With the start of NAIDOC Week I thought it was an opportune time to have a go at picking my Greatest Swan Districts Indigenous Side of all time from the more than 70 Aboriginal/TSI boys that have pulled on the Famous Black And White Guernsey in a League game in our 82 year history.
Most of the boys are from our city and country zones plus a few fellas recruited from NT/QLD.
Would be interested in what other Swans fans opinions are and also those from other clubs with a genuine interest.
BA) Peter Ware, Craig Holden, Graham Jetta
HB) Clancee Pearce, Danny Penny, Neville Jetta
CE) Keith Narkle (C), Garth Taylor, Phil Narkle (VC)
HF) Lewis Jetta, Kevin Caton, Charlie Cameron
FO) Chris Yarran, Troy Ugle, Jeff Garlett
RU) Tom Thorne, Michael Walters, Andrew Krakouer
INT) Kevin Taylor, Joe Ahmat, Jamie Bennell, Kirk Ugle, Marlon Motlop, Dayle Garlett, *Murray Newman
Showing my age here BH but I have had the pleasure of seeing every one of those boys play for the Black and Whites. Peter Ware was one of my all time favourite players with his dash and high marking. Would be interesting if other clubs could put their teams out. In particular would love to see a South Freo team. How about it Southerner, Bazza , Dwert or other SF fans?
With this week being Naidoc Week I thought it was an opportune time to come up with the SDFC Greatest Indigenous Side of all time from the more than 70 Aboriginal/TSI boys that have pulled on the Famous Black & White guernsey in a League game since our inception.
Most of the fellas are from our country & city zones plus a few boys came from NT/QLD.
Below is the team I have chosen would be interested in other Swans fans thoughts and those from other clubs with a genuine interest.
BA) Peter Ware, Craig Holden, Graham Jetta
HB) Clancee Pearce, Danny Penny, Neville Jetta
CE) Keith Narkle (C), Garth Taylor, Phil Narkle (VC)
HF) Lewis Jetta, Kevin Caton, Charlie Cameron
FO) Chris Yarran, Troy Ugle, Jeff Garlett
RU) Tom Thorne, Michael Walters, Andrew Krakouer
INT) Kevin Taylor, Joe Ahmat, Jamie Bennell, Kirk Ugle, Marlon Motlop, Dayle Garlett, *Murray Newman
[/quote]
well done BH…not often I compliment you bogans but that’s a great initiative on your part and well timed to boot. That side would beat just about any other WAFL team going around over the years.
I hope when I review the side I have chosen above in years to come to be able to add a number of current boys that have had a taste of League footy and who are the future of the club with their best footy still to come eg Riddoch, Dean, Wilson, Ansey, Hackett, Fletcher, Nelson and a few of the very exciting young Colts boys.
Nice work Bh.Decent side on paper..Graeme Jetta,Peter Ware,Kieth Narkle,Tom Thorne,.All great players that didnt play Afl/Vfl..But would of done so easily.
1978 Kieth Narkle kicked a goal from the centre of Bassendean oval.Torpedo Punt.John Duckworth from West Perth done the same in that match..Keith never played a bad game for Swans over 250 games.He stared in his last game the 84 Grand Final.
Phil Narkle made his debut aged 16.He would of stared in modern day Afl.You could talk for hours about this NaidocSwans team.
What a brilliant side mate! This would be an interesting exercise for each club across the comp to do a similar side and match them up. A privilege to see all of these blokes go around apart from Thorne like yourself
Pretty good BH - there’s some skill there. It does show, however, that many of Swans’ Indigenous men were of similar build. Apart from Kevin Caton, that’s a short goal to goal line. The hypothetical team might get beaten in the air (albeit with a few Caton and Tommy Thorne screamers) and in the ruck, but it would be unbeatable once the ball hit the ground.
When you go back to the 1960s there wasn't a lot of Aboriginal players in the Wafl.The ones that where playing where out and out champions.Whinnen.Dempsy.Farmer,Cable,Jackson.They where the players that got it all going.It all started in Wa in that era. Swans in there 1st hatrick didn't have an indigeriois player.Kieth Narkle late 60s Swans first aboriginal champion!!!
Was there a swans player before Kieth Narkle!!
Southerner..Kieth Narkle was also a small man in height and body weight.Back in that era being a very physical game you had to be good.With Keith body size to play.
Remember thoes bad couple of years for Swans 1976-78.Every week the best Swans players where Narkle,Nawotney, listed in the paper.
Good question. Might be one to ask Sean Cowan in the footy budget. Despite the many quality Indigenous footballers at Swans since the mid-1970s, I always think of EP leading the way in that field - Farmer, Hunt, Roe, Kilmurray and Jackson all in the 1950s and 1960s. Two of the five won Sandovers, while one finished with the most votes in 1963 but was ineligible due to a striking charge.
Phil Narkle was a brilliant footballer but I remember Oral McGuire used to get the better of him in their head to head duels. I could never quite work that out. Maybe Oral cast a tribal spell on him. :lol:
Here’s the full list of every Swans since inception in 1934. There was a Joseph Kneebone that played 3 games in 1934, not sure how many others before Keith Narkle.
Maybe some names here can jog your memories of indigenous players that have worn the black and white. Hint: you can sort by career span by clicking the table header if it’s easier.
Also, Clancee Pearce is of Indian decent I believe.
Hey mate I believe Kernut was Tom Thorne’s younger brother. Kernut kicked a lot of goals in the SWFL and he kicked 10 goals in a pre season game for Swans in 1988 but went back home after only 1 game unfortunately.
Hi Ric, I thought the same in regards to Clanc & his Indian heritage but I remember a few years back there was a photo in the paper of all the Freo aboriginal boys together for the AFL Indigenous Round and Clanc appeared in that hence why I included him in our SD Greatest Indigenous Team.
