Koori Mail Indigenous Team of the Year

[The Observer]

Aboriginal Rugby League legend and NASCA Chairman David Liddard named his indigenous dream team of 2003 in the latest edition of Koori Mail dated Wed Sept 24. Liddiard writes a great column for the newspaper each fortnight, this week's one particularly good. Here is his team:
1. Rhys Wesser
2. Matt Sing
3. Justin Hodges
4. Shannon Hegarty
5. Timana Tahu
6. Preston Campbell
7. Matt Bowen
13. Daniel Wagon
12. Dean Widders
11. Gorden Tallis
10. Justin Smith
9. Brent Webb
8. Carl Webb

BENCH
14. David Peachey
15. Nathan Blacklock
16. Jonathon Thurston
17. Ben Wellington

The biggest surprise of the article was to learn about so many well known NRL players that have an indigenous background. if anyone should know, it is Liddiard because he is the had of NASCA, the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation of Australia. It came as a big suprise to learn about the indigenous heritage of Robbie O'Davis, Robbie Beckett, Greg Bird, Scott Prince, Daniel Wagon, Daniel Dumas and Pat Gibson. Apparently Craig Wing also has an indigenous background.

Let me quote his paragraph before announcing the team, because it is a brilliant conclusion: "The following team would give any team a run for their money and reinforces the depth of Indigenous talent in the game as well as building the case for representative games for a wholly Indigenous team."

I have advocated in the past about RL Immortal Arthur Beetson's idea for an Australia Day match between the Kangaroos and the Dream Team. Considering that the Roos would get first pick of players, these would be my teams, based on current form and fitness (Assuming that Barrett, Johns, Ryles, L Bailey, Timmins, Lyon, Tate, Gidley Fletcher Menzies were all out with injury, Civoniceva was suspended).

Players in italics have an indigenous background:

KANGAROOS: Lockyer; Sing, Minichiello, Girdler, Tahu; Gower, Kimmorley; Ricketson, Kennedy, Tallis (c); Kearns, Buderus, Webcke. BENCH: Price, Mason, Wing, Fitzgibbon.

DREAM TEAM: Wesser; Blacklock, McGuinness, Peachey (c)*, Williams; Campbell, M Bowen; Wagon, Widders, Smith; Tookey, Gibson, C Webb. BENCH: Simpson, Wellington, S Prince, B Webb.
*=has to be in there somewhere for leadership material.

 

[incredible_holc]

well youd have peach at either fullback or 5/8th

I know Wesser has been in top form and Peach hasnt but i fell playing for an Aboriginal side we would see the old Peach back and there is only one person better than the old peach and that is Lockyer.

The reason i feel peach has been playing bad is he looks as though he doesnt have as much pride for the sharks as he once did. This year he has been lackluster(spelling?????) and just not playing with enthusiasm

but playing for an aborigine team peach would have pride and be back to his best

 

[Anonymous]

Do Torres Strait Islanders (??) count as "indigenous Australians"?. Cause that's what I thought Webb was but I could be mistaken. Also, isn't Tahu Maori?

 

[The Observer]

I believe that the term indigenous Australians refers to all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Other posters like Big Bunny would probably be able to give you more information. I think Webb was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

Tahu has a Maori parent and an Aboriginal parent.

 

[Tigertread]

Brent Webb was born in Cairns, he moved to Townsville and went to Kirwan High School. He played half/five-eight for the school team which also included Cowboys Paul Dezolt and George Gatis.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

That would be alright to have an indigeneous side picked, pretty good side they could put together aswell.

 

[Rustay]

That side is the second best side in the world ;-)

 

[Big Bunny]

I believe that the term indigenous Australians refers to all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Other posters like Big Bunny would probably be able to give you more information. I think Webb was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

Tahu has a Maori parent and an Aboriginal parent.

What he said.

"Indigenous Australians" is just another term for Aboriginal Australians. Both terms are applicable to Tasmanian Aborigines, Torres Strait Islanders and mainland Aboriginals (Koori, Murri, Nyoongar etc - this depending on where you are from). The distinction between the three groups is both a geographic and racial one. The northern most islands in the Torres Strait group are within sight of the PNG mainland, therefore those Islands tend to have people with prodominantly Melanesian characteristics. In the Southern Islands the people share closer bloodlines with their mainland neighbours hence there is no real difference other than a cultural one.

If after that you might be a little confused, just remember that defining everyone by their chosen nationality is a lot easier since there's no such thing as a racially pure individual.

 

[OVP]

Craig Wing Indigenous ? :shock:

Since when were the Philipines recognized as being part of Indigenous Australia ??