AFL 2025 news: Indigenous All-Stars to return against Fremantle in pre-season shake-up
The Indigenous All-Stars are back. Get all the details on the match against the Dockers including the adjusted rules, Freo stars facing their own side, how it impacts pre-season games and more.
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The AFL is confident that the league’s best Indigenous players will make themselves available for selection in February’s All-Stars clash, so much so that some stars might miss out.
After a 10-year hiatus, the AFL’s best Indigenous players are set to come together for an exhibition game against Fremantle at Optus Stadium on February 15.
Players selected in the exhibition match will miss one of their club’s two pre-season games.
While clubs contacted held goodwill for the concept, there was some trepidation about how it would impact pre-season matches.
One team believed it would be preferable for the game to be an ‘extra’ pre-season fixture, allowing the players involved to still take to the field with their side in scheduled regular practice games, but that would lead to concerns about player fitness loading.
AFL Executive General Manager of Football Laura Kane doesn’t expect that many, if any, Indigenous Stars will opt out of the highly anticipated clash.
“I’m really confident that we’ll see our best players celebrated on the 15th of February,” Kane said. “The support from the 18 clubs has been unbelievable and the main driver behind our announcement today.
“They want to see the best Indigenous players celebrated on the biggest stage and if my inbox is anything to go by, I already have jumper number requests and leadership group requests. Players are also jostling for positions as well.”
The game is set to be modelled on the AFL’s pre-season community series. Quarter length will be similar to a normal AFL game but both teams will be afforded an extended bench, meaning an extra four players will get the chance to pull on a jumper.
Even then, it’s set to be a heated match committee meeting.
“We’re going to have to collectively make some tough decisions but what a great problem to have,” Kane said. “There’s so many players that can play.
“We’ll make sure we fit as many players in as possible.”
The revival of the much-loved concept is part of the league’s commitment to increasing Indigenous representation. The number of Indigenous players in the AFL has dropped to 71 this season from 87 four years ago.
The AFL has already tweaked Next Generation Academy guidelines, removing the top 40 draft bidding rule to encourage club’s to develop more Indigenous talent. Currently, there’s 150 Indigenous players between the ages of 16 and 19 in NGAs across the competition.
AFL Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy Tanya Hosch said that the return of the Indigenous All-Stars would give emerging players something to aspire to.
“The AFL is committed to growing Indigenous talent through our pathway programs and onto AFL lists in the future by showcasing the best Indigenous talent in aspirational matches like this which we hope will continue to inspire the growth of Indigenous participation in our game,” she said. “(This game) will highlight the great pride that we know communities feel when they see their mob playing footy.
“This is more than just a game. It’s a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions and cultural strength.”
Indigenous players have been pushing for the return of the All-Stars clash since the AFL’s Indigenous and Multicultural summit back in 2022.
“The message was loud and clear,” Hosch said.
Added Kane: “We would love to see this game as a regular feature on our football calendar. We hope that this stadium sells out to kick-start that.”
Indigenous All-Stars games have also been held in Darwin, Alice Springs and at Leederville Stadium in 2015.
That match 10 years ago was attended by a sell out crowd of 10,000 and was narrowly won by West Coast against an All-Stars team led by Port Adelaide and Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne.
READ: WHERE THE 2015 INDIGENOUS ALL STARS ARE NOW
Previously the exhibition game took place every two years.
WA footy fans have embraced marquee fixtures in the past, selling out the 2021 Dreamtime game between Richmond and Essendon at Optus Stadium and the grand final later that season when Melbourne defeated the Western Bulldogs.
AFL chairman Richard Goyder has urged WA footy fans to embrace the concept, indicating that a strong reception could see Perth take ownership of the fixture.
“That’s the challenge,” Goyder said. “It’s a bit like how everyone says Gather Round should be somewhere else.
“We should make this the home here and make it ours. That’s the challenge. To ensure that is and let someone else get a crowbar to take it away.”
Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick said that the Dockers were a fantastic fit for the fixture given the club’s proud history of Indigenous representation.
Aboriginal players have combined to play more than 2800 games for Fremantle and up until this season when veterans Michael Walters and Alex Pearce were both injured, the club boasted a 30-year run of having at least one Indigenous player named in every game.
“It’s been no directive or list management strategy,” Garlick said. “It’s who we are as a club.”
Dockers stars Walters, Pearce and new recruit Shai Bolton are all expected to play against their club for the All-Stars.
“Sonny is entering his 17th season as a Fremantle player and you will not find a more passionate, more committed, more competitive Fremantle person,” Garlick said. “But just try telling him to play for Fremantle instead of the Indigenous All-Stars.”
Added Walters, who missed the 2015 clash due to a calf injury: “I’m looking forward to playing with some superstars of the competition that if not for this opportunity, I might not have the chance to play with.”
A string of stars who would be in the mix for selection for the All-Star side posted positive reactions to the news on social media on Monday night and Tuesday morning, including Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Bobby Hill, Izak Rankine, Brad Hill, Kysaiah Pickett, Dan Rioli and Liam Henry.
The Suns would be “fully supportive” of their new recruit Rioli being involved if selected.
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