The biggest change in the NRL over the 26 years of its existence has come on the field – but it hasn’t been rule changes, transfers or tactics. It’s who is playing the game.
When the NRL was formed in 1998, the league was largely white with limited players of Indigenous and Pacific heritage, but now in 2024, the percentage of players of colour is well over 50% and growing further, a with that has come a commensurate change in attitudes as the best teams learn how to provide a culturally competent environment for their players.
One of the most noticeable aspects of this demographic shift has been in the names of the players, and indeed, how they are pronounced.
Speaking to The Roar League Podcast ahead of Multicultural Round, former Penrith, Manly and Souths star Joe Galuvao spoke emotionally about the cultural journey that the NRL has been on since he made his debut back in 1998, and used Izack Tago’s name as an example of the way that the game has shifted massively with regard to Pacific athletes.
‘When you migrate to New Zealand or Australia, you’re a minority there,” explained Galuvao, who was Wellbeing & Education Manager at the Panthers and now works at the Rugby League Player’s Association (RLPA).
“People don’t know how to say your name so they’ll say it the way that they see it and for us, we won’t challenge it because we just want to fit in, right?
“The downside of that is the loss of identity. Every time it’s being said, we’re losing our identity little by little.
“Izack is a great illustration of players, young migrants, who come to the country and haven’t necessarily grown up culturally, but yearn for cultural identity.
“He probably grew up through school and didn’t challenge what people said about his name because he didn’t grow up culturally as well.
“I remember coming to the club, and I was talking to Stephen Crichton and asking, ‘who are the usos?’, the Pasifika guys here.
“He pointed out Brian To’o, Jarome Luai and then says ‘Tags is Samoan’. I said ‘who?’, because I thought ‘Izack Tay-go’, in my head I thought he was African because of the name.
Izack Tago scores. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“So I said: “His name is actually Tan-go” and Critta said yes. I was blown away.
“I saw Izack and asked if he was Samoan, and he said yes, and I said ‘so your name is actually Tan-go’, and he said yes, but it makes your life easier.
“It’s the downside of our collectivist nature and values is that we just want to fit in. That’s a common theme for a lot of Pasifika youth coming through. They just stick to the status quo and not challenge authority.
“But from that moment, I didn’t call him ‘Tay-go’, I called him ‘Tan-go’ in staff meetings. Why? Because I wanted to create an environment where he can take back ground in terms of his cultural identity.
“It was a bit of a slow burn, but I kept saying it when I saw him, because I wanted to empower him.”
Clubs were at the forefront of this, but media organisations are getting onboard too, with commentators, journalists and pundits adapting to different names and pronunciations.
Penrith players celebrate their 2003 NRL triumph. (Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
“I got a phone call from a journalist from Fox Sports, and they said they were calling about a player, Izack, and I said ‘Do you mean Izack Tago?’,” said Galuvao.
“And they said ‘you’re the first person that I’ve talked to that’s pronounced his name properly’.
“The reporter was calling because they wanted to make sure about pronouncing player’s names properly, which I thought was pretty cool.
“He goes: ‘can you ask Izack if he has a preference?’
“I remember seeing Izack and I told him I’d got a call from a journalist – and I get emotional thinking about it – because it’s such a powerful illustration of the struggle that Pasifika players have gone through for many, many years.
“The look on his face was like ‘what, I have a choice?’ I didn’t understand it until after it, I didn’t understand the magnitude of what has just happened.
“If you ask Izack, he’ll tell you he’s on the journey too. Sometimes he reverts back to Tay-go too, but the point is how we can empower the players.
“This is why it’s important for players like Izack to feel like they have a sense of belonging and a pride in who they are.”
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
It might seem like a small thing, but naming and introductions play a huge role in Pacific culture, and, according to Galuvao, understanding the why is just as important as getting the pronunciation right.
“A lot of our young people have migrated and have a disconnect from the culture, and that’s why the default back to what other people say because they are afraid of interrupting the status quo,” said the former Samoa international.
“In the past, with a lot of commentary guys, it was a case of ‘just tell us how it’s pronounced’. You know, send a voice message, break it down. But the approach for us this time around is that they need to know why it’s important.
“We can tell you how to say it, but you need to know why it’s important to pronounce it, because the name is not just a representation of the individual – and again it’s this collectivist – it’s our history.
“Our name talks about the people before us, our elders and the rich history of the land to which we belong. That approach, this time around for the commentary teams, they see the value in it.
“The direct result is players wanting to stay in the game, feeling validated and valued – not only in the pronunciation of the names but also their cultural practices.”
