Do the Dogs have an issue with indigenous players?

[mike123]

How the hell can you come to that conclusion,

You’re using the exact same argument Pauline Hanson has been using recently, I thought it would be obvious.

 

[SickQwon]

Well, it's clear the Bulldogs and all their fans are racist.

/thread

 

[Dancing Dougy]

It’s good to see that majority of the posts acknowledge the issue is purely coincidental. The dogs have a long history of drafting players from all backgrounds including indigenous Australian without hesitation.

The dogs recent recruiting history would suggest that drafting the best possible player is working well for them. If an indigenous player is selected next draft, I’d hazard a guess he was the best available.

 

[darcytiger]

Ku Klux Dogs

 

[Juddernaut08]

Didn't work and we stuck to our guns which was well below the Dogs offer.

Happy he chose us on a reduced salary honestly and is not just chasing the money but more team environment on where he thinks he will fit in the best.

He has huge upside and i know most Carlton supporters are welcoming him with open arms in what is our greatest area of need talent wise regarding small forwards who are versatile and can play elsewhere.

Strange that he turned out a much more lucrative contract at the Dogs to choose us given their list is choc full of talent.

The only explanation I can think of is he's sick of playing in front of minnow crowds and wants to join a club with a large supporter base?

 

[Yojimbo]

You’re using the exact same argument Pauline Hanson has been using recently, I thought it would be obvious.

Sorry mate, but you will have to help me out a little bit as I don't pay much attention to what Pauline
Hanson has to say. Koby Stevens, Joel Hamling and Brett Goodes all have indigenous Australian
heritage and have all played for the Western Bulldogs in the recent past, but to me they are
footballers and human beings sorry if it offends you, but I don't like to label.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

What's your view? This is from the Hun, and Peter Gordon acknowldges as much.

Who was the last indigenous player on your list? Clay Smith?

It definitely helps when you have other indigenous players and a support program/indigenous welfare officer in place to help lads who come from the regions (though many indigenous boys don't). I also think coaches and team mates willing to take the time out and get to know kids that come from different backgrounds, meet their families or spend time in the community bonds a player to a club, and helps them to be welcomed.

I remember when Simmo went up to the Tiwi Islands, to meet the Riolis. He took his kids and another coach. If a player comes from a community where family and the land is everything, then respecting those things and taking that journey provides a connection between peoples and club. May sound silly to some, but AFL asks so much of these guys in terms of lifestyle and travel. Yes, many get paid good money, but that's not always the most important thing. See Cyril. Being welcomed and having a connection to home or your values through those around you shouldn't be dismissed.

But better resourced clubs and those with old heads about the place, can spot these boys and offer the right environment. Sometimes though, you have to actively look for and empower mentors. I'm so glad WC traded for Lewis Jetta. I feel like Goodes was great team mate to have and Jetta has brought that leadership across to WC and tried to be that guide and teacher for Ryan etc.

 

[dergert]

Hope we have some black fellas running around for our club in the not too distant future!

 

[Bostonian]

What a s**t article.

No they don't.

They had Liam Jones. Wasn't their fault he didn't work out there.

 

[TheKITC]

Sounds like a bit of a bulls**t reason considering Fremantle have the most indigenous players in the competition and Martin has already ruled out us out. So clearly indigenous mates isn't the biggest concern for him.

Why would you bring logical reasoning into this debate?

People have an axe to grind don't you know? Jeez.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Article reads as if Impey and Wingard were going to join the Dogs but for the reason there was no indigenous players there. Find that hard to believe, think the fact they had Clarkson and were Hawthorn was a bigger reason why both went there.

Indigenous or not, players have been choosing higher profile clubs over the Dogs for years and years. Who are the big names the Bulldogs have signed in the last 15 years? Akermanis, Barry Hall and Cloke are probably the three biggest names who’d all burnt bridges at their old club in one way or another and there was no marketplace for them.

 

[Altum Volantes]

It’s certainly interesting to see that being suggested in this day and age.

They are one of those clubs that...traditionally...were not heavily linked to indigenous footballers - Collingwood, Hawthorn, Footscray...

Up until the later 90s I reckon you could fit the grand total of representatives of those clubs into a Toyota Tarago.

I highly doubt there is anything like that at play in 2019.

...and seriously...how much for Jack Martin?! Have I missed something?

 

[master bate]

3. Christensen, Cameron, Cox.

Is Cox going to be in the side this week? My point is the Bulldogs - nor any side - can't be criticised for not drafting players who can't get a game and the average number of Indigenous players in teams best sides (as judged by finals) is quite low, statistically there's little significance between having 2 of 22 or 0 of 22.

they dont have to draft them from victoria

Of course not and I look at Geelong who have recruited a good number of Indigenous players over the last 5 years from all around the country, but if the draft doesn't fall their way then that's just how it goes. The WA teams have a bit of an advantage with a number of guys going home (Hamling, Matera, Wilson, Hill, Jetta etc) and soon to be Tim Kelly as well as a closer look at the local guys. Oh and Kelly would be handy for the Dogs but I don't think Parfitt or Narkle get a game for the doggies with their midfield depth.

Tigers the other team that has recruited brilliantly in general as well as finding a couple of beauties in Bolton and Rioli. Marlion a smart move too. But again, the draft isn't easy.

