# Australian Football League engages in blatant racism to select Australian representative side **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514 "2013-07-03T07:26:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/1 "2013-07-03T07:26:28Z")
From here: [http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-03/indigenous-stars-for-tests](http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-03/indigenous-stars-for-tests) > [@](#): > > THE INDIGENOUS All-Stars will represent Australia in this year’s International Rules Series. > .. > When asked if non-indigenous players would be disappointed they were not eligible for this year’s series, (coach) McLachlan said, “The players have had plenty of chances historically to represent Australia in the International Rules series and haven’t been available.” > > “I don’t think there’s any disguising the fact in 2011 there weren’t many of our senior players available to play in that series,” he said. This is blatant racism. If you want to be someone who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes racial equality in the world, then you have to oppose this on every front. Anything that involves treating someone differently based on their skin colour moves us further away from racial equality, not closer. If you agree with Ghandi, as I do, when he says “_Be the change that you wish to see in the world_”, and if, like me, you want to live in a world where no one gets treated differently based on their skin colour, then you have to oppose what the Australian Football League is doing. So I oppose it. I don’t blame the selected players, and I wish them well for the series. “_I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character_” – M L King. Agreed, Mr King. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/2 "2013-07-03T07:53:14Z")
International Rules has had a bit of a chequered history, my guess this is merely an attempt to pump some life into it. Other matches have involved the same concept [Indigenous All-Stars (Australian rules football) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_All-Stars_%28Australian_rules_football%29). The NRL also dabbles > **[Indigenous All Stars (rugby league)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_All_Stars_%28rugby_league%29)** > > The Indigenous Australian rugby league team (also known as the Indigenous All Stars or Indigenous Dreamtime team) is a rugby league football team that represents Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The team was first formed in 1973 and currently plays in an annual All Stars Match against a National Rugby League NRL All Stars team. > An Aboriginal v White Australian rugby league game was held in Barcaldine in Western Queensland in 1963. These 'Blacks v Whites' games continued an... ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/3 "2013-07-03T07:54:25Z")
So, rephrasing the article: There has been flagging interest in that particular competition; many players will develop ill grandmothers when called. Several players, who happen to be indigenous, floated the idea that “hey, I’d love to come, and I know several guys who’d love to come… now that I think about it, we’re all indigenous. Hey, maybe we could make an all-indigenous team!” And something which may have started seriously or may have started tongue-in-check got enough traction to end up becoming official. Dunnow, man, I might work up some outrage if it wasn’t for all those sick grandmas: someone’s got to take care of them! ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/4 "2013-07-03T08:01:22Z")
Heh, I wouldn’t have needed to guess if I’d read the article. D’oh. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/5 "2013-07-04T03:12:56Z")
Aussie Rules players historically have a pretty pissweak reputation when it comes to turning up for representative games when alternatives are available, such as “not turning up” - but the aboriginal players are typically much more enthusiastic about representing an indigenous side. So, if there’s a group that aren’t necessarily the best in the game but who are willing to show up, it might be better to put them on the park than to pick half a dozen ruck rovers and hope that one of them’s willing to pull on a guernsey. Of course it’s racist, but it’s a sensible solution. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/6 "2013-07-04T09:20:41Z")
What about the Maori All Blacks then? Something that has enjoyed fantastic support all over the place… ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/7 "2013-07-04T10:14:36Z")
Most of them are in the wrong country to play Rules. Besides, they usually prefer union. I think the OP was raving about the indigenous team playing as the national side, not as a team themselves. So you can’t be selected for the rep game if you’re not an aborigine/TSI, even though few of the selected white players are willing to show up when they can get a doctor’s note saying they’ve got a nastily sprained toenail or ingrown armpit hair. ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/8 "2013-07-04T12:00:32Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > So you can’t be selected for the rep game if you’re not an aborigine/TSI, even though few of the selected white players are willing to show up when they can get a doctor’s note saying they’ve got a nastily sprained toenail or ingrown armpit hair. The “poor turnout” of Australian players in previous series’ is not a “white thing”. Buddy Franklin and Cyril Rioli are gun indigenous players and have never played in this series before. I don’t think anyone’s arguing that excluding players from Australian team selection based on skin colour isn’t going to create publicity and interest. Of course it will. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if more people take an interest in the series this year than previous years. None of this matters one flying rat’s clacker when determining if it’s racist. