Nicky Winmar and Eddie Betts pictured in moving embrace at Adelaide Oval

Indigenous legends Nicky Winmar and Eddie Betts were pictured in a moving embrace amid footy’s modern reckoning with racism.

A photo of Indigenous football legends Nicky Winmar and Eddie Betts has warmed the hearts of the footy world, with the pair embracing in front of the Western Stand at Adelaide Oval.

The photo, taken by Fox Footy producer Sam Daddo, shows a visibly emotional Winmar holding Betts’ head against his in a close embrace, appearing to be either immediately before or after the pair went on air for Fox Footy ahead of the final Gather Round fixture between Collingwood and St Kilda.

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The touching segment featured Betts speaking emotionally to Winmar about the impact his actions had on him personally, as well as on the broader Indigenous playing cohort.

“I just wanted to say thank for you for what you’ve done, 30 years ago, making a stand,” Betts said on Fox Footy.

“Thank you so much. You paved the way for a lot of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to stand up for their rights.

“I know it’s a hard week and I know when you look out into those stands, you don’t see the positives, you see the negatives.

“You always hear that stuff that comes over the fence, and I’m getting a bit emotional now talking to you about it.”

Winmar was stoic in his response, and was visibly as emotional as Betts.

“It’s still gotta get there. We’ll get there, Eddie,” Winmar said.

Collingwood and St Kilda stand together united against racism, running through a joint banner.

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"Enough's enough. When are we gonna see a stance?"

Eddie Betts speaks on the racial abuse that continues to happen in the AFL.

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“Seeing games like this, seeing other Indigenous players...the Goodesys and O’Loughlins and yourself, I like to see everybody (stand up).”

Betts went on to acknowledge the progress that Winmar had sparked.

“We are moving forward as a nation, and we are progressing and we are getting better, but it’s great to see the two sides acknowledge what they did and apologise to you and Gilbert McAdam,” he said.

“I just wanted to say, I’ll always have your back and I’ll always support you, the team at Fox Footy, we’ll always have your back and we’ll always keep fighting for you, and we love you.”

Social media lit up at the powerful image of the pair, with one Twitter user declaring them as “national treasures.”

The game marks the 30-year anniversary of Winmar’s now-iconic stand against racism.

Playing for St Kilda against Collingwood in 1993 at Victoria Park, Winmar and teammate Gilbert McAdam were abused by members of the Collingwood cheer squad, who yelled at them to “go and sniff some petrol”, and to “go walkabout where you came from”.

After the pair led St Kilda to a 22-point win over Collingwood, kicking six goals, racking up 46 disposals and taking home five Brownlow votes between them, Winmar lifted his jumper and pointed to the colour of his skin in a defiant declaration: “I’m proud to be black.”

Nicky Winmar lifts his guernsey and pointing to his skin says "I'm black and I'm proud" to jeering Collingwood fans.

This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of Winmar’s historic stand against racism. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Wayne Ludbey’s photograph of the moment remains iconic in Australian sport as its equivalent to the 1968 Black Power salute, and was immortalised in bronze outside Perth Stadium in 2019.

A week after Winmar’s stand, Collingwood’s then-president Allan McAllister said he had no issue with Indigenous people, “as long as they conduct themselves like white people”.

“As long as they conduct themselves like white people, well, off the field, everyone will admire and respect...as long as they conduct themselves like human beings, they will be alright,” McAllister said.

The Collingwood Football Club, whilst not alone in the AFL, has been at the centre of various reckonings with racism since 1993, including a 13-year-old supporter calling Sydney legend Adam Goodes an “ape” in 2013, as well as a 2017 documentary in which former player Heritier Lumumba called the culture at the club a “boys’ club for racist and sexist jokes”, alleging that his teammates nicknamed him “chimp”.

Former club president Eddie McGuire also suggested on radio that Goodes be used to promote the musical King Kong, only a matter of days after he had been called an ape.

Eddie Betts (R) embraces Nicky Winmar at the Collingwood-St Kilda fixture commemorating Winmar’s iconic stand. Pic: Michael Klein

The Western Bulldogs’ Jamarra Ugle-Hagan emulated Winmar in his own emphatic stand after being racially abused by supporters earlier this year. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Ahead of the historic anniversary fixture, Collingwood released an apology to Nicky Winmar.

“The Collingwood Football Club understands that racism is harmful and has no place in our game and apologises to Nicky Winmar and to Gilbert McAdam for the hurt they experienced playing football,” the statement read.

“It takes courage to stand against racism and when First Nations people do so, it is our opportunity - all Australians - to listen, learn and change for the better.

“To Nicky Winmar, to Gilbert McAdam, and to their families, we say sorry.”

The two sides ran through a joint banner at Adelaide Oval this week that read: “We stand united against racism”, and there was a pre-game acknowledgment where Winmar shook hands with Collingwood players.

It comes ahead of an public Indigenous healing ceremony at Victoria Park, Collingwood’s former headquarters and home ground, on April 18 to honour Winmar’s courage.

The free event was organised by former Essendon player Nathan Lovett-Murray and Jason Tamiru, aiming to help members of the public who have experienced racism to also heal.

Winmar said the event would promote forgiveness.

“It’s good, the smoking ceremony will give people an opportunity to forgive for what’s been done,” he said.

Part of the pre-game involved Winmar shaking hands with the Collingwood players in a show of unity. Pic: Michael Klein

It comes as Indigenous players around the league face a storm of racism from fans, with recent incidents targeting the Bulldogs’ Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Fremantle duo Michael Walters and Nathan Wilson, Adelaide’s Izak Rankine and Brisbane’s Charlie Cameron all within three weeks.

Winmar said the league and the country as a whole had a long way to go, but that he wouldn’t back down from fighting racism.

“I was emotional when I saw Eddie Betts (on Sunday), but I try to stay strong,” he said.

“It’s been hard, like with Jamarra (Ugle-Hagan), the next generation coming through, they’re putting their hands up and saying, ‘OK, we’ve fought this as well’.

“So it’s good that they’re doing that. But they shouldn’t have to.”

The AFL’s public reckoning and reflection on the racism within it comes as the nation prepares for a referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with major sporting codes including the AFL and NRL preparing to launch co-ordinated Yes campaigns in favour of the Voice.

Eddie Betts publicly endorsed the Voice last week, telling the Nine papers it was the right step.

“It’s a small step, but I think the right step, to have a Voice and be heard,” he said.

AFL Players’ Association president and former teammate of Betts, Patrick Dangerfield has also been vocal in support of the Yes campaign.

“We must continue to find ways to shine a light on marginalised sections of the community”, Dangerfield said last month.

“I think (a Voice to Parliament) is certainly a step in the right direction.”

Originally published as Nicky Winmar and Eddie Betts pictured in moving embrace at Adelaide Oval