The Lowdown Podcast team’s favourite indigenous footballers

As the AFL celebrates Sir Doug Nicholls Round this weekend, our experts on The Lowdown Podcast including special guest Paul Vandenbergh have listed their favourite indigenous players. And there are a few surprises.

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AS THE AFL celebrates Sir Doug Nicholls Round this weekend The Lowdown Podcast has highlighted some of the great indigenous players and characters of our time.

Our regular hosts and special guests including Port Adelaide co-captain Tom Jonas, Adelaide midfielder Hugh Greenwood, Port Adelaide’s Aboriginal programs director Paul Vandenbergh, our SuperCoach expert The Phantom and football reporter Reece Homfray have listed their top five favourite indigenous players of all time.

And there are a few surprises.

Adelaide Crows star Andrew McLeod with the 1997 premiership cup and Norm Smith Medal. Picture: Dodd Karen

Tom Jonas:

1. Andrew McLeod.

“I grew up a Crows supporter and Bunji McLeod was my favourite player. I think that’s pretty well known (Crows supporter as a kid). I just loved watching him, I remember him kicking a left foot goal running full tilt against the Magpies at Etihad.”

2. Paddy Ryder.

“I have to throw one of my boys in there, he kicks 55m snaps whenever he marks the ball. Big Unks, I love the way he goes about it and if you can fire Paddy up he’ll run through a brick wall for you. I love watching him play, he can do a fair bit of damage and takes hangers on command.”

3. Eddie Betts.

“Has also given me a fair bit of grief, played 300 a couple of weeks ago and his highlight reel is off the chain. In this day and age the way he has dealt with some of the racism he’s copped has really shed a lot of light on the issue and brought it to the front.”

4. Adam Goodes.

“I had to play on Goodesy and he did a number on me, obviously a superstar of the game and he played anywhere, did anything and has done so much work in the community.”

5. Byron Pickett.

“I just loved the way he ran through people, he was a wrecking ball, unreal.

Crows star Eddie Betts takes a hanger against North Melbourne last year. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Hugh Greenwood:

1. Eddie Betts.

“I know I’m biased but he’s an incredible player, incredible person, incredible teammate so Ed’s number one.”

2. Adam Goodes.

“Watching footy growing up he’s just a freak, did everything.

3. Andrew McLeod.

“His resume is incredible.”

Mathew Stokes made Hugh Greenwood’s list given Greenwood grew up as a Geelong supporter. Picture: David Clark

4. Mathew Stokes.

“I was a Geelong boy growing up so I used to love watching him growing up.”

5. Ronnie Burns.

“I watched him and remember going in the rooms when I was a kid and got his autograph on my footy. He was unreal.”

Paul Vandenbergh:

Nicky Winmar in action at Waverley Park in 1998.

1. Nicky Winmar.

“Growing up my number one was Nicky Winmar. I never saw anyone that was Aboriginal do what he was doing at the time in the 80s and 90s. And I wore number seven on the basketball court.”

2. Gavin Wanganeen.

“Again he comes from Ceduna where I come from so seeing him as a 16-year-old win a premiership in the SANFL and the first Aboriginal person to win a Brownlow and first to 300 games was incredible”.

3. Michael Long.

“Obviously didn’t have a huge amount of stats but won a premiership. And it was more what he was contributing to us off-field.”

4. Shaun and Peter Burgoyne.

“I’m going to put them in as gone, I love that era, and Shauny will probably become the most games by an indigenous player by the end of this year. Plus second most finals played ever behind Michael Tuck, that’s crazy.”

5. Byron Pickett/Eddie Betts.

“I’ve got Eddie for what he’s done as a small forward, similar to Jeff Farmer and Eddie has taken it to another level. And living with Choppy I’ve got to put him in there, the impact he had and he changed the rules, I thought if he was playing now, he wouldn’t be playing.”

The Phantom:

1. Andrew McLeod.

“I grew up a Crows supporter and watching him on the MCG in 1997 and 1998 so he has to be number one.”

2. Eddie Betts.

“Like Hugh said, he’s got to be there.”

3. Adam Goodes.

“For the impact he had on the game.”

4. Graham Johncock.

“Great character and I still remember playing in a grand final in 2012 and we lost, then that night watching the Crows in the prelim and I was pretty flat at half-time because they were done. I still remember Stiffi running through half-forward with a bomb from 50m and thought they were in a grand final at that point.”

There will only ever be one Cyril Rioli. Picture: Michael Willson

5. Cyril Rioli.

“There are not many blokes who can do what he did on the field.”

Reece Homfray:

1. Nicky Winmar.

“My old man barracks for Hawthorn and we went to Waverley Park a lot and obviously saw Hawthorn and St Kilda where Winmar could read which way the ball would bounce, and I was given his guernsey when one of my sisters was born and I was four.”

Austin Wonaeamirri celebrates a goal against Fremantle in 2008. He played 31 games for Melbourne between 2008-2011.

2. Austin Wonaeamirri.

“Does anyone remember that beautiful moment at the MCG when his dad was there and he had that photo taken with Jim Stynes and sadly both of them are no longer with us, but he made a big impact in a short period of time at Melbourne and I’d watched him come through Norwood from the Tiwi Islands. Great story.”

3. Cyril Rioli.

“How can you not love everything you’ve seen from Cyril, you’d almost throw a blanket over him and Buddy together the way they were able to turn games on their head.”

4. Jeff Farmer.

“Being a Melbourne supporter I have a lot of fond memories watching him but my fondest would be last year after the semi-final win over Hawthorn at the G there was a video of the Wiz pumping the arms up and down in the grandstand because the Dees were into a prelim.”

5. Paddy Ryder.

“He’d be the indigenous player I’ve had the most to do with in my time reporting in Adelaide and I am super impressed by what he says and the way he plays.”