AFL Indigenous Round is an opportunity to celebrate the role Indigenous athletes have had in shaping Australian Rules football.
The Brisbane Lions boast a rich Indigenous history born largely from foundation club, Fitzroy.
In fact, Fitzroy’s Joe Johnson became the VFL's first Aboriginal player when he lined up for the Roys against Carlton in Round 1 of 1904.
Johnson play 55 games in three seasons with the Club, including the 1904 and 1905 premiership sides.
Another notable Indigenous player from Fitzroy’s history was Pastor Doug Nicholls, who played 53 games from 1932-37.
Nicholls twice represented Victoria and received a number of other VFL honours.
He later became the first Aboriginal to receive an MBE in 1957, was the first to receive a knighthood in 1972, and was appointed Governor of South Australia in 1976.
In recent years, Club has celebrated some fine Indigenous players – including Chris Johnson (Fitzroy/Lions), Darryl White (Bears/Lions), and Michael McLean (Bears/Lions) – who all form part of the Indigenous Team of the Century.
White and Johnson, sit among the Club’s all-time games leaders with 268 and 264 senior matches respectively.
The pair share an enviable record, having won the most premierships (three) of any Indigenous player in the history of the game.
Both also received the highest individual honour at the Club when they were inducted into the Lions’ Hall of Fame in 2014.
And 2003 premiership player Ash McGrath sits among former greats White and (Chris) Johnson as one of only three Indigenous players to have reached 200 games with the Club. McGrath retired at the end of last season.
In 2015, Allen Christensen and Josh McGuinness joined the Lions. Christensen is the 31st Indigenous player to represent the Lions.
Below is a list of every Indigenous player who has played a senior VFL/AFL game with Fitzroy, the Bears, or the Brisbane Lions, throughout the Club’s combined 128-year history:
- Matthew AH MAT (Bears)
- Peter BIRD (Fitzroy)
- Norm BYRON (Fitzroy)
- Kevin CATON (Fitzroy/Bears)
- Allen CHRISTENSEN (Lions)
- Xavier CLARKE (Lions)
- Anthony CORRIE (Lions)
- Robert CUMMINGS (Fitzroy)
- Trent CUMMINGS (Fitzroy)
- Fabian FRANCIS (Bears)
- Des HEADLAND (Lions)
- Rhan HOOPER (Lions)
- Shadrach JAMES (Fitzroy)
- Russell JEFFREY (Bears)
- Chris JOHNSON (Fitzroy/Lions)
- Joe JOHNSON (Fitzroy)
- Adam KERINAIUA (Bears)
- Dale KICKETT (Fitzroy)
- Edward LOVETT (Fitzroy)
- Wally MATERA (Fitzroy)
- Gilbert McADAM (Bears)
- Ashley McGRATH (Lions)
- Michael McLEAN (Bears/Lions)
- Doug NICHOLLS (Fitzroy)
- Albert PROUD (Lions)
- Jason ROE (Lions)
- Shannon RUSCA (Lions)
- Sam SHELDON (Lions)
- Kevin TAYLOR (Fitzroy)
- Darryl WHITE (Bears/Lions)
