Originally Posted by
stevoswan
I think some footy journo's these days still fall into the trap of somewhat casually racially stereotyping our indigenous players, especially when 'party boy' rumours float around.
In the 70's and 80's, a lot of journo's talked about indigenous players "going walkabout" during games or in their careers generally, ie: lacking commitment. It was actually quite offensive and showed a lot of ignorance on their part as there wasn't the same league and public awareness back then that there is now, of the challenges the Indigenous lads face being away from country and family, so a lot of them back in the day were inconsistent and didn't last long, because they were battling homesickness and isolation.
It's different these days because there is a lot more understanding and a lot more is done to support not just all players but especially the Indigenous boys with the challenges they face being away from home in a new and pressurised environment. Plus a lot get to the league via scholarships at city schools and are used to a city sporting life by the time they are drafted.
I have seen Elijah speak and his attitude seems fine to me. Sure he's a bit laid back, maybe a little shy perhaps but like you, I expect him to thrive at the Swans and I have every confidence in him lighting it up onfield. As for the 'party boy' rumours, hey he's simply just a normal kid doing normal kid things. Nothing to see here....
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