Michael O'Loughlin says there was big uproar about why there weren't more indigenous players drafted last year, but for him it was purely a quirk of the system. Picture: Stephen Harman Source: Herald Sun
ALL-STARS coach Mick O'Loughlin has dismissed worries that AFL clubs are increasingly unwilling to draft indigenous players.
Only three indigenous footballers were selected in last year's national draft and talented but troubled WA youngster Dayle Garlett was notably overlooked due to anxieties about his off-field behaviour.
Former Swans premiership forward O'Loughlin, who will coach Indigenous All-Stars in a match against Richmond in Alice Springs on Friday night, said the issue would "no doubt" be discussed at the three-day camp leading up to the match, but he believed 2012 was an anomaly.
"There was a big uproar about why there weren't more indigenous players drafted last year, but for me it was just a quirk of the system," O'Loughlin said.
"My personal opinion is just that these things ebb and flow. One year there may not be many ruckmen, another not enough mids. Or if you have one draft where there's hardly any kids out of Western Australia, does that mean you need to hit the panic button about footy in that state? There's no panic stations from where I sit.
"The indigenous pathway is there and producing players."
About 60 indigenous AFL players will gather in Alice Springs from Tuesday for a three-day camp that includes a leadership program and community visits.
O'Loughlin said former Lions premiership defender Chris Johnson had drawn up an agenda of subjects for discussion at the camp.
"We'll talk about everything from drafting to financial planning and how to invest your money. I think the younger boys will be surprised about how open the older guys will be about their experiences," O'Loughlin said.
He said there would be discourse about the pitfalls of drug and alcohol.
"Absolutely. Just like at any AFL club, that will be a discussion point. That will certainly be raised. It's a chance for blokes to have an open discussion about any issue in the AFL industry," he said.
Another topic would be the number of indigenous footballers who have walked away from the system, such as Zeph Skinner (Western Bulldogs), Liam Jurrah and Kelvin Lawrence (Melbourne), Nathan Krakouer (Gold Coast), Nathan Djerrkura (Bulldogs), Troy Taylor and Relton Roberts (Richmond) and Rhan Hooper (Brisbane Lions).
"This camp is a chance for the younger players to get to know the older guys and pick their brains, learn from them how they've survived in the cut-throat environment that is AFL," O'Loughlin said.
"We've been playing in a bloody tough industry and there's a lot of pressure that goes along with it, so a lot of these guys need to learn how professional you need to be.
"I know it took me a few years to find my feet, and it's going to take some of these kids time, as well.
"They'll get the opportunity to sit down and have breakfast with Goodesy (Adam Goodes) or Buddy (Franklin) or Shauny Burgoyne."
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