Goodes - Australian of the Year!!

**PerthSwannie** · 20th January 2014, 07:46 PM

Here`s the article for those who don`t have access to The Oz............However, Sorry Big Al, but you`ve elected not to read it...

Adam Goodes and the 'matter of choice'

THE first choice he makes is to turn around. "Nah," he tells himself. "This isn't happening."

May 24, 2013, in the dying minutes of the Sydney Swans versus Collingwood Magpies opening match of the AFL's annual Indigenous Round, Swans powerhouse Adam Goodes chooses to turn his 100kg, 191cm frame towards an MCG crowd of 65,306 people and face the 13-year-old girl seated on the boundary fence who just called him an ape. He then chooses to point his right arm straight towards the crowd. This muscular, thick-boned weapon of a limb has contributed to 5797 disposals, 1829 handballs and 409 goals in a thrilling 16-year career. But now it's a spotlight. It's a thing of incandescence, a thing of fire. He then chooses to remove his mouthguard and call to a dazed steward resting against the fence with his arms folded across his kneecaps. "Mate," he says. "I don't want her here. Get her out."

The moment takes 19 seconds to unfold. And 200 years to arise.

Adam Goodes was named the NSW Australian of the Year two months ago. On Australia Day eve he could well be named our nation's Australian of the Year or this newspaper's Australian of the Year. He's been recognised as much for his community work - domestic violence awareness ambassador, working with kids in youth detention centres, establishing the Go Foundation with his cousin and fellow Swans great Michael O'Loughlin to create indigenous role models in all walks of life - as for the courage he showed that night at the MCG and the compassion he showed the girl thereafter. "I've had fantastic support over the past 24 hours," Goodes said at the time. "I just hope that people give the 13-year-old girl the same sort of support because she needs it, her family needs it, and the people around them need it. It's not a witch-hunt. I don't want people to go after this young girl. We've just got to help educate society better so it doesn't happen again."

EDIT: Sorry to be a party pooper, but the article is paid premium content on their site, and in breach on RWO rules for reproducing the entire article.
Many of us have already read the article now and have appreciated you posting this, but I've now chosen to remove the article on the off chance the paper or writer sees fit to complain.
I hope you understand. Scott

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**erica** · 20th January 2014, 08:41 PM

Thank you! Great to read this. Who was the writer?

**PerthSwannie** · 20th January 2014, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by erica

Thank you! Great to read this. Who was the writer?

Trent Dalton
The Australian
January 18, 2014 12:00AM

From as some people call it, " The Evil News Ltd stable"

**Big Al** · 21st January 2014, 04:40 AM

Thanks PerthSwannie, I ended up accepting a couple of old Swannettes and a six pack of VB (TripleB was right sadly) and read the article.

He's grown into a very impressive community leader hasn't he.

Now I usually roll my eyes at sportsmen being given Australian of the Year honours but the work he's done away from the footy field would suggest he'd be a worthy winner if selected.

**YvonneH** · 21st January 2014, 07:58 AM

Been said before but thanks PerthSwannie.

Adam deserves all the good that comes his way.

**PerthSwannie** · 21st January 2014, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Big Al

.... I ended up accepting a couple of old Swannettes and a six pack of VB.

HaHa........old Swannettes?. Gee, which retirement village did you find them in??

**ScottH** · 21st January 2014, 03:18 PM

Thanks PerthSwannie. (again)

Most of that article is the same as what was told through the show on Ch10 last Friday that featured Adam.
Original journalism.