The Indigenous Team of the Century was selected in 2005 to recognise the role of Indigenous Australians in Australian rules football. Graham Farmer was named as the team's captain, while Barry Cable was selected as the team's coach. Eight of the players were still active in the Australian Football League (AFL) at the time of being selected.
Description
editThe Indigenous Team of the Century was announced in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first senior-level game played by an indigenous player in the Victorian/Australian Football League, Fitzroy's Joe Johnson.[1][2][3]
The panel's final selection from a shortlist of 35 consisted of 24 players, 19 of whom have represented clubs competing in the Victorian/Australian Football League, whilst the remaining five were picked for their record in either the South Australian National Football League or the West Australian Football League.[citation needed]
The Team
editAn umpire, Glenn James, was also selected.[4][5]
The selection panel
editThe Indigenous Team of the Century selection panel consisted of:
- Patrick Dodson (AFL Indigenous Foundation board member)
- Ernie Dingo (media personality)
- Glenn James (former umpire)
- Kevin Sheedy (Essendon Football Club coach)
- Kevin Sheehan (AFL national talent manager)
- Mike Sheahan (journalist)
- Michelangelo Rucci (journalist)
- Col Hutchinson (AFL historian)
Similar teams
editThe AFL announced its Team of the Century in 1996, which also featured Graham Farmer in the lead ruck position. Other ethnic based teams such as the Greek Team of the Century and Italian Team of the Century have also been announced. Many individual clubs have also named teams of the century,[6] with South Fremantle Football Club announcing their own Indigenous Team of the Century in July 2009.[7] The National Rugby League announced their Indigenous Team of the Century in 2008.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Farmer captain of top indigenous team (1 August 2005)
- ^ Gordon, Michael (2 August 2005) The PM, footy and symbolic reconciliation[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Albert "Pompey" Austin is acknowledged as being the first indigenous Australian to play in an organised Australian Rules football game", which he did when he played for Geelong in a match against Carlton on 25 May 1872 (Dickman, Sharron, "The tale of 'Pompey' Austin", Geelong Cats, 28 May 2014) — the match report is at Football: Geelong v. Carlton, The Geelong Advertiser, (Monday, 27 May 1872), p.3. For more about Austin, see Hay, Roy, "Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin, 1846?–1889: A Man between Two Worlds", Sports & Editorial Services Australia, 26 January 2017.
- ^ Timms, Aaron (2 August 2005) Honours for O'Loughlin, Goodes give the Swans timely boost
- ^ Team for the Ages
- ^ Full Points Footy listing of All Star Teams Archived 2009-04-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Wilson, Ray (3 July 2009) Bulldogs Top of the Talent Tree Archived 29 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Heming, Wayne (9 August 2008) Indigenous NRL team named