Representing their nation, yet still unrecognised

The All Stars will be the first all-indigenous team to represent an Australian sporting code at senior level since 1868.

Steve Motlop, centre, leads the Indigenous All Stars in a war cry yesterday in Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein.

WHEN football legend and Aboriginal man Michael O'Loughlin sat down to tell the Indigenous All Stars team about the campaign to recognise indigenous Australians in the Constitution, he was met by several confused stares.

The young men leave for Ireland today to represent their country, but, according to their coach O'Loughlin, not all of them were aware of their own lack of constitutional status.

"Chucking that jumper on and listening to the anthem, there will be no one prouder than myself, and yet to talk to the Irish and say 'We're not actually recognised in the Constitution', that hurts a bit," he said.

"Some of the guys sitting down in the meeting today were a bit surprised that we weren't (recognised). We will do our utmost best to make sure that we get the message across."

Heading from the green training ground of Gosch's Paddock beside the holy site of the MCG to the verdant fields of Ireland, the team used its final training session yesterday to urge support for the Recognise campaign.

O'Loughlin, who played in three grand finals for the Sydney Swans, said he was proud to use his profile and the game of football to spread the message ahead of a referendum likely to be held before the next federal election.

Attorney-General George Brandis has pledged to have a form of words settled by mid-next year, saying work on the constitutional change would be one of his priorities.

Labor promised a referendum on constitutional recognition would occur by this year but abandoned it after failing to build support and momentum, while Tony Abbott used his election campaign launch to highlight the cause.

The All Stars will be the first all-indigenous team to represent an Australian sporting code at senior level since 1868, when the first cricket team toured England.

"For us to go over there (and) represent our people, our country, it doesn't come around that often," O'Loughlin said. "These guys certainly know how lucky they are and how privileged they are to chuck on the Australian jumper."

The team's most famous player, newly signed Swans recruit Buddy Franklin, was not at training as he is already overseas, but the squad let off a noise fearsome enough to make the tattooed Franklin proud as they demonstrated the war cry to be performed in Ireland.

With fists raised in the air, the team slapped their forearms as they advanced on the invisible Irish players.

"They chuck the Australian jumper on and listen to the anthem -- the hairs on the back of your neck stand up," O'Loughlin said. "They're ready to go, make no mistake about that."