Nominations open for NT individuals, teams, gamesTHE history-making Northern Territory team that won Division 2 in the 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival is a strong contender to become part of the AFL Northern Territory's Football Hall of Fame, according to the man who will help decide on these things.
Bryan Moroney, a veteran of NT football and administration since his playing debut with the Darwin Buffaloes in 1958, and chair of the Hall of Fame committee, yesterday said that that team was one of several such teams that could one day be inducted into Territory football's Hall of Fame, alongside individuals.
The AFLNT last week announced plans to form its own centre to enshrine the feats of the Territory's footballer and those associated with the game since its formation in 1917. The first inductees are expected to be announced late next year.
"Generally speaking, most of our representative sides usually contained about 75 per cent of Aboriginal players, even as high as 85 per cent," Moroney said. "The Bicentennial side of 1988 is right up there (for consideration). Then there's the NTFL side that played St Kilda in 1969. There were some great Aboriginal players in that team like Steve Abala, Leon Gregory, Jimmy Anderson and Jerry Roe."
The NT side that defeated the Victorian Football Association at the 1988 carnival contained several of football's emerging stars and leading veterans who would later become household names, including Michael Long, Michael McLean, Maurice Rioli, Dennis Dunn, Mark Motlop, Paul Motlop and Benny Vigona among others.
Dunn topped the division's goalkicking with 16 -- doubling that of next best, South Australia's Stephen Kernahan -- and Long, McLean and Rioli won selection in the All-Australian side that encompassed divisions 1 and 2. The trio were in fact the only Indigenous players in the honorary team.
Moroney yesterday said the call has been put out to all leagues across the Northern Territory. The AFLNT's affiliated leagues include those in Katherine, the Barkly and Gove regions, the Alice Springs-based AFL Central Australia, the Tiwi Islands Football League, the Top End Australian Football Association, Masters Rules (Super rules) and, of course, the Northern Territory Football League, all with a rich history of Indigenous football.
"We’ve already contacted key people in the various leagues and sent them the criteria for induction," he said. "We're inviting nominations from everyone, the general public, too. We're going to make a digital record these and it will become part of our history."
As well as individuals and teams, games will also be considered for induction.
"The first one that comes to mind is the 1994 All-Stars and Collingwood game," Moroney said. "We expect there to be up to five inductees in the Hall of Fame per year. We've adapted ours from the various football bodies from around Australia. We've utilised the best out those to what suits our needs the best."
* Nomination forms along with the selection criteria and charter are now available through AFLNT for those people wishing to make a nomination. Visit the
AFLNT.com.au website for more information.
* Pictured above is the Nightcliff Football Club contingent of the NT side that played at the Bicentennial carnival. The players include Mark Motlop (left), Michael McLean (third from right) and Paul Motlop (right) See the Photo Gallery > June 2009 for a larger version of this image.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Darren@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Last Modified on 30/06/2009 12:15