Indigenous Team of the Century
Encyclopedia
The Indigenous Team of the Century (Australian rules football) was selected to recognise the role of Indigenous Australians
in the sport. It was announced in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first senior game played by an indigenous player, Fitzroy
's Joe Johnson. The panel's final selection from a short-list of 35 consisted of 24 players, 19 of whom have represented clubs competiting in the elite 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
. Graham Farmer
was named as the team's captain and Barry Cable
was selected as the team's coach. Eight of the players were still active in the AFL at the time of being selected.
, Glenn James
, was also selected.
in the lead ruck position. Other ethinic based teams such as the Greek Team of the Century
and VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century have also been announced. Many individual clubs have also named teams of the century, with South Fremantle Football Club
announcing their own Indigenous Team of the Century in July 2009. The National Rugby League
announced their Indigenous Team of the Century in 2008.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
in the sport. It was announced in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first senior game played by an indigenous player, Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
's Joe Johnson. The panel's final selection from a short-list of 35 consisted of 24 players, 19 of whom have represented clubs competiting in the elite Victorian/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, whilst the remaining five were picked for their record in either the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
or the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
. Graham Farmer
Graham Farmer
Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer, MBE is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. Born in Western Australia, he joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships...
was named as the team's captain and Barry Cable
Barry Cable
Barry Cable is an Australian former Australian rules footballer who played in the West Australian National Football League and Victorian Football League . Cable played as a rover. He won the Sandover Medal three times while playing with the Perth Football Club.-Club career:Cable played 225 games...
was selected as the team's coach. Eight of the players were still active in the AFL at the time of being selected.
The Team
An umpireUmpire (Australian rules football)
An umpire is an official in the sport of Australian rules football.-Origins:Unlike many other codes of football, where the official is called a referee, in Australian Football, the officials borrow their title from the game of cricket, which is played on the same types of fields and was an...
, Glenn James
Glenn James
Glenn Robert James OAM is a former Australian rules football umpire in the Victorian Football League. James umpired the 1982 and 1984 VFL Grand Finals and is recognised as the only Indigenous Australian to umpire VFL or AFL football.-Early life:...
, was also selected.
The selection panel
The Indigenous Team of the Century selection panel consisted of:- Pat Dodson (AFL Indigenous Foundation Board Member)
- Ernie DingoErnie DingoErnie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
(Media Personality) - Glenn JamesGlenn JamesGlenn Robert James OAM is a former Australian rules football umpire in the Victorian Football League. James umpired the 1982 and 1984 VFL Grand Finals and is recognised as the only Indigenous Australian to umpire VFL or AFL football.-Early life:...
(Former Umpire) - Kevin Sheedy (Former Essendon Football Club coach now Western Sydney Football Club Coach)
- Kevin SheehanKevin SheehanKevin 'Shifter' Sheehan is a former Australian rules footballer for Geelong and the current Australian Football League National Talent and International Manager, a member of the AFL football operations sub-committee and a selector for the AFL Rising Star award.Sheehan played 102 games for...
(AFL National Talent Manager) - Mike SheahanMike SheahanMichael "Mike" Sheahan is an Australian journalist who specialises in Australian rules football. He is Chief Football Writer and Associate Sports Editor for the Herald Sun, a panelist on the Fox Sports program "On the Couch" and former Media Director for the VFL .Sheahan attended Werribee High...
(Journalist) - Michelangelo RucciMichelangelo RucciMichelangelo Rucci is an Australian sports journalist, and writer.Of Italian descent, is an award-winning sports writer in Adelaide, South Australia. He is the chief Australian rules football writer for The Advertiser, Adelaide's only daily newspaper. He is a long-standing supporter of the Port...
(Journalist) - Col HutchisonCol HutchisonColin "Col" Hutchison is a veteran statistician, most notably in the Victorian/Australian Football League in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL Historian)
Similar teams
The AFL announces a AFL Team of the Century in 1996, which also featured Graham FarmerGraham Farmer
Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer, MBE is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. Born in Western Australia, he joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships...
in the lead ruck position. Other ethinic based teams such as the Greek Team of the Century
Greek Team of the Century
The Greek Team of the Century was a representative team chosen in 2004 in the sport of Australian rules football.Anthony Koutoufides and Peter Daicos were named vice-captains, Lou Richards was captain. The criteria was that any Greek blood whatsoever constituted eligibility for the team...
and VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century have also been announced. Many individual clubs have also named teams of the century, with South Fremantle Football Club
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
announcing their own Indigenous Team of the Century in July 2009. The National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
announced their Indigenous Team of the Century in 2008.