We all love you Tippa
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On a different note but relevant to the situation with Walla, I would really love to see more work done by the AFL, the clubs and past and present Indigenous players to see what needs to be done to provide a better work environment for current indigenous players. This seems to be more of an issue with the lads who come to Victoria than say Perth or Adelaide. I realise that every case is different but perhaps in Melbourne the Indigenous boys may require their own player association and support network which truly understands the challenges that these guys experience. There are more success stories than failures amongst the indigenous players who have travelled to play football in Melbourne and mental health challenges are not exclusive to these guys. Non Indigenous players are also dropping out of football due to its extraordinary challenges quite often but without the barrage of largely incorrect theories and reasons as to why. Yet most of the non indigenous players suffering mental health challenges are fortunate to have their support networks and culturally familiar surrounds close at hand.
I think experienced ex-players like Michael Long, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Courtney Dempsey, Dean Rioli and Gavin Wanganeen could be invaluable sources of knowledge and guidance in helping establish the most appropriate environment for young indigenous player to prosper at Essendon and the within the wider competition along with other Indigenous players living in Melbourne.
I just worry that the competition may end up losing one of its most precious assets if there is not more done to understand the issues and challenges facing these players and how to best overcome them through an open minded, consultative process.
Letâs be honest, Football, love it or hate it has been perhaps the most successful conduit in integrating Indigenous Australianâs into the broader community. I donât believe there is another industry sector that can claim that 7% of its workforce are Indigenous, native Australians, First Nationâs people, what ever you want to call it. It would therefore be a complete travesty if the League and Clubs failed to proactively intervene. Essendon alone has lost two of its most exciting players to off-field issues in the last 12 months. Hopefully Walla can find his way back. But if this continues to happen, not just at Essendon but at other clubs as well, a lack of appropriate response would be an indictment on the people who run the game and perhaps on the experienced, former Indigenous players as well who need to stand up and speak on the subject in order for all of us to better understand and respect the challenges facing this community.
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@MattyKnights you seem like a good poster and decent type but when I see your username and head I want to punch it as the Knightsâ era was a low point in my love for this club.
Is it possible you could change your username to something like The Poster Formerly known as MK with an image of a cute bear?
My apologies in advance if you donât like muppets.
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I find your comment offensive but I hear you. From this day forward I will be known as Steve_Dank69
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Least weâd have a decent reason to punch you then.
Correction âyou seem like a frigging amazing poster who may well single handedly breath life into this dull dinosaur of a fan forum.â
OK!
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Why donât you call yourself Steve_Dankâs_girlfriend
and use this photo as we are missing Nat a bit
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Indigenous players donât come from a single homogenous community.
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What about âJohn Worsfoldâ or just âWooshaâ??
I donât buy into the worsfold hate campaign that is a regular topic on Blitz so that would be fine.
When we win the flag in the next year or 2, Worsfold will be to Truck as Billy Stephen was to Sheeds.
Letâs hope Walla is part of that success.
What about âEwokH8terâ??
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The indigenous players who have the most problems here in Victoria seem to be the ones who have travelled the farthest to get here, as far away as possible from family, friends and country, to a place which must be like a foreign land to them, with a cold foreign climate, a strange foreign language and a foreign culture with a foreign majority population.
The answer might be to set up an AFL club in Darwin, with exclusive access to the Tiwi islander footballers. Will that ever happen ? Yeah nah, after pigs learn to fly, perhapsâŚ
There are 1000s of stories similar to wallas everyday, we just dont hear about it. Hope he goes away finds the fire in the belly to come back and realise this is the best place for him in the next 5/6 years. Good luck mate
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i donât mind knights 2009 was a glory year, so many close wins.
what would trigger me would be if username was Fraser Brown.
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I wanted to say thatâŚI cannot near that pic of that head, makes me sick and furious, every time I see it and I cannot post any likes there. Well said Mr Ewok.
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Too come back like he has from the offseason and too take time away from only weeks until the start of a new season is very telling.
BHP FMG and RIO TINTO
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Hahaha
No
They just destroy sacred ground
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Shades of grey issue here. Those companies have made some BIG and honestly unforgivable mistakes recently. Theyâve also done more for indigenous employment than most companies in Australia.
Both things can be true at the same time.
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