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/9 "2013-07-04T22:43:48Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > The “poor turnout” of Australian players in previous series’ is not a “white thing”. Buddy Franklin and Cyril Rioli are gun indigenous players and have never played in this series before. [But they were willing to play for an indigenous team](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-03/afl3a-australia-to-field-all-indigenous-team-for-international/4796344), which is what I actually said. Of course, since then, [it looks like the clubs have been nobbling the team](http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/afl-star-lance-franklin-out-of-indigenous-all-stars-exhibition-match-against-richmond-because-of-injury/story-e6frf3e3-1226571082048#.UdX5Z6xuJAY), which is another reason why AFL is a fundamentally flawed game that’ll never amount to anything. And no, it doesn’t matter “when determining if it’s racist”. Of course it’s racist. It doesn’t stop it from being a good idea undermined by the AFL clubs. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/10 "2013-07-04T22:50:57Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > What about the Maori All Blacks then? > > Something that has enjoyed fantastic support all over the place… “All Blacks” refers to the color of the jerseys they wear, not the skin of the players. It’s the NZ national team, not the “Maori” team. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/11 "2013-07-04T23:48:59Z")
In 2005 the side that used to be known as “New Zealand Maori” and, before that, “New Zealand Natives” were renamed “[Maori All Blacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_All_Blacks)”. The NZRU has the rights to the All Blacks name, so they can call any team they want the All Blacks. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/12 "2013-07-04T23:55:08Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > In 2005 the side that used to be known as “New Zealand Maori” and, before that, “New Zealand Natives” were renamed “[Maori All Blacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_All_Blacks)”. The NZRU has the rights to the All Blacks name, so they can call any team they want the All Blacks. Didn’t know that. Sounds confusing! ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/13 "2013-07-05T00:09:22Z")
The Maori All Blacks are usually one of the rep sides played by the midweek teams when Northern Hemisphere sides tour New Zealand, along with the provincial sides. Because they’re probably stronger than any of the provinces, they’ve got a far better record against international sides than the national team does. They don’t usually play the Wobblies or the Boks, but I think they usually enter a side in the Pacific Cup against Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and an Australian developmental team. There’s no equivalent in Australia, because aborigines rarely go to the private schools where union’s played. As noted, rugby league has an aboriginal representative side that plays a pre-season exhibition match against a team drawn from the rest of the NRL. They don’t usually play touring international sides because international rugby league doesn’t really matter, but I think they played Papua New Guinea a time or two. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/14 "2013-07-05T01:48:31Z")
This is a great idea. We have a long heritage of having indigenous teams in Australia, it is not seen as racist by any side of the argument. We are using sport to help raise the profile of indigenous issues in Australia, sorry mate there is no big racist agenda here, move on. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/15 "2013-07-05T01:49:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > “All Blacks” refers to the color of the jerseys they wear, not the skin of the players. > > It’s the NZ national team, not the “Maori” team. NZ Basketball team - The Tall Blacks NZ Cricket Team - The All Whites yes it may seem racist but in truth it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/16 "2013-07-05T02:14:06Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > NZ Basketball team - The Tall Blacks > NZ Cricket Team - The All Whites …and don’t forget the NZ Badminton Team, AKA as the Black[…](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10331117) . ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/17 "2013-07-05T02:37:29Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …and don’t forget the NZ Badminton Team, AKA as the… Only known as the New Zealand Badminton Team. They never actually adopted the “Black Cocks” name - just used the proposal for some cheap publicity from the more gullible media outlets. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/18 "2013-07-05T02:45:29Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > Only known as the New Zealand Badminton Team. They never actually adopted the “Black Cocks” name - just used the proposal for some cheap publicity from the more gullible media outlets. …AKA as a joke. And it is not unknown for them to still be called the Black Cocks, albeit unofficially. ---
**Author:** ![Zweedo\_Rodriguez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b487fb/32.png) [@Zweedo\_Rodriguez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zweedo_Rodriguez)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/19 "2013-07-05T02:49:17Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > NZ Cricket Team - The All Whites > > yes it may seem racist but in truth it’s not. Not quite, NZ Cricket team - The Black Caps NZ Soccer Team - The All Whites ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514/20 "2013-07-05T03:21:56Z")
> [@Zweedo\_Rodriguez](#): > > Not quite, > > NZ Cricket team - The Black Caps > > NZ Soccer Team - The All Whites oops, meh it’s a NZ team so no ones going to notice :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-football-league-engages-in-blatant-racism-to-select-australian-representative-side/662514.md?page=2)