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Sport Nation
Your AFL club's greatest Indigenous player of all-time
Luke Mathews • May 21st, 2025 7:04 pm
Indigenous Australian players have brought so much to the game of Aussie rules football at the top level.
Whether it be a midfielder, small forward, half back flanker, key forward or even a ruckman, every club has had Indigenous players make a big mark on their football club.
In the midst of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, we’ve taken a look a look at the past and picked out your club’s greatest ever Indigenous player.
Andrew McLeod
McLeod sits clearly on top of the greatest ever Indigenous players to ever pull on the tricolours.
After declaring he didn’t want to play for Fremantle, the half-bank flanker forged a memorable 363-game career at the Crows.
His career highlight was winning back-to-back Norm Smith Medals (which has only been done once since) as well as claiming three best and fairests and five All-Australians.
McLeod was closely followed by Graham Johncock and Eddie Betts as the best Indigenous players for the Crows.
Chris Johnson
Johnson was a key cog in the Lions' juggernaut during the early 2000s.
The back pocket was a part of a rock-solid backline with Mal Michael and Justin Leppitsch, who were tasked with playing on some of the greatest forwards of all time.
His career highlight was, of course, the three premierships in 2001, 02 and 03. However, he did claim two All-Australian blazers in 2002 and 2004.
Daryl White is another Indigenous superstar from that era, while small forward Charlie Cameron is well on his way to challenging Johnson’s mantle.
Eddie Betts
Betts is one of the most adored Carlton footballers of all time. It didn’t take long for the mercurial small forward to make his mark after being taken in the pre-season draft, winning his first of four Goals of The Year in 2006.
A successful stint in Adelaide didn’t change Blues fans' sentiment towards him, returning with open arms at the end of 2019.
He finished with 330 goals from 218 games in the Navy Blue.
Before Betts, Syd Jackson made a huge impression at Carlton as a trailblazer for his generation, finishing with two premierships in the 1970s.
Leon Davis
Davis was a fan favourite at Collingwood for many years and caused plenty of headaches for opposition small defenders.
After being taken from Northam in the 1999 draft, the small forward quickly helped change the look of Collingwood’s forward line in their charge towards the 2002 and 2003 Grand Finals.
He was cruelly dropped for the 2010 Grand Final replay, however, he was thrown into defence for the 2011 season, which ended with All-Australian selection.
An All-Australian as both a backman and forward, Davis is one of just a few players to be selected in the team at either end of the ground.
Bobby Hill is quickly making his mark in just his third season at the AIA centre, while Andrew Krakouer’s 2011 season will never be forgotten.
Michael Long
Not many players have a legacy as strong as Michael Long‘s at Essendon.
The winger came to Windy Hill at the end of 1988 and quickly became one of the best runners in the competition.
He’ll forever be remembered for his role in the baby Bombers' 1993 premiership, winning the Norm Smith Medal and picking the ball up at half back and taking four bounces to kick one of the great Grand Final goals.
Another premiership followed in 2000, but his work wasn’t done once he retired, setting up the Long Walk charity.
Long isn’t the only Essendon Indigenous legend, with Derek Kickett and Gavin Wanganeen also starring in the red and black.
Michael Walters
Walters will forever be known as one of the best Indigenous players to ever wear the Fremantle jumper.
The number 10 has been a staple of Fremantle’s side since making his debut in 2009 and was at the top of his game when he received in 2019 when he received All-Australian selection.
His teammate Alex Pearce leads Fremantle superbly week in and week out, while Stephen Hill had a great career at the Dockers before retiring in 2021.
Polly Farmer
Farmer is one of the very few players who can genuinely claim they changed the game.
The ruckman revolutionised handballing and turned it into an attacking weapon which became a nightmare to deal with in the 1960s.
The Western Australian joined the Cats in 1962 and helped lift them to the 1963 premiership.
He went on to win two Carji Greeves Medals to go with three Sandover Medals at West Perth.
The Cats have been blessed with multiple Indigenous stars across their history, such as Matthew Stokes and current day gun Tyson Stengle.
Jarrod Harbrow
Harbrow carved out a very respectable career on the Gold Coast.
The former Bulldog joined the Suns as a marquee signing for their first season however, he unfortunately didn’t experience much team success.
With many of his teammates choosing to head back to Victoria, the defender stuck fat and finished his career in Queensland.
He was rewarded with a best and fairest in 2018 before retiring in 2021.
From the 2025 list, Daniel Rioli and Ben Long will go close to challenging Harbrow if they remain on the Gold Coast.
Zac Williams
The Giants haven’t had many Indigenous guns, but Williams was an integral part of their rise up the ladder in the late 2010s.
The Giants took a punt on the halfback flanker at pick 54 of the 2013 rookie draft, and it paid dividends.
He will be best remembered for his starring role in the Giants' 2019 Preliminary Final victory.