 

[The Warlord]

It definitely helps when you have other indigenous players and a support program/indigenous welfare officer in place to help lads who come from the regions (though many indigenous boys don't). I also think coaches and team mates willing to take the time out and get to know kids that come from different backgrounds, meet their families or spend time in the community bonds a player to a club, and helps them to be welcomed.

I remember when Simmo went up to the Tiwi Islands, to meet the Riolis. He took his kids and another coach. If a player comes from a community where family and the land is everything, then respecting those things and taking that journey provides a connection between peoples and club. May sound silly to some, but AFL asks so much of these guys in terms of lifestyle and travel. Yes, many get paid good money, but that's not always the most important thing. See Cyril. Being welcomed and having a connection to home or your values through those around you shouldn't be dismissed.

But better resourced clubs and those with old heads about the place, can spot these boys and offer the right environment. Sometimes though, you have to actively look for and empower mentors. I'm so glad WC traded for Lewis Jetta. I feel like Goodes was great team mate to have and Jetta has brought that leadership across to WC and tried to be that guide and teacher for Ryan etc.

When Jy Simpkin got on the turps early last year and had a career near death experience getting hit by a motor bike he was taken under the wing of Jed Anderson and Ben Cunnington and brought on their fishing trips.

Since becoming part of the North fisho crew Jy hasn't been in trouble and his form has improved.

How much of that is down to Jed also being indigenous? They are from mobs seperated by thousands of kilometres.

And how much a young tearaway coming under the influence of two very mature family oriented men regardless of race?

Thing is North have always had the "senior" indigenous player - that's now Jed, was Lindsay Thomas for a long tim time - who welcomes new blokes into the North indigenous family.

We make a real effort to keep that sense of continuity. Blokes like Phil Krakouer give indigenous blokes their first Guernsey. We were among the first, if not the first, club to have a Reconciliation Action Plan.

And it isn't like we're something special. Other clubs do just as much if not more, especially in community. We're more multicultural Melbourne focused in that regard.

Sounds like the Dogs are missing a trick here though.

 

[Cam1967]

No issue, disappointing we have missed a few signings. The club has done a lot internally to try and rectify this perception. I also dont expect the club to draft an indigenous player just for the optics. If he is a fit for what we need, fantastic.

If we could replicate Lally Bamblett I would be over the moon, just what we need right now.

 

[The Warlord]

Indigenous: Originating in or being native to a particular place.

I would argue that we are all indigenous in one way or another, where I was born we have clans that
contain many family branches. History is usually written by the people that win and conquer which
is sad. We are all in the same race it's called the human race.

We don't have any Irish players either, it's an outrage.

Thanks Karl Langdon.

 

[The Warlord]

Zac Williams
Jeremy Finlayson

=2

Bobby Hill as well.

Bonar has a Papuan mum.

 

[The Warlord]

A better question: Is there any evidence to prove they have an 'issue'?

Their President saying as much?

 

[WestCoast05]

It's not like they have a blatant racist 'no black fellas' recruiting policies a certain Melbourne based club had until the 90s.

Wth is that real?
Which club was that?

Btw this thread is a bullsh@$ premise to begin with - I'm sure Bulldogs will recruit any and all race, colours and cultures that further their ability to win a game of footy.

Any club that may have had any racist policies in the past I guarantee those policies would not be still existent in 2019.

 

[Yojimbo]

Thanks Karl Langdon.

Is that the West Coast player ? Do you know the Hawthorn players used to call him superman such was
the respect they had for him as he was quite small for the position he played.

 

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

In my experience a disproportionate amount of indigenous people verbalise their dislike of dog campaigners. Is there a connection there?

It does not have to be about race either as verbalising dislike of dog campaigners actually correlates with lower levels of income and education.

Maybe the Western Bulldogs have a problem with players that were raised in lower socioeconomic households.

Yeah that must be it.

 

[PerthBoy86]

I've noticed this actually. I thought there was a stipulation each team had to have at least a few indigenous players on tbeir list? I doubt it's racism, though, more just how it turns out. Can't speak for everyone at the Dogs though. I actually find it surprising they don't have a South Sudanese player when many teams have one nowadays, given the fact Footscray is like the main African town in Melbourne along with Sunshine. They did have Lin Jong, shame he didn't feature much. Would be good to see more Asian players too.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Also like someone said Vic doesn't have as many indigenous players as a % as WA, which partly explains their strong representation in the WA clubs. I don't know if there's ever been a side with more aboriginal players as the Eagles now or Dockers in recent years. Port, Hawthorn and Essendon would be others.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Bobby Hill as well.

Bonar has a Papuan mum.

Yeah, but the post I was quoting was talking about those playing week one of the finals - Bobby was an emergency, didn’t actually play.

We also have Delma Gisu on our AFLW list.

The club plays an excellent Welcome to Country video on the big screen before each game that features all four talking about their tribe and their totem.

GIANTS' Acknowledgement of Country

The GIANTS' Acknowledgement of country video which is played at all home games. Directed by Nick Haynes.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

 

[The Warlord]

Yeah, but the post I was quoting was talking about those playing week one of the finals - Bobby was an emergency, didn’t actually play.

We also have Delma Gisu on our AFLW list.

The club plays an excellent Welcome to Country video on the big screen before each game that features all four talking about their tribe and their totem.

GIANTS' Acknowledgement of Country

The GIANTS' Acknowledgement of country video which is played at all home games. Directed by Nick Haynes.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

Ahh my bad, I get it.

Yeah GWS have been very impressive in that regard.