With an unfortunate gaffe while on radio on Wednesday morning, Eddie McGuire ensured the Adam Goodes racism story would remain in the news for another couple of days.
The well-publicised, heavily commented on saga was sparked last Friday night during the Swans-Collingwood match – which happened to be the first game of the AFL’s Indigenous Round – and has since led to a national debate regarding race and racism in this country.
That conversation is necessary, but it’s not the topic of this article.
Rugby league has its own ways of recognising Indigenous players and culture, including the popular All-Stars match and the Close the Gap Round which, in part, addresses health inequality in Australia.
With State of Origin under a week away, and the sporting and cultural world currently grappling with the topic of race, here’s a celebration of the stand-out Indigenous players in the NRL.
An Origin team of sorts, this side has been picked on form, rather than pure popularity like the Indigenous All-Stars team.
Fullback – Greg Inglis
He’s arguably in the best form of his career at fullback and there’s talk he might drop back to the position at times for Queensland.
Ben Barba would have been a lock this time last year – and he is returning to form – but Inglis has clearly been better so far. Reece Robinson is also in form, but it’s hard to overlook the Queensland pair.
Wings – Nathan Merritt and Jack Wighton
After being in form for a decade, Merritt again missed out on an Origin selection, but he walks into this team.
20 year old Raiders back Wighton is a star in the making. Big, strong and fast, Laurie Daly selected him for the 2013 Indigenous All-Stars team.
Centres – Justin Hodges and Blake Ferguson
Hodges is a no-brainer – the Broncos aren’t the same without him.
Blake Ferguson is in the form of his career at centre for the Raiders and has earned a Blues call-up.
Five-eighth – Johnathan Thurston
Surely this one needs no explanation.
Halfback – Albert Kelly
The diminutive halfback has found a home at the Titans and has been playing the house down as the Gold Coast climbed to sixth on the ladder with a thrashing of Parramatta last weekend.
Props – Andrew Fifita and George Rose
Fifita’s man-of-the-match performance for the Sharks against the Rabbitohs was outstanding and his State of Origin call-up is thoroughly deserved after a great start to the season.
Form or no form, you can’t leave big Georgie Rose out of the side.
Hooker – Nathan Peats
Mainly playing second row or off the bench behind Issac Luke at the Rabbitohs, Peats was called into the City Origin side this year when Robbie Farah pulled out.
Second row – Sam Thaiday and Jamal Idris
Thaiday is able to play prop too and walks into most sides.
Idris went off the boil when he left the Bulldogs but has shown over the last couple of games for the Titans why he was an Origin bolter in 2010. He’s returned to form in the centres so far, but I still rate him as a quality second-rower.
Joel Thompson returned from injury last weekend and probably would have made the team if he’d played a bit more – he’s not of the same stature as Hodges, who I selected despite minimal game-time recently.
Lock – Greg Bird
Didn’t know he was Indigenous until the first All-Stars match a couple of years ago. Only difficulty – if you can call it that – is deciding what position the versatile Bird should play.
There’s a fair smattering of Origin players here, a few internationals as well, and I reckon this team would go pretty well.
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