Adelaide Crows defender Wayne Milera says players must learn from Adam Goodes booing saga

Wayne Milera says it’s time for everybody in football to learn from champion Adam Goodes’ experience after shamefully being booed out of the game.

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Adelaide defender Wayne Milera has called on indigenous players to be more supportive of one another and feels they could have done more for Adam Goodes in the final stages of his career as the Sydney champion was effectively booed out of the game.

A documentary has been made of the dual Brownlow Medallist’s career, called The Final Quarter, and Milera is one of a small group who has seen the movie before it is released to the public at the Sydney Film Festival next month.

The documentary of the 2014 Australian of the Year affected Milera much in the same vein as Sydney star Lance Franklin, who said it had been difficult to watch.

Milera now wants to look forward and make sure nobody gets the same treatment as Goodes, whose last season was uncomfortable viewing the way he was treated by the crowds.

There is a strong view that the booing of Goodes was racist and based on his aboriginality but there was also a storm of other contributing factors, including him calling out a young girl for her racist taunts, a notion that he was staging for free kicks and the tall-poppy syndrome rearing its head after he was recognised as the Australian of the Year.

To Milera, the key is to learn from the sorry saga and not let it play out again.

“We saw it (the documentary) at the indigenous camp,” Milera said. “It’s a good documentary and you get a bit of an insight into what actually happened and all the stuff he actually went through.

“It’s pretty sad to see.

“It’s not a good look on society.

“From seeing that … we spoke about how we could — as an indigenous group — have done better to support ‘Goodesy’.

‘That’s one thing — if does happen again the whole support of the AFL could be a lot better.”

Milera is recovering from and AC shoulder joint injury and will have a fitness test before being cleared for selection this week.

But he could not think of a better time to return than in the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which celebrates the contribution of indigenous footballers.

“It’s obviously a big round,” Milera said. “We get to represent our people, our community, families and our club as well.

“And I know our club really embraces it; all the players and staff put a lot effort into organising the round and making it a special one.”

The celebration of indigenous players was not lost on Crows co-captain Rory Sloane, who said it carried meaning for all players.

Adelaide’s 2019 indigenous guernsey that will be worn against West Coast. From left to right - Tyson Stengle, Shane McAdam, Ben Davis, Eddie Betts, Wayne Milera and Cameron Ellis-Yolmen. Picture: Matt Turner

He also loved the specially designed jumpers that are brought out for the round.

“They’re the best guernseys,” Sloane said. “I’ll never ever get rid of one.

“They’re all in my cupboard back home, stacked next to each other.

“For not indigenous players as well it’s a special round to be part of.

“It starts with Dream Time at the ‘G and we all get to celebrate the world’s longest living culture.

“It’s one of the most special rounds for us.”

To Milera, the support of Sloane and the non-indigenous teammates for the round was a sign of progress.

“I’ve noticed Sloaney heaps, the last few years he’s been asking questions and wanting to know more about it (indigenous culture) and it’s great for us to see that other players and especially a leader of our footy club wants to learn more about our culture,” Milera said. “There’s obviously still a way to go but there’s been much improvement (in understanding).”