Wayne Milera and Jeremy Johncock lead Adelaide Crows players and staff on pre-season trip to Narungga country
Adelaide star Wayne Milera led players and staff on a pre-season trip to his Narungga country over summer, as every level of the club embraces its new Aboriginal cultural training. Listen to the Black Australia Podcast here.
Crows
Don't miss out on the headlines from Crows. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Burgoyne headlines new ‘Black Australia’ podcast
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
Adelaide Crows star Wayne Milera says he could not be prouder of how his football club has embraced Aboriginal culture after he led players and staff on an off-season trip to his home Narungga country.
Milera and Adelaide’s Aboriginal programs manager Jeremy Johncock took players and non-indigenous staff to the Gynburra Fishing Festival on Yorke Peninsula in February as part of the club’s new Reconciliation Action Plan.
Johncock – whose cousin Graham played 227 games or the Crows – joined Adelaide in 2018, but like the majority of its workforce was stood down last week due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Watch 15,000+ hours of on-demand sports content with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial >
He hopes to return to the role when football resumes.
“I want to show those kids out there who are aspiring to be AFL footballers that there are opportunities on the other side of the fence as well, that’s the passion I have now,” Johncock told The Advertiser’s new Black Australia Podcast.
The Gynburra Fishing Festival involves a spearfishing competition at Port Victoria near where Milera’s father is from.
“It was good to get the boys and some non-indigenous staff to experience a bit of where I’m from and my culture,” Milera said.
“Through talks with some of the non-indigenous people who came along, they loved it and are pretty keen to make it a regular part of our program at the Adelaide Footy Club.
“I feel very proud, it brings the whole SA community together, which is perfect.
“It’s just a feeling of going out with all your brothers and uncs, being out in the fresh air, under the stars, it’s one of the things you have to do to get that feeling.
“You’re just enjoying yourself, not that you don’t enjoy it when you’re playing footy, it’s a different way of getting away from the footy world and you’re just their brother, you’re not the football player.”
Milera, 22, is just as proud of his mother’s indigenous heritage from Victoria.
“There are still things like language I want to learn, but knowing where we’re from they always instilled that in us, especially my mum,” he said.
“Because I’ve lived in Adelaide my whole life, she has been really strong in knowing where I’m from and we always get back to the football carnivals and make sure we are connected with my mum’s side as well.”
One of Johncock’s primary roles has been delivering cultural competency training across all levels of the football club and he says the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“If we want to be good out there, we need to be good internally as well,” Johncock said.
“We rolled it out and had a really good response, a good take up of the staff and players, and the next level for our executive and board level was face-to-face training.
“It was quite interesting listening to the conversations happening in there and (it was) a really impactful session, they’re all successful people sitting around the table and one of the questions was trying to get a measure of where people’s level of understanding was at.
“Nicksy (Matthew Nicks) has come in and put his own touch on things, putting your arm around and looking after your mate and right across the club.
“Even with my work, non-indigenous staff are coming up to say ‘how do I get involved? How can I help?’
“So, for me, that’s satisfying (to know) the work you’ve been doing in the past 12 months is starting to pay off, and I’m excited about the future.”
Milera is one of four indigenous players on Adelaide’s list this season along with Tyson Stengle, Ben Davis and Shane McAdam, and there is a very real chance all four may play together when the season resumes.
Danielle Ponter is the only indigenous player on its AFLW list.
“In my time here I can’t remember all of the indigenous players being in the one team, it would be awesome to play alongside all of them together,” Milera said.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Wayne Milera and Jeremy Johncock lead Adelaide Crows players and staff on pre-season trip to Narungga country