Twenty years on from their history changing moment on the MCG, Michael Long and Damian Monkhorst were reunited at the famous ground to launch this year’s The Long Walk.
The theme of this year’s The Long Walk is ‘Together’, and it was fitting that Long and Monkhorst shared their memories of the 1995 ANZAC Day Clash and the AFL’s vilification policy which was born out of the fallout.
“This was a game changer in that moment for the positive and the right things that we see now. You see so many different cultures playing this great game and I don’t think we realise how much that moment changed our great game,” Long said.
“The goodness and the leadership shown by Damian, is something that we truly don’t understand. It’s done so much for our game and society, which has translated to our supporters outside the fence and to our sporting codes which adopted the AFL’s vilification code.”
Two decades on Monkhorst said while he is still embarrassed by his actions he is pleased to see the game no longer tolerates discrimination of any kind.
“I made a terrible mistake in the heat of the battle,” Monkhorst said.
“I’m really proud of Longy, the way he took a stance and it has certainly helped the boys playing the game today, and it’s made it so much easier for them to enjoy the game and to not cop the hardship out on the oval.”
Former Essendon Coach Kevin Sheedy, former AFL CEO Ross Oakley and respected journalist Martin Flanagan joined the pair to share their thoughts on how the game has improved since that moment.
Sheedy said he has no doubt Long’s stance is a moment that changed not just the culture of AFL but Australian society.
“I thought Australia grew up through the eyes of AFL football,” Sheedy said.
“We are a more mature country now. I think Michael Long and Nicky Winmar and a lot of the players in that era were fantastic to put it to everybody in the game, that we should take a look at ourselves.”
Flanagan believes the incident is among the greatest moments in Australian sporting history.
“Almost overnight the culture of the game flips 180 degrees and suddenly the AFL is the nation leader in race relations,” Flanagan said.
“Football is a great social leader, there is no question it impacted on Australian sport generally but because Australian sport is so central to Australian culture, there is no question that it impacted on the community as well.”
Celebrating the community will also be a strong focus of this year’s The Long Walk as it makes its return to Federation Square. Among the key attractions will be the wellbeing concert before the walk departs for the annual Dreamtime at the ‘G match between the Essendon and Richmond Football Clubs.
It’s expected The Long Walk will also reach a major milestone with the event set to pass more than 100,000 participants since its inception in 2005.
The community event will see stallholders from community and government organisations, art & craft and circus workshops, children’s activities and food vendors come together in the heart of the city.
The free wellbeing concert will feature big name music acts including Archie Roach, Johnny Lovett, Philly, Kinja, Illana Atkinson, Jayden Lillyst, Kilmore International School and Indigenous Hip Hop Project.
The Long Walk Chairperson Leanne Brooke said the annual event was playing a vital role in educating Australian society.
“Today The Long Walk holds a unique position in the reconciliation landscape and we are proud of its history,” Brooke said.
“Our programs build understanding and break down barriers, bringing Australia’s First Peoples out from the nation’s fringes and into the hearts of everyday Australians.”
The Long Walk will be holding events in Melbourne on 30 May and in Brisbane on 31 May.
Event: The Long Walk Together 2015
Saturday 30 May, 2015.
12 noonCommunity event and free Wellbeing concert, Federation Square
6.00pm Join Michael Long on The Long Walk from Federation Square to Dreamtime at the 'G
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Website: www.thelongwalk.com.au
For more information about events and programs contact:
Debby Walker ph: 0410 458 611
Email: dwalker@essendonfc.com.au
For media enquiries contact:
Miranda Brown ph: 0411 568 781
Email: miranda@mbpublicity.com.au
