Retrogram: Top 10 indigenous players

Gavin Wanganeen celebrates his 1993 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

IT'S A top 10 that is so strong that even a Norm Smith Medal, multiple premierships or 300 games doesn't guarantee you a spot.

A top 10 that covers the full range of playing positions, and stacks up against any top 10 league footballers you could put together.

Each season players of indigenous heritage comprise about 10 per cent of the footballers on AFL lists, and the line shows no sign of dwindling. Consider the promising players to have made their debuts this season: Port's Jarman Impey, Melbourne's Jay Kennedy-Harris, Gold Coast's Jack Martin and Adelaide's Charlie Cameron.

Who is the best indigenous footballer?

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy once said that somewhere in the future we might look back at the best 100 footballers of all time and find that the bulk are Aboriginal players.

So to coincide with the AFL's indigenous Round, this week Retrogram has delved into the pictorial vault and pulled out images of the men we consider the best 10 indigenous footballers to have played at league level. If you have other ideas, leave a comment or post a Tweet at @_warwickgreen and we'll publish a selection next week.

Graham 'Polly' Farmer revolutionised playing his position. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

1. POLLY FARMER (Geelong)

Famer reshaped the game with his creative tap-outs and attacking handball.

He was among the inaugural intake of 12 legends into the Australian Football hall of fame. A premiership player and dual best-and-fairest winner at Geelong, he also won three Sandover Medals in Perth, where he played 255 WAFL games to go with his 101 in the VFL.

Crow Andrew McLeod in full flight against Hawthorn. Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

2. ANDREW MCLEOD (Adelaide)

Described by former West Coast star David Wirrpanda as "a black Rolls-Royce'', the Crows champion was best afield in two premiership teams.

An All-Australian captain who mesmerised with his pace, balance and penetrating kicking throughout a 340-game career. Won a record-equalling three Crows best-and-fairests, the first and last of which were 11 years apart.

Swans champion Adam Goodes celebrates the 2012 Grand Final win over Hawthorn. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Limited

3. ADAM GOODES (Sydney)

Dual Brownlow medallist and premiership player who has played in just about every position on the field. Is poised to overtake McLeod's record (340) of the most AFL games played by an indigenous footballer.

North Melbourne champion Barry Cable kicks the ball downfield. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

4. BARRY CABLE (North Melbourne)

An Australian football Hall of Fame legend who played 382 games across the VFL and WAFL. After a late start to his Victorian career he was a key member of North's first two premierships. His kicking and handballing precision was the equal of anyone to have played the game.

Nicky Winmar was as good on the ground as he was overhead. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

5. NICKY WINMAR (St Kilda/Western Bulldogs)

The first indigenous player to rack up 200 AFL games, Winmar's brilliance is sometimes forgotten in the rush to recognise the 1993 jumper-raising gesture that has become a defining image in the fight against racism in Australia.

Winmar could do it all. A brilliant kick and spectacular high mark, he used his pace not only to create but to chase and was a superb tackler, long before the phrase "forward pressure" was in vogue.

Richmond sensation Maurice Rioli in action. Source: News Corp Australia

6. MAURICE RIOLI (Richmond)

For a few years in the early 1980s Rioli was as good as anyone in the league, winning consecutive Richmond best-and-fairest award when the Tigers were contenders.

He won the Norm Smith Medal in the Tigers' 1982 Grand Final loss and was runner-up in the 1983 Brownlow Medal. Apart from being sublimely talented, he was a tough, ball-winning centreman who was rarely beaten.

Eagle Peter Matera made the wing his own. Picture: News Limited Source: News Limited

7. PETER MATERA (West Coast)

A five-time All Australian, Matera was a key player in the dominant Eagles teams that won two premierships in the early 1990s.

Used his pace and evasive skills to break lines, either on the wing or from half back. Had the game-changing knack of kicking running goals from long range. Named on a wing in the indigenous Team of the Ccentury.

A young Gavin Wanganeen flies high. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Corp Australia

8. GAVIN WANGANEEN (Essendon/Port Adelaide)

In 1993, aged 20 and in just his third AFL season, the attacking defender became the first indigenous player to win the Brownlow Medal and was part of the Baby Bombers premiership.

He later returned to South Australia where he was Port Adelaide's inaugural captain, playing in the 2004 flag and finishing runner-up in the 2003 Brownlow. He was the first indigenous player to rack up 300 games and was selected on a back flank in the indigenous Team of the Century.

Kangaroos forward Jimmy Krakouer in 1989. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Limited

9. JIM KRAKOUER (North Melbourne/St Kilda)

Arrived at North Melbourne with brother Phil in 1982 and produced a brand of football rarely seen at league level. His creative vision and ball use sliced open opposition teams, and he was such a prolific goalkicker that he led North's tally in three different season. One of the toughest and most courageous rovers to have played the game.

Lance Franklin left a lasting impression on Hawthorn fans. Picture: Herald Sun Source: News Limited

10. LANCE FRANKLIN (Hawthorn/Sydney)

A dual premiership player and Coleman medallist, Franklin is capable of producing electrifying bursts of play that sit in a rare bracket with the likes of both Gary Abletts and John Coleman. At age 27, and in the first year of a nine-season deal with the Swans, he has the potential to become one of the game's greats.

RETROGRAM RECALL

LAST week Retrogram dug out 10 classic examples of footballers showing off their acting skills.

From Mike: I remember Tim Watson having a shocker on Home and Away with some really wooden acting but totally redeeming himself a few years later in a funny skit about footballers doing clichéd post-game interviews on The Late Show, which by the way was the best Australian comedy show of all time.

RETROGRAM SAYS: How good would it be if the AFL players of today put themselves through a course at The Late Show's grooming school?

From Chris: In your intro you missed Ron Barassi, a regular with Happy Hammond on the Tarax Happy Show for kids in the '60s.

RETROGRAM SAYS: Showing your age there Chris. The flip side, of course, is that Happy Hammond was the third man down the players' race and on to the MCG before Geelong won the 1963 Grand Final. No sign of Princess Panda, though.

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