Tyson Stengle, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and the big AFL names inspiring Koonibba Football Club

Tyson Stengle, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Eddie Betts, Gavin Wanganeen, Graham Johncock – Koonibba’s connection to the AFL runs deep. And the big names haven’t forgotten where it all started.

Geelong premiership forward Tyson Stengle returning to play for his junior team, Koonibba, will live long in the memories of people at Australia’s oldest surviving Aboriginal footy club.

Stengle has done it the past few years to repay the Eyre Peninsula community that he still considers home.

“Tyson coming back was an emotional thing,” long-time Koonibba official Wayne Miller tells this masthead.

“Our young kids live for footy and when they see someone who’s played AFL or playing AFL come back, they absolutely idolise them.

“We all believe you can’t be what you can’t see.

“If you see it on the big screen, it gives our future hopes that they can go there as well.

“Tyson’s given a few shout-outs to the local school during Indigenous Rounds or NAIDOC week, he’s Facetimed the class, so he’s been really active in staying connected to the area.

“Tyson was identified early and played a lot of football in Adelaide, and didn’t play a lot here as a junior, but it’s still home to him because of that significant connection.”

Tyson Stengle in action for Geelong last week. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

And back home playing at Koonibba. Picture: Instagram

Stengle, an All-Australian and flag winner at the Cats in 2022, followed his great-grandfathers in playing for Koonibba, now based in Ceduna, home to the Wirangu people.

Other former AFL stars like Gavin Wanganeen, Graham Johncock, Eddie Betts and Alwyn and Aaron Davey, Daniel Wells are all connected to the club through family.

Lutherans started a mission in Koonibba, 800km northwest of Adelaide, in 1898.

Koonibba had its own football team eight years later.

Gavin Wanganeen playing for Koonibba at the Aboriginal football carnival in 2013.

And with Terry Milera after he was drafted by the Saints in 2011.

It is one of the most successful Aussie rules clubs in South Australia, winning 37 premierships.

Along with Stengle, Terry Milera (St Kilda), Kym LeBois (Carlton) and Tim Milera (Crows) have also come through Koonibba’s juniors to make the AFL.

Milera’s son, St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, represented the Roosters during an Aboriginal football carnival because of his dad’s connection.

St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera taking a hanger playing for Koonibba during an Aboriginal football carnival during his junior days while his dad, Terry, watches on. Picture: Supplied

Miller says the title of oldest surviving Aboriginal football club is apt during a difficult time for volunteers across plenty of competitions and codes.

“What makes it all worth it are the young guys and girls coming through,” he says.

“They could be our next AFL or AFLW players.”

Miller says the AFL’s diversity pathways manager, ex-Canberra Cannons NBL player Paul Vandenbergh, is another football person from the region the community is extremely proud of.

Originally published as Tyson Stengle, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and the big AFL names inspiring Koonibba Football Club