PAST legacies, future legends.
It’s the theme for this year’s 10th addition of Sir Doug Nicholls Round and captures the important impact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have had, and continue to have, on the AFL world.
For Narrm Football Club, past player Matthew Whelan is a perfect representation of this theme, in more ways than one.
20 years ago, Whelan was a force to be reckoned with on the football field, pulling on the No.45 for the Dees across 150 games.
Aptly nicknamed ‘Wheels’, his quick feet and unrelenting pressure made him a fan favourite among the Narrm faithful.
Now, the former Demon has been making waves off the football field, helping shape the club’s AFL playing group through cultural support, education and connection.
As Narrm’s Indigenous Projects Officer, Whelan is an open door when it comes to sharing his culture and knowledge with all those he works with.
While a powerful resource for many within the football program, it’s no surprise that he has a particularly close relationship with Narrm’s four Indigenous players - Kysaiah Pickett, Steven May, Shane McAdam and Ricky Mentha Jnr.
McAdam, a Kija and Jaru man from Halls Creek, arrived at the Dees at the end of 2023 via the trade period, making the move from the Adelaide Crows.
At the time, the 28-year-old was far away from both home (2,752 km to be exact) and the life he’d made in South Australia, but he felt instantly connected and comfortable with the help of Whelan.
“That’s what it is, it’s family away from family,” McAdam said.
“Wheels makes it a home away from home. He’s made it comfortable for me and easier to transition into the city and be away from my family.”
It makes sense that he considers Whelan family. If you were to come to Casey Fields on any given training day, you’d walk past Whelan’s office and see McAdam, alongside a number of teammates, clambered into the space.
But it’s more than just a place to hang out with friends.
“It’s a safe space in his office to come and talk about whatever we want, with someone who we feel really comfortable with,” McAdam said.
“Wheels is the glue for that connection between us [Indigenous players], while also helping us to stay involved with our non-Indigenous teammates too.
The role of a First Nations person within a club’s welfare team is becoming increasingly imperative within the AFL landscape.
As an Indigenous athlete, McAdam emphasised the importance of having these resources within football programs and the direct impact it has on the players.
“It’s really important to have someone like Wheels because we can learn off him,” McAdam said.
“He’s been in this position before, and when he was playing, it would’ve been even harder and he would’ve had no support.
“So, for us to have the support from someone like him, who’s done it before, it helps us so much to then focus on the things we need to do.”
Mentha Jnr, a Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte and Kurnai man from Alice Springs, is fresh to the AFL world, having been drafted to the Dees at the end of 2024.
The 19-year-old echoed a similar sentiment, highlighting the effect a resource like Whelan can have on helping young players settle in.
“He helped me heaps around the club, introducing me to everyone, helping me with timings, teaching me the rights things about being professional.
“It’s really important to have [someone like Wheels], without him, I definitely would’ve struggled with the change a lot more.
“I’m sure it’s the same for Kozzy, Mayzy and Shane, he just plays a really important role.”
In terms of Whelan’s on-field impact, his tricks from the early 2000s are often a topic of conversation among the club, his highlights package still making the rounds to this day.
“I’ve seen a few of his highlights, but he doesn’t like to talk about it, so I hear it from other players and people at the club,” McAdam laughed.
“He’s pretty humble but I’ve heard he was tough, so I wouldn’t have wanted to play on him when he was in his prime.”
The Dees are getting set to celebrate their final game of Sir Doug Nicholls Round this weekend when they host the Swans at the MCG on Sunday.
BE AT THE 'G IN ROUND 11 >>> Get your tickets now
While he won’t be taking the field due to an Achilles injury, McAdam spoke to the power the round has on the league’s First Nations players.
“We all love these two weeks because it grows the game,” McAdam said.
“Plenty of Indigenous players have brought a lot to this game so to be able to share that with non-Indigenous people, it’s really important.”
