NRL celebrates contributions of indigenous stars across the game in Round 10

AFTER a week of bad headlines for rugby league, the contribution and meaning of the NRL’s indigenous players is something worth celebrating.

In 2017, players from every NRL club will wear an Indigenous inspired jersey during Indigenous Round, for the first time in the history of the Round. Players wear their jerseys at Rugby League Central, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

NRL boss Todd Greenberg quickly found out first kind of impact the indigenous players have on rugby league fans when travelling to Darwin last year.

“I visited a small indigenous community, and it was one of my most memorable experiences in my first year of this job,’’ Greenberg said on stage at League Central on Monday, as he helped launch the Indigenous Round.

“I met a young indigenous mother who was desperate to introduce me to her three boys. They were all very young. She introduced her children as ‘ Johnathan Thurston’, ‘Justin Hodges’ and ‘Sam Thaiday’.

“That’s a true story.

“When little Johnathan Thurston was only three and he started to run away, she’d call out, ‘JT, come back’.

All 16 NRL clubs will wear Indigenous inspired jersey during Indigenous Round.

“This game means a lot to a lot of people, and our indigenous community is so fundamental to who we are and what we stand for.’’

Instead of being forced to deal with dreadful cocaine headlines from the weekend, the NRL would have been hoping for this image of a smiling 16 players decked out in some fantastic indigenous-inspired jerseys to be the big taking point.

Stories like that of the mother in the Top End naming her kids after Queensland and Australian greats should be told more.

For the first time every club will wear the jerseys this weekend, with Penrith centre Tyrone Peachey admitting this was the one special design his father always requested.

MONDAY BUNKER: This week we dissect a weekend of shame for the NRL with three players and an official involved in drug busts while Josh Dugan and Johnathan Thurston return from Kangaroo duty with injuries.

“The jersey is awesome, and the old man (Martin) always hits me up after the game for it, I love playing in it and love giving it to him afterwards,’’ Peachey told The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s really important for me, Penrith has a big indigenous culture, and a lot of fans who come to the game.’’

Cronulla powerhouse prop Andrew Fifita loved his Kangaroos return last Friday, but was just as proud about this special weekend.

“To recognise the first people of Australia, to put on our heritage jersey and give back to our people this weekend with all 16 teams is a massive advantage for us,’’ Fifita said.

Many of the players had a hand in designing the jerseys.

“For me to put on this jersey means the world. I am going to be wearing my heart on my sleeve this weekend.’’

Fifita and his Cronulla will go head to head with ‘’little brother’’ St George Illawarra and Joel Thompson, who has been a regular in the Indigenous All Stars.

Thompson, who hails from the far western NSW town of Ivanhoe, said: “This is awesome. It’s something special to see 16 teams in awesome designs, it’s exciting speaking to the boys, and I’m very proud and pumped for this weekend.’’

While international football was celebrated last weekend, Greenberg pointed out there were 24 indigenous players in action across all representative games, including Thurston and Thaiday for Australia.

Of the 77 NRL debutants last season, 13 were indigenous, while five indigenous players have already made their NRL debuts in the opening nine rounds this year.

Forty-one indigenous players featured at the Auckland Nines.