Who is the next Michael Long?

ACCORDING to philosopher Edmund Burke, ‘All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.’

Michael Long is one of those good people, but no one could accuse him of doing nothing.

Long was a footballing grandmaster, able to commandeer time and space seemingly at will. His unique slant on how the game might be played changed the way in which the sport has evolved. By any measure he was an all-time on-field great.

However, history may eventually determine that his off-field endeavours are more significant than anything he did in the course of representing St Marys and Essendon.

In November 2004 he set out from Melbourne to walk to Canberra. His aim was to meet Prime Minister John Howard to talk about what was happening to his fellow indigenous Australians. He met the then-PM, eventually, and in doing so secured his place as a national leader in indigenous issues.

Long is extraordinary. However he is just the most high-profile of a remarkable number of indigenous footballers who have left the AFL and taken up roles working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities.

Maurice Rioli served in the Northern Territory parliament for nine years. Phillip Krakouer and Phil Narkle work with Aboriginal people in the justice system. Alan Thorpe and Troy Cook promote healthy indigenous lifestyles. Michael McLean and Barry Cable are community workers. Fabian Francis and Dean Rioli are involved in indigenous youth employment.

Equally importantly, there are indigenous ex-footballers at all levels, working at the coalface as well as taking executive roles.
 
Phil Egan is Chairperson of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and a university academic. Syd Jackson is President of the Indigenous Sports Foundation and involved in cross-cultural consultancy work with federal and state governments. Gilbert McAdam is Sports and Personal Development Officer at the Academy of Sport, Health and Education in Shepparton. Les Bamblett is State Director, Victorian Aboriginal Youth, Sport and Recreation. Kevin Caton is Pilbara Manager of the Department of Indigenous Affairs. Che Cockatoo-Collins heads the Indigenous Sports Academy at Rostrevor College

Why are so many indigenous players involved in community work? And is there another Michael Long waiting in the wings?

Sean Gorman, author of Brotherboys: The Story of Jim and Phillip Krakouer and a lecturer in the Australian indigenous studies program at the University of Melbourne, says that most of the community work current players undertake is unseen or unacknowledged.

“They like chipping away,” Gorman says. “It is being part of a club in a community, giving something back.

“There are welfare programs for the indigenous player groups, and community liaison-type roles are very much what they’re grooming those players for. These programs are not well known but they are out there. There is a heavy emphasis on maintaining links with their communities.

“This is all grassroots-level stuff. Michael Long operates at a different tier. Since 1995 and the Racial and Religious Vilification Laws that came into the AFL, Michael Long has had that national profile. He dragged those issues into the national consciousness at a time when it was tough work.”

Gorman appreciates the way in which football can open doors, creating opportunities for action or even activism. “Playing AFL football generates serious traction,” he says. “Clinton Wolf only played four games for Fremantle, but after he went and did a law degree he used that football profile, however small, to open doors. He works tirelessly for his community, is extremely well connected and is now Chief Executive Officer of the Western Desert Land Aboriginal Corporation.

“The next Michael Long is just waiting to happen. They are out there in one shape or another. We particularly need to look at the vast untapped area in the north, the incredible potential of those Top End fellas. But equally it could be someone like Buddy Franklin; once he moves from Superstar to Absolute Superstar level, he will have massive traction as a marquee footballer.”

An obvious contender as ‘the next Michael Long’ is Victorian-born West Coast champion David Wirrpanda. When The Bulletin magazine named their Top 10 Most Influential Indigenous People in November last year, the cat-like small defender was ranked ninth on the list.

His David Wirrpanda Foundation has been called “exemplary” in its efforts to assist and develop indigenous young people, “through education, promoting healthy lifestyles and building self esteem”. Wirrpanda himself has made no secret of his possible future involvement in politics.

Darren Moncrieff, a NSW-based journalist who operates the website www.aboriginalfootball.com.au, says that there are several players, “showing pretty good leadership outside of footy.

“I know young Saints player Xavier Clarke and former team-mate Allan Murray set up the Unity Foundation for indigenous and non-indigenous young people.

“Adam Goodes is another with strong leadership qualities. He was on the now-defunct National Indigenous Council and is not afraid to speak out on issues, if asked, lately. He’s at a great club that fosters this kind of thing.

"Fremantle’s Michael Johnson also came equal second in an AFL community leadership award earlier this year. So there are a number of players making contributions in this area.”

Round nine is the AFL’s Indigenous Round, highlighting the relationship between the game and Indigenous Australia. This year’s round features a number of events, culminating in the Long Walk and the annual Dreamtime at the 'G game between Essendon and Richmond on Saturday night. Click here for full coverage.