At the current rate, Toby Bedford will surpass Williams with the tagger quickly forming a reputation as one of the best stoppers in the league.
Lance Franklin
There will never be another Buddy Franklin.
The full forward will be remembered as potentially the greatest Indigenous player of all time.
Hawthorn supporters look back on his time in brown and gold fondly, especially his 2008 season that yielded 113 goals and a premiership.
He finished his time at Waverley Park with 580 goals in 182 games, along with four All-Australians, two Coleman Medals and two premierships.
He made the high-profile move to Sydney after the 2013 flag, which further extended his legacy with 486 goals from 172 games, however, another flag eluded him.
Cyril Rioli is incredibly unlucky not to be mentioned with the small forward starring in four premierships and claiming the Norm Smith in 2015.
Jeff Farmer
There were very few players that could do what Jeff Farmer could in the red and blue.
The Wiz joined the Dees in 1995 and would become one of the best small forwards across the competition. His best year was 2000, when he helped lead the Dees to a Grand Final and earn a maiden All-Australian blazer.
He has one of the best highlight reels, which includes two Goals of The Year in 1996 and 1998.
Current day stars Steven May and Kozzie Pickett aren’t too far behind after the duo played a key role in the 2021 premiership.
Jim Krakouer
Jim Krakouer was just one part of a legendary footballing duo.
Together will brother Phil, they teamed up and became a headache for opposition clubs.
Both had incredible skill, speed and IQ and left a lasting impression on anyone who saw them play.
Jim finished with 134 games in blue and white, kicking 229 goals. The Western Australian won one Syd Barker medal and was selected in the Indigenous team of the century.
Jim just edges out brother Phil, while Byron Pickett and Daniel Wells also had terrific careers at Arden Street.
Gavin Wanganeen
There haven’t been many defenders like Gavin Wanganeen.
The back pocket was already a superstar in South Australia before Essendon poached him at the end of 1990. After winning a Brownlow Medal and a premiership in red and black, the defender couldn’t resist the lure of home at the end of 1996.
He played an integral role in the Power’s 2004 premiership and helped lift them to victory in the Preliminary Final against St Kilda. He would go on to be selected in the All-Australian team five times and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Byron Pickett will never be forgotten for his performance in the 2004 flag, while both the Burgoynes will go down as legends at Alberton.
Maurice Rioli Snr
Maurice Rioli Sr. helped pave the way for today’s current-day indigenous superstars.
Maurice was the first member of one of the great footballing families. The high-profile recruit joined the Tigers in 1982 and was instantly given the famous number 17 jumper.
He quickly became known for his speed and skill, which helped him outsmart opponents. He is best remembered for winning the 1982 Norm Smith medal in a losing side, one of only four players to achieve the feat.
Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton had terrific careers at Punt Road before they headed interstate.
Nicky Winmar
Very few players have taken a stand like Nicky Winmar.
Winmar’s response to racial abuse at Victoria Park in 1993 has become an iconic moment in Australian sport history that has since been immortalised in bronze outside Optus Stadium.
As a player, Winmar was a champion who could just about do it all. He was a two-time All-Australian and two-time best and fairest winner and helped propel the Saints to the 1997 Grand Final.
Based on 2025, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera looks like he could join Winmar as an Indigenous St Kilda legend.
Adam Goodes
Very few players could do what Adam Goodes could.
Drafted with pick 43 of the 1997 draft, Goodes proved to be one of the all-time draft steals.
Goodes would become one of the greatest players of the 2000s, playing all across the ground and dominating. He was rewarded with an incredible two Brownlow Medals, with one of them coming as a ruckman.
He played a pivotal role in the Swans' drought-breaking 2005 flag and stood up in the last quarter whilst injured in the 2012 Grand Final.
He is still very close with Swans indigenous legend Michael O’Loughlin (who also had a superb career in red and white), having teamed up to create the GO foundation.
Peter Matera
Peter Matera will forever be known as a West Coast legend.
The winger joined the Eagles in 1990 and carved out one of the all-time great careers.
He played in one of the great Eagles teams that won two premierships in 1992 and 1994. His career highlight was the 1992 Norm Smith Medal, dominating with five goals, which proved to be the difference in the end.
He would go on to be selected in the All-Australian team five times and won the best and fairest in 1997.
Brother Phil and David Wirrpanda will also be remembered as West Coast legends.
Michael McLean
Unlike other clubs, the Bulldogs haven’t been blessed with a plethora of Indigenous talent throughout the years.
Michael McLean, however, did have a solid career at the Whitten Oval, playing 95 games across seven seasons before joining the Brisbane Bears, where he would play a further 87 games.
The winger was incredibly talented and was rewarded with two best and fairests after leaving the Dogs.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has the potential to go down as one of the Bulldogs' greatest indigenous players, while Arthur Jones is forging a solid career in Luke Beveridge’s side.
