A SUBCOMMITTEE of AFL and club figures will meet next week to discuss ways to boost numbers of Indigenous players.

The AFL has set new targets to increase the number of Indigenous AFL and AFLW players by 2030 and a key meeting next week with a cross-section of club figures will take the next steps.

The League's General Manager of First Nations Engagement, Taryn Lee, will be at the meeting on Monday alongside General Manager of Football Greg Swann as well as head of talent Nicki Couston and head of player movement Justin Reid.

Former Port Adelaide and Hawthorn star Chad Wingard, who earlier this year became the AFL's first Next Generation Academies manager, will also be part of the meeting, with the AFL having previously told clubs it is exploring ways to grow the number of Indigenous players on lists, including introducing a dedicated list spot.

Flying Boomerangs coach Chad Wingard during the AFL Diversity Series match on September 30th, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

There are 62 Indigenous players in the League after an off-season that saw several big name players leave the game, including Port Adelaide's Willie Rioli, with the AFL hopeful of finding ways to retain Indigenous talent as well as see a rise in employment for First Nations people across the AFL industry.

Eight clubs have been invited to have representatives for Monday's meeting, including Carlton chief executive Graham Wright and Adelaide football manager Adam Kelly.

List managers from Richmond (Blair Hartley), Melbourne (Tim Lamb), St Kilda (Graeme Allan) and Western Bulldogs (Michael Regan) as well as West Coast recruiter Adam Shepard and Crows recruiter and ex-Richmond champion Shane Edwards have also been invited.

Jess Burger, Collingwood's AFLW head of football, is also part of the panel, with club representatives understood to have had discussions with their Indigenous colleagues for any feedback and proposals to take into the discussion ahead of the meeting.

The key meeting comes weeks out from this year's Sir Doug Nicholls Round and follows St Kilda coach Ross Lyon's apology to his Indigenous players on Tuesday after a remark at training that offended his Indigenous players.

The Indigenous All Stars after their match against Fremantle in February, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

AFL SUBCOMMITTEE ON GROWING INDIGENOUS NUMBERS

Greg Swann (AFL) 
Taryn Lee (AFL)
Justin Reid (AFL)
Nicki Couston (AFL)
Chad Wingard (AFL)
Jack Stephens (AFL)
Tim Murphy (AFL) 
Shane Edwards (Adelaide) 
Adam Kelly (Adelaide)
Graham Wright (Carlton)
Jess Burger (Collingwood)
Tim Lamb (Melbourne)
Blair Hartley (Richmond)
Graeme Allan (St Kilda) 
Adam Shepard (West Coast) 
Michael Regan (Western Bulldogs)