Geelong West player Titit Nyak on the diverse and multicultural environment at the Giants

Titit Nyak is one of many multicultural players at what might be Geelong’s most culturally diverse club. And he has a message for those who use racist and homophobic language on the footy field.

Geelong West players Titit Nyak and Ethan Liddle. Picture: Brad Fleet

Titik Nyak feels Geelong West would have to be one of the most diverse clubs in the region, and they pride themselves on it.

Nyak is one of several players whose families originate from Africa. He was born in a refugee camp on the border of Ethiopia and Sudan before moving to Colac.

He recalls learning the game with former Carlton and Geelong player Darcy Lang and Dylan Hodge, the brother of Hawthorn and Brisbane champion Luke who is now a player manager, in the schoolyard.

Now, Nyak trains alongside his cousins Duwahar and Pachuol Jok, who play in Geelong West’s reserves side.

Emmanuel Ajang, who is listed with Werribee, is another Sudanese Giant and Ethan Liddle shared the story of his proud First Nations culture last month ahead of AFL Barwon Indigenous Round last month.

Rising Sydney VFL forward Phil Moimoi has spent the last four years at the Giants. He is from a Tongan background and is related to NRL cult figure Fuifi Moimoi.

And there are many more multicultral players in the club’s GDFNL side.

Titit Nyak in action for Geelong West.

“Considering being from Sudanese background it’s amazing just having the club being so multicultural. I think West is probably the most multicultural club in the GFL at the moment or in all football in Geelong in general,” Nyak said.

“(My cousins) have been at the club for a while now. Emmanuel as well, we’re all pretty close friends. But all the boys around the club at Geelong West, everyone’s seems to be very close as friends because everyone’s around the same age and stuff like that so you get to have a bit of fun with each other and everyone’s going through the same things in life.

“It’s amazing just seeing all the boys out here, they’re comfortable to come to their club, and just be themselves and show their country, show their knowledge, show everything.”

They are not only accepting of people from all racial backgrounds, they also care deeply about those from the LGBTIQ+ community.

This weekend marks AFL Barwon Pride Round and Geelong West will be sporting their rainbow jumpers, a reversible jersey from Liddle’s Indigenous guernsey design.

“West has indigenous connections, there’s lots of multicultural young people, but then they also support all the pride communities and stuff as well,” Nyak said.

“Just how inclusive the club is to everyone, no matter where you come from, is just probably the best thing about being at Geelong West.”

A North Shore was suspended in May for directing a homophobic slur at a player, and Nyak believes education is the key to stopping discriminatory language on the football field.

“Players shouldn’t be doing that. There’s lots of pain that young people go through and everyone in general that go through certain things whether it is homophobic comments, racism, sexism, everything like that. It’s always not okay to be saying those things to people,” Nyak said.

“There’s lots of effects that has on other people and what they’ve gone through as well, so it’s not okay to do all that stuff, but it’s just all about education at the end of the day.

“People can stuff up and things like that as long as they learn and just change their ways.”

Nyak said he hasn’t been racially vilified in a long time while playing footy and hopes improvements can continue to be made.

“Hopefully, we’re moving forward as a society as a club. And hopefully just everything continues to improve and show that inclusion is better and having diversity around clubs.

“It’s good for the good for football, but it’s also good for the people that are out there that are moving into Australia, and that are around as well.”

Originally published as Geelong West player Titit Nyak on the diverse and multicultural environment at the Giants