn't have to ignore him purely for financial reasons? I think you have summed up the dilemma right there.

In my mind the problem with saying "just treat them the same" ignores the reality that the respective starting positions are far from the same.

As for Ben Cousins and any ex AFL player, the AFLPA and the AFL have set up programs that offer them far, far more financial and other help for post-footy life than they did 30 years ago.

I agree with the notion that an under-priveleged white lad should also be helped. What evidence do we have that he isn't?

[Hondo]

I admit I am not an expert on the AFL Academy but at face value it is evidence that the AFL is not just providing support to indigenous lads:

http://www.afl.com.au/ais-afl%20academy ... fault.aspx

There's a program for multi-cultural lads:

http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=639

Apart form that, their spend on game development and junior footy is huge.

I am not trying to spruik for the AFL here and, as said, I am no expert on what these programs are about but my point is that we shouldn't assume that the presence of a program for indigenous lads doesn't mean that nothing is being spent on non-indigenous lads. Why aren't we up in arms about the AFL academy? A lot of those kids would be attending private schools and could fund their development themselves.

[Booney]

You blokes are trying to make it a black and white case. It's much more complex than that.

[overloaded]

Should give them their own side. Works well in the Port Lincoln Football League and Far West FL. Why not AFL?

[whufc]

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?bl ... ments=true

This link was put in another thread but is also slightly relevant here.

Interesting the AFL was very vocal in its support and caring of Liam Jurrah meanwhile very different opinions for the Jesse Stringer incident.

[Phantom Gossiper]

Proves my point further! We have sports people having to move all over the world adapating in completely different countries, yet according to you Aboriginals have it so much tougher because they have to move to a place with a different language.

Try going from Yaounde to East London to play sport!

You f**king joking?! This post just proves you have NFI!!

[Phantom Gossiper]

maybe, but the point is anyone who needs help should get it, regardless of race.

I do agree with this comment, and I think the AFL and clubs should and no doubt do have some sort of structure and support system to be able to help their players.