Adelaide State League players Isaya McKenzie and Blayne O'Loughlin say the upcoming SANFL First Nations Round is an important opportunity to celebrate and share their Indigenous culture.
The Crows, who have had 18 Indigenous players line up in the SANFL side since the team’s inception in 2014, will take on North Adelaide this Sunday in week one of the First Nations Round.
McKenzie, who is in his second year with the Crows’ State League side, is a Ngarrindjeri and Adnyamathanha man.
The Ngarrindjeri people are from the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula and the Coorong of the southern-central area of SA, while the Adnyamathanha people are from the Flinders Ranges.
The 26-year-old spoke to AFC Media ahead of the special game and said the impact of the First Nations Round transcended the football field.
“It's not just about footy, it's about the history of Australia, our culture and the stories,” McKenzie said.
“As a football club you have that platform, that responsibility and obligation to be inclusive of people and allow people to be accepted into the sport.
“It's really special for Aboriginal people to be able to share our culture with non-Indigenous people.”
O'Loughlin, who signed with the Crows under the SANFL Rookie Program this year, grew up learning about his Dad’s side of the family, the Narungga people from the Yorke Peninsula.
The crafty small defender said he was always honoured to represent his culture and that the First Nations Round was a special occasion for him.
“It means everything, you get to go out and do the thing you love, which is play footy and celebrate your culture at the same time,” O'Loughlin said.
“It has a little bit more meaning, and you go out with your Indigenous guernsey on, it feels pretty special.
“It's very important, obviously, to learn my culture and other cultures as well.”
The Crows 2023 Indigenous guernsey was officially launched in May and was designed by AFLW player Danielle Ponter’s Aunty April Napangardi Campbell from the Ti Tree community in the Northern Territory.
The design centres on connection as one Club, inclusive of all Crows players, staff, members, fans and communities.
McKenzie said that the story behind the guernsey reflected the power of the First Nations Round.
“The story that has come from this guernsey, with Danielle (Ponter) meeting her aunty for the first time and the story of the stolen generation, is pretty amazing,” McKenzie said.
“That’s what this round is about - having conversations around Aboriginal culture and history.
“To run out in the colours with Danielle’s story behind it on your chest and back and having your teammates run out with you is really special.
“We are one club, one team, being able to share the guernsey with the women’s, the SANFL and men's teams is important for that inclusiveness.”
O'Loughlin, who is the nephew of Sydney Swans Great Michael O’Loughlin, says having Indigenous role models is important.
“To have your own mob out there doing what they love is important because then you have someone you can look up to,” O'Loughlin said.
“Uncle Michael (Michael O’Loughlin) was one of the players I looked up to and also Adam Goodes, the thing he loved was just playing footy so he was very inspirational.”
Adelaide’s State League side will take on North Adelaide in the First Nations Round at Prospect Oval this Sunday at 2:10pm.