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I’d like how in some other sports coverage (may U.S. stuff) they have players introduce themselves, say their own name. I guess that takes time and work. Comedians Peele and Key does a skit of university players and the pronouncements
Robbo
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Yes the Pacifika peoples are very good with their own community
Nat
Roar Guru
I feel you boys. My missus is Latina and her pronunciation of my name is not even close. There are linguistic differences like saying TH together. Sometimes I think it is on purpose because Puta is a long way off but I hear it quite a bit.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Everywhere is getting a lot better educated around bullying and discrimination
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
I am a bit at odds with this. The last statement attributed to Joe Galuvao was "“The direct result is players wanting to stay in the game, feeling validated and valued" Inferring that all Australians not from a Pacifica heritage should learn Pacifica culture and language. Yet only a week ago we had Spencer Leniu, born in NZ, identifies as Samoan, using his ignorance of Torres Strait Islander history and culture to defend in his racial slur case, nothing from the RLPA/Galuvao? Perhaps Joe Galuvao should have a crack at calling an Eastern European tennis tournament.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I agree but would say that given the huge crew that constitute a commentary team these days, surely they should make sure that someone is responsible in getting the pronunciation correct before they start using a name. It would help justify that huge payroll of talking heads on production
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I really don’t think that mispronunciation in most instances is intentional. Pretty sure most league fans would be happy to use whatever the preferred pronunciation is, if only they knew. The issue is that many Pacifika languages are filled with invisible consonants and way more vowels than the English language feature or our education system covers. A simple solution would be to ensure that commentators are given the responsibility of ensuring that they get it right from the get go not several years into a guys career. An example currently is Marty Tapau who has, after years and years of being a high profile player, known as “Tapow” is now referred to with a totally different pronunciation. I for one was surprised when I heard callers all of a sudden make the change… better late than never I suppose
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Should be ashamed of yourself! :laughing:
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
The only minor umbridge i take with Joe's comments. By all means the name should be pronounced as the persons wants it pronounced, that is just basic respect. And by all means you are welcome to share the history and story of your name. But a person/commentator doesn't have to know why it is important. Its nice if they show an interest, but as long as they make the effort to pronounce it correctly, isn't that enough? I understand names can mean different things in different cultures, and if we respect that, we are respecting the culture. If individuals want to know more, let them ask, and let the guys share. People from Asian country's have anglo'd their names for decades and i am sure plenty of people of European background do it when they move to Asian countries. Its great that NRL players feel empowered to ask for their names to be pronounced in a traditional way and are more connected to their heritage in doing so. Hopefully that encourages people in the general pop to do the same. But lets not over commit the non-pasifika population to have to do more than show the respect of pronouncing a name correctly, the same common courtesy everyone should be afforded.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I have euro names and friends I’ve had from other parts of the world had trouble with it. It’s just people and new ‘sounds’ from place you aren’t from. I like asking ‘how are you pronouncing that?’ Or even better ‘how do you want me saying that?’ It happens sometimes now with common names with ‘different’ spelling
Horses for Courses
Roar Rookie
They have done a terrific job of being a reflection of the area they represent. It's just one of the many benefits of prioritising the development of local talent. As a Brisbane supporter living in Penrith that is hard to admit but also impossible to ignore.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Having followed the Panthers since 1967, I think the biggest impact on this club has come in very recent years with the growth in the number of Pacifika players to have joined the team and the values of community & culture that they have brought to the club. It might sound like a bit of over-used rhetoric, but the emphasis that the Clearys' always put on "community" in every interview, is no accident. Community is obviously a big part of the Pacifika culture and all the players embrace it. And it is no accident that this culture has produced a very tight knit playing group both on and off the field and the footy results subsequently have been remarkable. The full house at all Penrith home matches reflects this. The amount of interaction the Panthers have with fans after the game and with community visits reflects this. The after-match prayer circle with Panthers & opposition players reflects this. Anyone who has watched the Panthers documentary " Undisputed" will see various Panther players attending their team-mates kids' footy matches in support. All this is driven off the park by Ivan Cleary and on the park by their leadership group with the likes of Yeo, Nathan Cleary, Fish and Edwards. The Samoan contingent in particular, seem well organised to push their cultural aspects via the likes of Brian To'o and Jerome Luai. I'm sure other clubs have similar community & cultural focus, but it sure is a prominent aspect at the Panthers.
Mike Meehall Wood
Editor
Check the phonetic spelling of my name to help Anglos
Hoy
Roar Guru
With an anglo name, I will never know what this is like, but people should always feel able to correct others on the pronounciation of their name. Some names a bloody tricky to wrap your tongue around. Waratah's player and newly signed Rooster Mark Nawaqanitawase has taken me about three years to work out in my head... Nawang-a-knee-ta-wa-see. I think. I love this story. Thanks.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
That's absolutely true but it's no different for Irish Names , Eastern Euro or indigenous names. I try to get them right and certainly don't mind being corrected but I am far from perfect.
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Great story Mike. It's something similar to what I went through in high school. People would struggle to say my last name, heck even my first name and came up with other versions of my surname (some being outright offensive). I used to think eh as long as it's comfortable for those who speak to me. As I got older, I realise I should've handled it differently and hopefully for future generations, this doesn't occur and they can take a stand for themselves.