VFL Indigenous Round will be celebrated for the second consecutive year at Victoria Park. The theme for Indigenous Round this year is Identity.
Identity is a concept central to Indigenous people, particularly in terms of heritage, community involvement and acceptance. Having the themed game at Victoria Park is of extra significance this year due to the 20th anniversary of the game at Victoria Park where Nicky Winmar lifted his Guernsey and pointed to his skin. This is the single most powerful statement of Aboriginal identity in the history of the game.
At Victoria Park this Saturday, a curtain raiser game between the Under 16’s Kickstart Squad versus the Multicultural Squad (Ahmed Saad Squad) will kick off the VFL Indigenous Round. This will be the beginning of a two game series which will conclude on Multicultural Round in Round 13.
The Under 16’s is an extension to the Under 15’s State Indigenous program which included regional trials, a high performance weekend, State camp and the National Championships. A further addition to this year’s program has been created with the Laguntas team for 16 – 18 year old Victorian Indigenous youth playing three TAC Cup invitational games.
The Coodabeen Champions will broadcast live from Victoria Park from 10am - midday, so tune to 774am ABC Radio for interviews and update scores from the ground.
Prior to the Peter Jackson VFL game between Collingwood and Essendon at Victoria Park, a “Welcome to Country” Ceremony will introduce proceedings followed by the national anthem being sung by 20 year old Angel Renee Bruce who is the Sport & Recreation Officer from the very remote community of Alpurrurulam, which in the Northern Territory. It is 600kms north east of Alice Springs and 250kms north east from Mt Isa.
The celebration of Identity at Victoria Park as part of Indigenous Round is just one event arranged by AFL Victoria this weekend. Other activities coordinated by AFL Victoria include:
- 140 local Victorian Indigenous Auskick participants will be taking part in the half time Auskick grid games with representation from the following NAB Auskick centres: Dandenong, Nowa Nowa, Fitzroy Stars, Rumbalara and Warrnambool
- A Dreamtime Career Expo will be taking place at the Korin Gamadji Institute, Richmond Football Club, ME Bank Centre, Punt Road Oval.
- The AFL in partnership with Rio Tinto has developed an U24 program to maximise talent and employment opportunities. The program is a two week program, with the first week held in Perth and a second to be held in Melbourne. This includes a Northern vs Southern match for U24 Indigenous Players to be played on the MCG as a certain raiser to Dreamtime at the G. There are 9 Victorian participants in this program.
- AFL Victoria, the North Melbourne Football Club and with the help of Indigenous Ambassador and current North Melbourne player, Lindsay Thomas, have partnered to create an academy for participants aged 11-14 to take part in both boys and girls football as well as netball. The academy is open to Indigenous boys (AFL only) and girls (AFL and netball) aged 11-14 years, inclusion in the Academy will be based on character, commitment to education and community and club engagement. The Academy will be launched on Sunday as part of the North Melbourne vs Adelaide game at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Last Modified on 23/05/2013 16:46