ATSI rugby team?

[Bruce Ross]

The fact that it is proving impossible to nominate even one team is a damning indictment of our sport.

 

[08umema]

Will Genia?
PNG is Torres Straight, right?

Haha come on mate!

 

[wamberal]

The fact that it is proving impossible to nominate even one team is a damning indictment of our sport.

Oh. Maybe we should put more of our time and effort into developing the game in the places where it is weak, rather than exploiting our strengths.



That might mean that some of us would have to make some sacrifices. Are you up for it, Bruce?



Is your club up for it, Bruce?

 

[DPK]

Nice Wamberal. Another nail in Uni's coffin. The end is surely around the bend for that mob...

 

[QuadeCooperFan]

we should do more to get indigenous players into our game ala Kurtley Beale. Most of them seem to prefer rugby league though. That list would look much better with names like Greg Inglis, Jharal Yow Yeh and Sam Thaiday.

(sorry to bring league into this, but its true...)

 

[spectator]

The fact that it is proving impossible to nominate even one team is a damning indictment of our sport.

Can't agree. There is a Lloyd McDermott team that participates in the 2nd tier National schools comp every year. That is exclusively aboriginal. What other sport does that?

 

[Empire]

By my rough estimations, 2.2% (generally accepted percentage of Australian population that is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) of 175 (5 teams x 35 players) = 3.85%

So, statistically, we are actually punching above our weight here.

It’s not a huge pool of players to begin with, so keep that in mind – irrespective of how nice it’d be to have an ‘Indigenous 1st XV’.

At my club, we have 8 guys who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait descent, which is well over the 2.2%. Over all the premier comp’s in Australia, you would find more than enough players to fill out a representative 22.

Rugby which has traditionally been associated with high socio-economic status (SES) locations and institutions (Private schools, Universities) whereas our League friends have been distinctly working class or Low/Medium SES.

Naturally, given the multiple hardships and policies that have affected Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, we have generally been drawn into League circles (or Aussie Rules for that matter).

However, as the barriers have been broken down and increased attention given to ‘closing the gap’ more and more will attend institutions that have Rugby as their main sport.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Milton Thaiday? Nathan Blacklock? Currently playing League but would transfer if the price was right...

I am sorry if it appears that i shoot down a lot of what you say here but Blacklock is a terrible idea. Thaiday would be interesting however.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Can't agree. There is a Lloyd McDermott team that participates in the 2nd tier National schools comp every year. That is exclusively aboriginal. What other sport does that?

I agree with what you are saying however it would be a bit of a indictment as Bruce says that they don't go on further in our sport.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

we should do more to get indigenous players into our game ala Kurtley Beale. Most of them seem to prefer rugby league though. That list would look much better with names like Greg Inglis, Jharal Yow Yeh and Sam Thaiday.

(sorry to bring league into this, but its true...)

I think that now having someone like Beale i would hope that it would inspire more Indigenous kids to play Rugby.

 

[spectator]

I agree with what you are saying however it would be a bit of a indictment as Bruce says that they don't go on further in our sport.

At the end of the day it comes down to personal choice and the environment that one lives in. IF AFL or league is the major sport in ones community, as it is in the NT and Qld, then young boys will gravitate in that direction. There are no economic or social barriers to participation in rugby in the 21st century, and rugby can do no more than encourage junior indigenous participation in endeavours such as the Lloyd McDermott team.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

At the end of the day it comes down to personal choice and the environment that one lives in. IF AFL or league is the major sport in ones community, as it is in the NT and Qld, then young boys will gravitate in that direction. There are no economic or social barriers to participation in rugby in the 21st century, and rugby can do no more than encourage junior indigenous participation in endeavours such as the Lloyd McDermott team.

In principle i agree with that there are the systems in place. To be fair Lloyd McDermott only plays in DIV2 against sides that would probably get beat by junior rep teams within Sydney.

It would have been great to see guys like Idris and Sandow picked up by possibly a Rugby School and ingrained in the culture of Rugby similar to Beale at a private school. Given the population of indigenous people and participation levels pointed out and comparing them to the amount of athletes in AFL and the NRL our percentages are down.

I feel that given where the strength of Rugby are to say that there are no economic and social barriers is a little inaccurate. It's a fact that people from lower economic backgrounds play Rugby League rather than Rugby whether you are Indigenous or not. If we want more of the talent coming from an Indigenous background more will need to be done. This is not a critisism of the Lloyed Mcdermott squad, in fact they do a great job of mentoring Indigenous youth, i am sure however that they would echo my thoughts.

 

[Bowside]

we should do more to get indigenous players into our game ala Kurtley Beale. Most of them seem to prefer rugby league though. That list would look much better with names like Greg Inglis, Jharal Yow Yeh and Sam Thaiday.

(sorry to bring league into this, but its true...)

I dont think they so much as prefer it, but rather it's all they have to play in the communities they come from.

That's the real problem here.

 

[Jets]

I think that the Lloyd McDermott squad do a really good job at schoolboy level. The major issue I see is when boys leave school there is no focused pathway for Indigenous players.

 

[Ruggo]

Oh. Maybe we should put more of our time and effort into developing the game in the places where it is weak, rather than exploiting our strengths.



That might mean that some of us would have to make some sacrifices. Are you up for it, Bruce?



Is your club up for it, Bruce?

I couldn't give a stuff about his club allegances but Bruce has a track record of working with young players creating opportunity and good on him. He has my respect for it. What's your claim to fame or are you just some faceless keyboard warrior who enjoys taking pot shots at people from a distance? I am assuming so as you don't even demonstrate the pride to display your club colours on here.

Pull your head in bloke.

 

[Ruggo]

Was gonna mention Will Chambers, I seem to remember Landline doing a story on him as he went on one of the QRU trips to remote communities (could have even been the one he grew up in)

Will hails from Nhulunbuy which is at the north east corner of Arnhem Land. I'm not sure of his cultural background though he strikes me as a very proud countryman and that would explain the repore he had with those kids in that community he visited.

 

[Swat]

I couldn't give a stuff about his club allegances but Bruce has a track record of working with young players creating opportunity and good on him. He has my respect for it. What's your claim to fame or are you just some faceless keyboard warrior who enjoys taking pot shots at people from a distance? I am assuming so as you don't even demonstrate the pride to display your club colours on here.

Pull your head in bloke.

Someone call the ambulance, tell them we have a guy who just got horribly burned.

 

[T.Rugby]

great video on whats going on with Indigenous rugby in Australia

 

[Empire]

Thanks for sharing that, great to see pathways being extended out of the big cities and for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders having some platform to represent their country and family.

 

[T.Rugby]

Thanks for sharing that, great to see pathways being extended out of the big cities and for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders having some platform to represent their country and family.

no worries empire i'm glad you like it!