HAWTHORN utility Shaun Burgoyne says he is proud to be part of the indigenous community and the contribution players have made to Australian Rules Football.

Indigenous players make up 11 per cent of all AFL-listed players, with Hawthorn having seven players on the list - Chance Bateman, Shaun Burgoyne, Amos Frank, Lance Franklin, Bradley Hill, Cyril Rioli and Derick Wanganeen. 

“It’s a proud moment for all of us to be recognised as part of the Indigenous Round,” Burgoyne said at the Ricoh Centre on Monday.

“It’s something that all the guys are pretty proud to be a part of and it just recognises the contribution the players have made in the past.”

Those past players, in particular St Kilda’s Nicky Winmar and Essendon’s Michael Long have made a valuable contribution to the understanding, recognition and appreciation of indigenous footballers.

Burgoyne says the racial vilification rules employed by the AFL in 1995 continue to be beneficial for all players, as AFL is now a multicultural sport.

“Everyone wants to go to work and feel safe and protected, we’ve got players from all different races now playing the game, it was probably the start of a new beginning,” Burgoyne said of Long and Winmar.

The Club has an ongoing relationship with the region of Katherine in the Northern Territory, an initiative formed as part of the AFL’s Club Partnership Program.

Burgoyne is the indigenous ambassador for Katherine, and visits communities in the region as part of his role.

“Hawthorn do a good job,” Burgoyne said.

“I go up two or three times at the end of the year with a few players and we get around that area and do a fair bit.

“We go and help out and play with the kids and go to the health centers and do all those things.”

Alongside Chance Bateman, Burgoyne is also a member of the Indigenous Advisory Board representing indigenous players, and aiming to assist them in their journey as an AFL player.

Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club’s Digital media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre