Adelaide Footy League – Salisbury North to host second straight Indigenous Round in 2023

An Adelaide Footy League club that has produced the likes of Gavin Wanganeen and the O’Loughlin and Bond brothers is aiming to inspire other suburban clubs.

An Adelaide Footy League club will give a nod to culture, history and past champions this weekend as it celebrates its second consecutive Indigenous Round in the hopes of inspiring other suburban clubs to do the same.

Division two club Salisbury North will welcome past players, fans, Premier Peter Malinauskas and any members of the community as it holds a major event to celebrate Indigenous culture and history for its matchup with Edwardstown this Saturday.

The Hawks – currently celebrating their 69th anniversary – have produced Indigenous AFL players Gavin Wanganeen, Michael O’Loughlin, Ricky O’Loughlin, Troy and Shane Bond, Shane Tongerie and current A Grade coach Eugene Warrior.

“The contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have made to local footy, and to our club, has been enormous. We want to acknowledge that and celebrate that,” Warrior said.

“I feel really proud that our club – along with Kilburn who have also been fantastic – has been leading the way for an Indigenous round in suburban footy.

Salisbury North Football Club A Grade players Brodie Wagner, 20, and Malachi Ah Matt-Lovett, 23, wearing their Indigenous round guernseys ahead of Saturday. Picture: Morgan Sette

“The club and the board opened their arms to the idea when I mentioned it to them last season and since then we’ve been able to use it as an opportunity to celebrate past Indigenous players and members, Indigenous culture and history, and engage community as well.”

After a spectacular celebration last season which included Gavin Wanganeen and Michael O’Loughlin, the club expects an even bigger turnout for its event this weekend.

An elder’s lunch, smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country will all take place before the A Grade game, while a special guernsey designed by local Indigenous artist Shane Cook will be worn by the players.

“We’re really excited – we know how much the club and the community enjoyed it last year and we’re expecting it to be even bigger this year,” Warrior said.

“Having this round is super important to us, we’ve had so many influential Indigenous people at our club whether it’s guys at the grassroots level or who have gone on to play AFL. and we’ve got a lot of Indigenous juniors as well.

Gavin Wanganeen and daughter Lulu with Eugene Warrior and Salisbury North players ahead of the club’s Indigenous Round last season. Picture: Matt Turner

“The fact we can make the kids feel welcome and show them how important they are as well with something like this is very special.”

While leagues around South Australia’s regions celebrate Indigenous Round, the Adelaide Footy League is yet to implement its own stand alone round to celebrate – leaving it up to individual clubs.

Warrior said he hoped Salisbury North could inspire other suburban outfits to celebrate the round.

“The Adelaide Footy League has a lot of great things in place such as a mental health round and an umpire respect round but I’d personally love to see an Indigenous round some time in the future as well.

“At the end of the day it comes down to the clubs and if they’d be willing to do it.

“As it stands now, we love having our own round and we’d love to see more clubs celebrate Indigenous culture and the contribution Indigenous players have made to the local game.”