Nicky Winmar disappointed 30th anniversary of Victoria Park stance clashes with Gather Round

AFL legend Nicky Winmar says he is disappointed there will not be a stand-alone game to celebrate his iconic stance at Victoria Park 30 years ago, as it coincides with the AFL’s Gather Round.

Nicky Winmar with some of his recent art work. Rob Leeson.

Football icon Nicky Winmar says he is disappointed the AFL has sidelined the 30th anniversary of his defiant Victoria Park stance by scheduling it in Adelaide for its new-look Gather Round.

Winmar’s gesture as he pointed to his skin and exclaimed “I’m black and I’m proud” ignited a national discussion on racism in sport and is one of football’s greatest moments.

Collingwood will host St Kilda at 4.50pm on Sunday March 16 – the day before the 30th anniversary of Winmar’s moment as he responded after vile racist abuse from the crowd.

But instead of a stand-alone game or even a special AFL commemorative round the game will be scheduled as part of an Adelaide Oval double-header for the new Gather Round.

Winmar told the Sunday Herald Sun it was a missed opportunity to celebrate that famous moment at a Victorian football venue or even in his home town of Perth given its importance to indigenous culture.

Winmar’s stance against racial abuse is one of the most iconic moments in VFL/AFL history. Picture: John Feder

Winmar’s supporters believe the Collingwood-St Kilda game should have been a stand-alone AFL event with a ceremony at Victoria Park before a supporter walk to the MCG.

“It’s a missed opportunity. It has been forgotten,” Winmar said of the 30-year anniversary.

“We lost the 1997 Grand Final against Adelaide. Why would I want to go over there? My dad died the night before the Grand Final. What would I want to celebrate something over in Adelaide for? If it’s not in Melbourne why don’t they put it in West Australia? There would be a bigger crowd there than Adelaide? They would have 30,000 of my family members. It would have been nice to have the game back in Perth.”

It comes as the AFL conducts delicate behind-the-scenes negotiations to fly Winmar and a group of former Saints teammates to the game at Adelaide Oval.

The AFL is hopeful it can still recognise Winmar’s moment in a way that recognises its significance.

Winmar, 57, remains an indigenous trailblazer but as the 30th anniversary of the event approaches he is keen to pass the torch to the next generation of players to continue the fight against racism.

He fears little has changed in that fight but believes the current cohort need to continue to educate the public about racism’s insidious effects.

The AFL is considering a proposal from former Essendon player Nathan Lovett-Murray to hold a healing ceremony at Victoria Park in the week of the actual anniversary – Monday April 17.

Nicky Winmar (right) unveils his statue with AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan (left) and Premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan (centre) at Optus Stadium in Perth.

That ceremony would include delegations from Collingwood and St Kilda and host many of football’s most decorated indigenous players.

St Kilda prioritised a home game against Essendon in round 3 for the club’s 150th anniversary celebrations and is the away team in the Adelaide Oval clash against the Pies.

While Winmar might still attend the Adelaide Oval game for some kind of celebration the tight scheduling gives little chance for competition-wide fanfare.

The Sunday contest is the second game of a double-header that overlaps with a GWS-Hawthorn game starting 90 minutes before the 4.50pm first bounce for the Pies-Saints games.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan will depart as AFL CEO in the days after the Gather Round, which has seen the Adelaide state government pay well in excess of $10 million for an entire round in the state.

Winmar and fellow indigenous teammate Gilbert McAdam had been subjected to a hail of abuse from Collingwood fans on that infamous day but played brilliant football in an upset victory before Winmar’s extraordinary moment.

The unveiling of the Nicky Winmar statue outside the Perth Stadium in Burswood. Picture: Jackson Flindell

The unveiling of the Nicky Winmar statue outside the Perth Stadium in Burswood. Picture: Jackson Flindell

He recently caught up with some of the players on the field that day at Moorabbin and says he has nothing against the Collingwood players.

“It was an amazing day, I have got nothing against the Collingwood players, just the crowd itself,” he said.

“It would be good (to be involved in a commemoration ceremony). Even if some of the Collingwood players were there to be part of it, it would be great. It is for everyone, not just ourselves. Black or white or red. Just for the people of the country and the Wurundjeri people and the other Aboriginal people around the Victorian community.”

Winmar was inducted into Australian football’s Hall of Fame last year for his decorated career but has battled health problems and has recently focused on creating original contemporary art while living in Victoria.

Nicky Winmar with some of his recent art work. Picture: Rob Leeson

He will conduct an exhibition in coming months of his artwork in Harrow, the home of Australia’s First Eleven – the Aboriginal cricket team which travelled to England in 1968.

He is aware there is still much ground to be made up in the fight against racism but is ready to pass the torch.

“Enough is enough. I have got five grandkids who are going to come through in the next generation,” he said.

“Are they going to be treated the same? No, it hasn’t improved. What gives people the right to stand there and say nasty things. What is wrong with these people?”

Winmar’s art is available on his Instagram page under the handle: nickywinmarart.

Originally published as Nicky Winmar disappointed 30th anniversary of Victoria Park stance clashes with Gather Round