This week marks the AFL Indigenous Round and the theme is land and country.
One Greater Western Sydney GIANT who has family and friends spread across our country is 18-year-old Shaun Edwards.
Edwards is originally from Darwin in the Northern Territory but spent four years at Melbourne Grammar in Victoria before joining the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS as a pre-listed 17 year old in 2011.
“I’ve got two sisters and a little brother who just turned four the other day. My mum lives in a place called Jabiru, which is 300km away from Darwin, and my dad lives in Cairns so I’ve got family spread out across Australia.”
Edwards smiles when he talks about his childhood and the home grown AFL heroes that inspired him to chase his dream.
“When I was younger, I remember Nan would come in with a weird stew or a different kind of fish or crab – I never asked what was in the stew, I just ate it.
“I always looked up to Cyril Rioli and Raff and Xavier Clarke because they were from the same club that I was from at St Marys. Those three were pretty special to me, they inspired me to make AFL level.
“The Indigenous players in our game bring a lot of athleticism, excitement, pace and speed.
"They can break the game open and some of the boys kick some pretty amazing goals from the boundary and take some big marks.”
After playing two AFL games so far in 2012, Edwards said that he is enjoying life at the GIANTS and is focusing on continually improving his game week by week.
“I’ve played in two games so far this year and I’m pretty happy to get the first couple out of the way. Now I’m looking to have some really good games in the reserves and get back up in to the seniors and have a really good crack at it.”
Highlights of the AFL Indigenous Round include:
All nine Indigenous Round matches will feature a Welcome to Country ceremony; a symbolic ceremony where the traditional custodians of the land welcome members of the wider community.
The AFL and Rio Tinto will conduct the Footy Means Business camp in Melbourne this week, culminating on Saturday May 19 with participants playing in the curtain raiser at the AFL Dreamtime at the ‘G match. Now in its third year, the Footy Means Business program provides 18 to 24-year-old Indigenous men with exposure to elite AFL programs and training, along with networking opportunities in corporate environments to strengthen employment and leadership skills.
Curtain-raisers: Rio Tinto Cup played between Footy Means Business participants will play prior to the Dreamtime at the G match. The match commences at 4.12pm Saturday May 19. The match will be broadcast to the following locations on television: Southern Cross - Darwin & Central markets and GWN7 - Regional WA. Radio coverage will be provided by NIRS into Sydney/Brisbane/Darwin/Perth and various regional centres around Australia.
The Aboriginal Power Cup Boys and Girls final prior to Port Adelaide v North Melbourne match at AAMI Stadium at 11.35am Saturday May 19.
The eighth annual Dreamtime at the G match on Saturday night between Richmond and Essendon. Pre-match entertainment features a performance from Shane Howard and his band along with Dan Sultan, Amy Saunders, Emma Donovan, William Barton, Bart Willoughby and Tjimba Possum Burns.
The Long Walk will depart Birrarung Marr at 6.30pm Saturday May 19 and continue through, over the William Barrack Bridge to the MCG.
There will also be a Long Walk into TIO Stadium prior to the Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns match in Darwin, on Saturday May 19.
