This weekend, Collingwood will join the AFL community in celebrating the culture and players that have helped shape Australia’s game during Indigenous Round.

Established in 2007, the AFL’s annual round recognising and celebrating indigenous players and culture has been renamed in honour of Sir Doug Nicholls.

Fifteen Indigenous players have donned the Black and White throughout the club’s 125-year history, with Wally Lovett holding the honour of being the first native Australian to represent the club, playing 15 VFL games in 1982.

It was previously believed that Norm Le Brun, who featured in 19 games for the Black and White between 1933 and 1934, held that particular distinction.



However, research by the granddaughter of Le Brun’s first cousin established his heritage to differ greatly from that previously assumed, with the investigation uncovering a diverse background, featuring familial links to Cape Verde, Jamaica, Scotland and Jersey.

Indigenous players have played a more prominent role for the club since Lovett’s pioneering efforts, with Leon Davis becoming the first native Australian to play 200 games for the Magpies before his retirement in 2011.

Featuring in four AFL Grand Finals, including 2010’s drawn decider against St Kilda, Davis established himself among the upper echelons of the competition’s elite, twice earning All-Australian recognition as well as winning the Goal of the Year award in 2008.

CGU Business Lunch Series: Be there to help celebrate Indigenous Round.

Grand Final glory though ultimately eluded Davis, allowing Sharrod Wellingham to become the club’s first Indigenous Premiership player when he starred in Collingwood’s 2010 triumph, booting two goals in the Grand Final replay.

Recruited in 2010, Andrew Krakouer’s three goal performance in the 2011 Grand Final almost proved the catalyst to drive the Magpies to back-to-back Premierships, but the side’s last quarter fade out denied them the chance to claim a history equalling 16th flag.



Leon Davis and Andrew Krakouer celebrate a goal during the 2011 Grand Final.

Travis Varcoe, one of the stars of Collingwood's 2017 line up, originally won two premierships in 138 games for Geelong before making the switch to Collingwood at the end of 2014.

In 2017, Varcoe is joined by North Melbourne star Daniel Wells and youngsters Kayle Kirby and Mitch McCarthy as the four Indigenous players on the Collingwood list.



Mitch McCarthy, Daniel Wells and Kayle Kirby showcase Collingwood's 2017 Indigenous Round jumper.

This weekend, Wells will join six other players league-wide in wearing No. 67 on the back of his jumper.

The number commemorates the year of the referendum that ensured indigenous Australians would be counted in the census and allowed the federal government to make laws for them.

Roll call of Indigenous footballers to have played a senior game for Collingwood
Click on each player's name to view their profile on forever.collingwoodfc.com.au.

Wally Lovett
(1982)

Robbie Ahmat
(1995-1997)

Leon Davis
(2000-2011)

Richard Cole
(2002-2005)

Chris Egan
(2005-2008)

Brad Dick
(2007-2011)

Shannon Cox
(2007-2009)

Sharrod Wellingham
(2008-2011)

Anthony Corrie
(2009)

Kirk Ugle
(2011-2012)

Andrew Krakouer
(2011-2013)

Peter Yagmoor
(2012)

Tony Armstrong
(2014-2015)

Travis Varcoe
(2015-2017)

Daniel Wells
(2017)