AFL green lights drastic measure to correct worrying Indigenous trend
The AFL is set to introduce an additional list spot for all clubs in 2027, designed specifically to add Indigenous players to every side.
Leading AFL reporter Cal Twomey has revealed the league is set to push ahead with the change, in the wake of a concerning decline in Indigenous players across the competition.
Bradley Hill of the Indigenous All Stars in 2025. Getty
In 2020, there were 87 players of Indigenous heritage across the competition. Now in 2026, the number sits at 62.
The AFL put together a subcommittee in 2026 to discuss the issue, but it drew criticism for including just three First Nations Australians, and none from the Northern Territory, New South Wales or Queensland.
It also did not contain AFL talent diversity manager Paul Vandenberg, the most senior Indigenous football staffer at AFL House.
Hawthorn great Shaun Burgoyne claimed in May that the subcommittee “lacked credibility” because of the omissions.
Twomey however confirmed that the league would be introducing the additional list spot in 2027, for both the AFL and AFLW competitions.
“Some big news today, the AFL is set to introduce a new Category B rookie spot to allow clubs to draft an Indigenous player to add to their list for the 2027 season,” Twomey told 3AW on Thursday night.
“This has been debated and worked through for a number of months now. The AFL told (everybody) that the move would be going ahead for 2027.
“This is a move to boost numbers of Indigenous players on AFL lists and also for AFLW.”
Every team currently already has Category B rookie spots they can use to draw players from other codes to the AFL.
Collingwood premiership ruckman, and now Fremantle player, Mason Cox, is one of the more famous examples.
Twomey added that the AFL is optimistic that the decline in Indigenous numbers will shortly turn, even aside from this extra list spot.
“They released data today about how they’re seeing the progress of next-generation academy players rise up and the number of Indigenous players from 12 to 16 and then 16 to 18, the representation has grown the last three or four years,” he said.
“There are hopes that will now start to bleed into the AFL system over the next few years.”
9News Melbourne reported in 2025 that the additional list spot would be funded by the AFL and not come out of club salary caps.
Speaking in 2025, former Essendon coach James Hird said he was a big fan of the concept.
“It’s a fantastic idea and good on the AFL because we have seen a reduction of Indigenous players in the AFL which is very, very sad,” Hird told SEN.
“Sometimes they need more time to adapt to the way the game is played or training standards.”
